Stumped

[mand]

Hello all,

 

I wonder can anyone give me little advice.

 

I have a Alde “comfort” gas heating boiler, it runs a couple of

Radiators and heats the water.

Well, the last time I used it (about a month ago), it worked absolutely fine, no problems. However I switched it on, wanting to heat the water.

Now what happens is, it starts up fine, with the flame “ticking over”, I turn the control knob up and then it “kicks in”, the flame gets higher.

Well, this happens every time. ………… after a few minutes off running, it just automatically switches itself back too “tick over”.

 

I’ve tried it many times, and the same thing keeps happening. I knew there was plenty of gas in the bottle, but just to try it, I connected a full one up, so it isn’t that.

 

 

I’m really stumped , so any advice/help, would be greatly appreciated.

 

Mand

[Dominic M]

Hi Mand

 

I would have a good bet that either the thermostat is faulty, or the circulation pump is not working. You probably have a little black box on the wall in the boat with a temperature control on it. A round dial. On the top of that box is a sliding switch. It's above head height so not immediately obvious. That turns the pump on. Try sliding that. The pump itself is in the top of a plastic tank at the top of the boiler. Take the upper cover off on the slim unit to find it by sliding upward off its retaining clips. The pump is very quiet, but is audible when you are right next to it.

Edited January 31, 2011 by Dominic M

[Iain_S]

Sounds like either a dicky thermostat, or (probably more likely)the water isn't circulating (either pump U/S or all the stop valves turned off (Don't laugh, that one happenned to me : lesson leaned, don't assume, check!)

 

Does the boiler get hot before it shuts down? Is the pump running?

 

Iain

 

Edited to add : Dominic beat me to it

Edited January 31, 2011 by Iain_S

[Dominic M]

Sounds like either a dicky thermostat, or (probably more likely)the water isn't circulating (either pump U/S or all the stop valves turned off (Don't laugh, that one happenned to me : lesson leaned, don't assume, check!)

 

Does the boiler get hot before it shuts down? Is the pump running?

 

Iain

 

Edited to add : Dominic beat me to it

I'm sure that will be right though. I should have added that the pump is integral to the screw cap on top of the plastic tank. If it is not revolving, then that is probably the problem. A replacement pump is not a big deal. Cold showers are less amusing though. I hope you have either a stove or a 15 tog duvet. Or a lover.

[RLWP]

I'm sure that will be right though. I should have added that the pump is integral to the screw cap on top of the plastic tank. If it is not revolving, then that is probably the problem. A replacement pump is not a big deal. Cold showers are less amusing though. I hope you have either a stove or a 15 tog duvet. Or a lover.

 

It may have an external pump, ours does.

 

You should be able to hear a pump running - ours is bloody noisy

 

Richard

[Dominic M]

12v pumps are, especially when mounted to woodwork. Go back to the Alde original, I suggest. They take longer to circulate, but not that much longer and they are near silent. I had the same external pump set up on my last boat. An Alde engineer supplied me with a 2nd hand one for £25. Screws straight into the tank top, with a couple of simple spade connectors for the wires to connect to.

Edited January 31, 2011 by Dominic M

[mand]

Many thanks all,

 

I hate being so “dumb” on this, and to be honest many other subjects concerning “boating”. but I’m really in a “learning period” at the moment, and I have every intention of learning.

I suppose problems like this cropping up, are the best way to learn.

 

Well, I’m putting a couple off photo’s on. It’s the first time I’ve looked behind the cover.

I can hear the pump running. However when removing the cover the first thing I noticed, was the little tank at the top with maximum and minimum marks, is totally empty. Even I know there’s something wrong there, should I top it up with water ???

 

I’m ok for heating, I have a stove, and I hardly ever need to use the radiators. I was just wanting too heat up the water for a shower.

 

Many thanks for your all your advice so far.

 

 

Mand

 

 

 

[sociable_hermit]

Yep, that should have water and antifreeze mix in it. The pump motor is that golden 'can' on the top - it'll make more sense when you unscrew the top of the plastic header tank and take it out.

 

The big question for me is, where's your water gone? Is there any evidence of a leak or do you think it's been like that for a while?

 

P.S. The pumps seem to be a mixed bag, I have a genuine Alde one and it's very loud.

 

Your thermostat may have been wired in such a way that when the room reaches the set temperature it stops the pump. Mine was. What then happened was that the boiler overheated and vented the excess boiling water out via the overflow - not a brilliant idea!

[Dominic M]

Mand - top up that tank. To about two thirds full. Do check that there aren't leaks from the radiator pipework. If the tank is empty again after a few weeks, there is a leak somewhere. Do you have an inspection hatch that let's you get below the cabin floor (amazingly, quite a few boats do not), preferably at the back end of the cabin? If so, is there any water there? If so , borrow a wet & dry vac and remove the water, and check in a few weeks. Before next winter, make sure you add antifreeze to that Alde tank. Car stuff is fine. By the way, if you have conventional radiators as opposed to fin rads, another sure sign of a slow leak is the need to bleed them frequently.

 

Edit: as sociable hermit has said

Edited February 1, 2011 by Dominic M

[mand]

Well, I hope I’m not jumping the gun here, but it seems that did it

 

Can’t thank you all enough for the advice, Thank you.

 

 

Yes, it seems strange about where the water has gone, so I’ll be following your advice and making regular checks on the whole system.

One thing that is very noticeable, is the Cider bottle, which seems too be acting as some sort off overflow/reservoir, with a pipe I believe is coming down from the tank where the pump is situated. I’ll have a better look round tomorrow and try and familiarise myself with it all.

 

Tell you what, I’m surprised at how small the pump is, I don’t know what I was expecting, I guess I was expecting it too be much bigger. Something more impressive.

 

Right, I must switch off the radiators now, I have the stove going, and it’s getting to “meltdown” point in here.

 

Once again, Thank you all, mand

 

 

[Dominic M]

Don't drink the contents of the cider bottle! The Alde shouldn't blow into it, but it's a wise precaution nevertheless. Do keep an eye on that tank level, if it's not in the cider bottle, it is going somewhere.

 

My errant dog has returned now, so bedtime.

[NBMike]

If there's any fluid in that cider bottle, pur it back into the tank. It should be a mixture of water and antifreeze to the right proportions. Alde recommend 40% anti freeze/60% water and it can be ordinary car antifreeze. I found it difficult to get the level right when I first filled mine. Water expands when heated so if you've overfilled the tank, it will vent out through the overflow. But if you fill to the min level when the system is hot, it will contract on cooling and may leave the pump running dry.

Mike

 

I don't like the look of that orange flexible hose feeding the gas. Next to a heat source!!.

I'm surprised the BSS haven't picked up on that

Edited February 1, 2011 by NBMike

[mand]

Yes, I’m going to be keeping an eye on that tank, and any possibly leaks anywhere. From what I can tell just by first glance, everywhere seems to be dry.

 

The trouble with buying “second-hand”, is the problems you inherit.

When I had the boat surveyed, the report did say “unable to run central heating pump, likely air lock in system”.

Anyway, the boat sales said they had bled the system and everything was fine. Well, I’m wondering if somehow they lost water from the tank.

 

Like I say, I’m very much learning at the moment. However when I saw the flexible orange pipe, I thought that very suspect. I used to own a cruiser, and when it came time to renew the safety certificate, there was a pipe very similar connecting too the oven. Needless to say, I had to have it replaced.

The safety certificate is due this August, so I’m expecting to learn just how much “bodging” the previous owner has done.

 

 

Thank you, Mand

[Tony Brooks]

Yep, that should have water and antifreeze mix in it. The pump motor is that golden 'can' on the top - it'll make more sense when you unscrew the top of the plastic header tank and take it out.

 

The big question for me is, where's your water gone? Is there any evidence of a leak or do you think it's been like that for a while?

 

P.S. The pumps seem to be a mixed bag, I have a genuine Alde one and it's very loud.

 

Your thermostat may have been wired in such a way that when the room reaches the set temperature it stops the pump. Mine was. What then happened was that the boiler overheated and vented the excess boiling water out via the overflow - not a brilliant idea!

 

 

Your boiler stat should have prevented that. I can turn my pump off (with that stupid slider knob) and the boiler just maintains its temperature by the boiler stat which I think is clipped to the boiler body. I also think it is mechanical acting on the gas valve. Perhaps yours has failed.

[sociable_hermit]

Your boiler stat should have prevented that. I can turn my pump off (with that stupid slider knob) and the boiler just maintains its temperature by the boiler stat which I think is clipped to the boiler body. I also think it is mechanical acting on the gas valve. Perhaps yours has failed.

Most likely! I just assumed the set up was wrong, but that makes perfect sense. TBH mine is so ancient now that I'm trying not to use it, and certainly don't want to spend too much money on it. The 'designed to fail' £15 microswitches are enough of an issue!