Hot Water NOT

[oldairbear]

Hello Team; Seeking the advice of the hot water experts on this forum. I live on board, this morning woke up went for my wash and NO HOT WATER! The engine had been running for 4 hours last night 4pm - 8pm. There had been plenty of hot water over the weekend and prior to today from running the engine to charge batteries. I have a Beta 35 Engine with pipework running into a horizontal twin coil calorifier the other feed is from the Webasto. Ran the Webasto this morning to double check (checked the coolant level in engine too) got hot radiators but only just cool water from the hot taps. My water system runs from the tank through a Jabsco Variflow pump, cold outlets, non return valve, expansion tank, calorifier, hot outlets as per jabsco recomendations for the pump and this has given no problems in 2 years - until today. The only thing that has changed is that the very end of the hot pipe run was tapped for a washing machine (up to now washing machine ran on cold water only) On Sunday afternoon I took a connection off this to the washing machine in order to run the washing on tap temp rather than the internal heater (Trying to save on battery power) and turned on the stop tap this pulled a fast surge of water through the pipe to fill the vacuum. Is it possible that I now have a huge air pocket in the calorifier? or is the problem elsewhere. Your help in solving this problem or pointing me in the right direction of how to cure it would be greatfully recieved. I dont fancy too many cold showers!!

Thanks you

Mel

[denboy]

yep sounds like you have an air lock

 

yep sounds like you have an air lock

[oldairbear]

Thanks for that; now part two - who can tell me how to get rid of the air lock. Woodwork was always my forte, plumbing is still black magic to me other than understanding basics. but with the right information i am prepared to dive into the engine room and have a go. its doing it without any forewarning of what to do and what to expect followed by an almighty C*** Up that prevents me doing anything until i have heard from the knowledgeable ones here.

Mel

[denboy]

thats the million $ question its probably trapped in clarifier so loosen the top pipe on the tank and see if air bubles out if it does slacken it a bit more untill you just get water running dont undo it all the way though

Edited May 20, 2008 by denis boyle

[oldairbear]

Ok Down the engine hole for me tonight then (lifebelt at the ready! ) to have a look at the pipework before undoing anything. Thank you.

[larkshall]

When you say took a connection for washing machine, do you mean you used one of those pipe clamp kits? You could have introduced swarf from imbedded pipe cutter. If so you may need to flush through hot water circuit.

But i too think you have an airlock in system. If so and the earlier answer does not work, you may need to 'backflush hot water pipes. THe usual way of doing this is to connct a piece of rubber pipe between hot and cold taps as far from hot tank as is possible. THen with taps open, crack joint one by one going towards hot tank. A bitvh of a job and a two handed one at that.

 

NB whilst at it check coil connections in tank for airlocks too, the shouldnt have one but just miight. WHich would mean water heating pipes not carrying hot water from boiler or engine.

[oldairbear]

The hot pipe run runs from the calorifier with spurs off for bathroom and galley taps then the end of the pipe has a stop tap with a threaded connector end which was ready to accept a washing machine, all speedfit fittings so it was just a matter of screwing the hot connection hose to it and to the washing machine. the surge of water i heard was this hose connection filling with water which led me to think that the water flow may have been too fast or that the air that was in the hose has been passed back down the line as the water flowed forward to the washing machine, this is only guess work as i am not that proficient with the principals of plumbing. i dont think the coils are the problem as it is twin coil which would mean that both the engine and the webasto would have had to have got air in at the same time on two independant systems?

[larkshall]

OK what you heard was water filling flexible pipe up to the water 'stop' solenoid on hot water intake to wash machine.

Agreed both coils can't be playing up

Agreed no swarf etc

 

Water to washmachine (hot)> I suggest u disconnect hose at w/m end and then run water thru it This may clear problem. I suspect btw that you have quite a flow of water thru this pipe, has the w/m got pressure reducers in place? (basically little plastic restriction devices that fit behind small cone shaped filters in w/m inlets).. Its not pertanent to current problem, just for the longer term.

 

By running water thru to machine u may clear air. Easiest way is select hottest wash and let it go. depending on mc, it might run thru a cycle, or not (some machines will re-heat incoming hot water, others dont. THese will sit there thinking,brilliant i called for hot, u gave me cold, so now what do i do?.

 

Oh is w/m higher thn your hot tank (refuse to use the c word)

[oldairbear]

there was some air in the tank which i successfully managed to remove so hot water is restored. I dont know about the restrictors but i will have a look later. The important thing is Thank You Both for your help.

[denboy]

simple things are often the most awkward

[larkshall]

 

Glad to her you have hot water again.

 

PS w/m pressure reducers are a safety device in machines, solenoids can weep after a while resulting in

water build up in drum area with all that encompasses.