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Please Help, I have a LEAK!


Cambodan

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Hi All,

 

I am quite new to (canal) boating.

 

My calorifier is leaking and I'd like to isolate and drain it as I think I know where the leak is coming from.

 

It is an upright one with a red knob at the top. This is connected to a run off pipe which has a milk bottle at the end that I have to empty every 3 months or so.

 

The only other tap I can see is more conventional stop-cock tap, however, this leads to the gas water heater.

 

The only other option I can think of is to drain the whole water tank in the bow and try that.

 

 

Any help or advice would be really appreciated.

 

 

Thanks and Happy New Year - Daniel

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Hi All,

 

I am quite new to (canal) boating.

 

My calorifier is leaking and I'd like to isolate and drain it as I think I know where the leak is coming from.

 

It is an upright one with a red knob at the top. This is connected to a run off pipe which has a milk bottle at the end that I have to empty every 3 months or so.

 

The only other tap I can see is more conventional stop-cock tap, however, this leads to the gas water heater.

 

The only other option I can think of is to drain the whole water tank in the bow and try that.

 

 

Any help or advice would be really appreciated.

 

 

Thanks and Happy New Year - Daniel

 

Hi

 

You should be able to isolate the supply from your main tank hopefuly there will be a shut off valve somewhere? Dont forget B4 you start doing whatever to switch off your water pump!! You can then drain the tank without worry of further ingress of water. The red knob is a pressure relief valve. You could take this out to make draining easier.

Edited by mrsmelly
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I am not clear if he thinks the water entering the milk bottle is a leak or if he has another one.

 

If its the milk bottle then its normal unless you have an expansion vessel fitted.

 

If its somewhere else elapse tell us where.

 

 

Do you have an anagrammatic spellchecker, Tony?

 

Anyway, the OP says he has a leak in the calorifier itself, but doesn't make it clear whether he thinks it is in the body of the cylinder or a joint somewhere. If the former, then it's probably a new calorifier, don't you think? If a joint, then it depends which one. The lowest point for drainage will be the cold water inlet, in the absence of a dedicated drain cock, which it probably doesn't have. Disconnecting that will drain it as far as necessary, after, as has been said, turning off the water pump and the valve at the main tank, which surely will be next to the tank, and opening the taps.

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I can not see where he states the leak is from the calorifier itself, he just says "calorifier". It could be a coolant/central heating leak from a coil union, a leak from an immersion heater or immersion heater blanking plug, from a domestic water system union, or from a split/holed calorifier.

 

If by chance it is from a coil union then draining the calorifier will have little effect which is why I would like the OP to specify where he thinks the leak is coming from.

 

Also the advice to isolate the feed in some way and use the water pump to pump the calorifier out will not work. Water will still be left in the calorifier unless he then twists the red knob on the PRV a little so it holds the valve open and then opens the cold water inlet union to drain the water. Hope fully there will be a drain cock there but from the original post I doubt it so one way of another a lot of water is likely to be spilt.

 

Once it is drained down I would suggest that a drain cock is fitted to make the job easier next time.

 

Yes I agree that if it is a split cylinder a new one may be the bets way forward but if its a pinhole then soft soldering a patch over it MIGHT suffice. I think that Mac and myself are saying the same thing - please tell us where the leak is.

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I am not clear if he thinks the water entering the milk bottle is a leak or if he has another one.

 

If its the milk bottle then its normal unless you have an expansion vessel fitted.

 

If its somewhere else elapse tell us where.

 

Thanks Tony that is what I was trying to say

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Hi All.

 

Thanks for the comments.

 

Yes, I bought her in Newark. Is that Kieth? You would know if it is you I bought her off

 

To all the other helpful people, the pressure relief line (connected to milk bottle) is not the issue. All I know is that if I turn it, water come out the pipe at the to into the bottle (pretty quickly too).

 

I have been looking at any places I could clamp off but alas no.

 

Cheers everyone. Keep any more ideas coming and in the meantime, I will look for the water shut-off cock.

 

 

Happy NewYear - Daniel

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Thanks Tony and Mac,

 

To be more specific, the leak appears to be coming out of the mid-point joint which leads to the gas central heating / hot water heater.

 

I am hoping to drain the calorifier enough to undo the joint to inspect and hopefully repair it. Even if it's a case of PTFE tape and some silicon gel.

 

Any more advice will be very much appreciated.

 

 

Thanks - Daniel

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Thanks Tony and Mac,

 

To be more specific, the leak appears to be coming out of the mid-point joint which leads to the gas central heating / hot water heater.

 

I am hoping to drain the calorifier enough to undo the joint to inspect and hopefully repair it. Even if it's a case of PTFE tape and some silicon gel.

 

Any more advice will be very much appreciated.

 

 

Thanks - Daniel

 

 

Right. So it could be either domestic water from a problem where the coil connection is fitted to the cylinder body or central heating water leaking from a problem with the union. I just might be a leak from above trickling down behind the insulation and coming out by the union but this would be less common.

 

Rather than drain down my next step (as long as you have access) would be to cut away (say) an inch of insulation from around that union and scrape as much insulation residue away from the cylinder body so you have a clean surface to inspect with good light. That should give you a much better idea about exactly what is leaking, in fact as you cut away insulation you may find lime scale or a stain that gives a much better indication of where the leak is coming from.

 

Only after you know exactly where the leak is from would it make sense to drain anything down - and it might turn out to be the domestic heating system rather than the calorifier.

 

If it is the pipe union that's leaking its will be the domestic heating system than needs draining but I would seek and alternative method of isolating the union if possible.

 

If it is leaking from the calorifier body around the coil boss then its the calorifier that needs draining and in all the cases that I have seen the union nut will make no difference to the leak. There may be calorifier makes out there where the coil is secured to the cylinder wall by a threaded union and flange nut with the pipe union nut on the same thread but I have not seen one. If is just tightening the flange nut MIGHT be sufficient.

 

Once you have the area clean and the leak point identified how about posting a photo so we can advise on the next step.

 

Yes, turning the knob on the PRV should produce an instant flow of water when the pump is turned on because all the knob does is jump the valve up and down so water flow has a chance of washing any scale from the seal.

 

Please take on board that at present you do not know which system is leaking, the domestic water or the central heating and draining the calorifier will have no effect if the problem is the central heating union.

 

Edited by Tony Brooks
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Hi Tony,

 

Thank you very much for that. I managed to drain the system enough to undo and inspect the union. After some PTFE tape, it has made it a little better but still not fixed it.

 

My next line of attack will be replacing the plastic pipe and joint.

 

Unfortunately, I can't seem to upload any photos as I am on a Mac, therefore, do not have a 'My Media file', the forum seems to be set up for PCs.

 

I do, however have an Android phone which I could try it on, so I'll try with that.

 

Once again, thanks for your time and help and I'll let you know how I go.

 

 

All the best - Daniel

Edited by Cambodan
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As far as I know you have to put the photo in an online photo sharing site and link to that. If you click on the little picture icon a box will pop up where you type the address of the photo location.

 

From your reply I am still far from sure that you grasp the fact that this leak could be from one of two places:-

 

1. The domestic heating system union where it joins onto the calorifier coil.

 

2. A faulty calorifier body at or close to the point the internal coil comes out to join the heat source pipe (in you case the domestic heating system).

 

In the latter case attempting to manipulate the heating coil union nut may well make matters worse.

 

 

Edited to add:- You are dealing with two independent water systems here. Drain the wrong one down and you will end up with water all over the floor etc.

Edited by Tony Brooks
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Hi Tony,

 

I've stripped back a line of insulation all the way to the top. I think you were right when you said it might not be from the union. It appears to be coming from the top of the unit.

 

I am now just monitoring (waiting), with some newspaper to see if I can narrow it down to where it is coming from.

 

I'll post in the next 30 minutes when I know a bit more..

 

 

Cheers - Daniel

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Hi Tony,

 

I have taken a photo of my calorifier. I'm still trying to identify where the water is escaping. I have added the photo as an attachment.

 

I'd be very grateful if you can advise.

 

 

Daniel

 

post-28071-0-15584700-1483181780_thumb.jpg

 

 

Please note, for some reason the photo needs rotating right so that it is upright. It is a vertical calorifier.

 


I'm on a Mac too, if you click on "More Reply Options" rather than using the quick reply box at the bottom of the thread it gives you an option to attach files.

 

Thanks Ian

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Phew! This thread had me rushing to the calorifier to check for leaks in case there was something else to add to my list of issues with our boat: fortunately not. With a spell of very cold weather forecast just around the corner somebody suggested draining the calorifier down to prevent ice damage. Given that one of us would be on the boat probably at least 2-3 days a week is this really necessary?

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Phew! This thread had me rushing to the calorifier to check for leaks in case there was something else to add to my list of issues with our boat: fortunately not. With a spell of very cold weather forecast just around the corner somebody suggested draining the calorifier down to prevent ice damage. Given that one of us would be on the boat probably at least 2-3 days a week is this really necessary?

 

Usually no while you are using it and aboard. When not aboard it depends upon its location (under a cruiser stern engine boards may not be the best place freezing wise).

 

The most vital thing is to leave all the taps open with the pump turned off so the expanding freezing water has somewhere to go. I would also use the water pump to purge the system of all water and hopefully leave an air bubble in the top of the calorifier for the same reason.

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Usually no while you are using it and aboard. When not aboard it depends upon its location (under a cruiser stern engine boards may not be the best place freezing wise).

 

The most vital thing is to leave all the taps open with the pump turned off so the expanding freezing water has somewhere to go. I would also use the water pump to purge the system of all water and hopefully leave an air bubble in the top of the calorifier for the same reason.

 

Just to clarify, Tony, are you saying that if we left the boat for a few days in very cold weather we should turn off the pump and open all taps without any recourse to draining the calorifier? Somebody advised me that a couple of days where the temperature was -4C was a rough guideline where ice damage could be possible. Our calorifier is in a separate cupboard in the aft room just before the steps up to the deck. Please also seem my reply to the very helpful information you provided on my own thread.

Edited by Froggy
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