Paloma water heater leaking from bottom

[OliveOyl]

24 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

That is the position that these types (not just Paloma) water heater fail - I have had several that freeze up at almost the slightest frost - it is not a seal / gasket that goes it is the unit itself. The water freezes and expands and warps / twists the soft metal housing, when it thaws out it leaks - there is no repair its a replacement part (if the pares for that model are still available) or a new boiler.

 

The part is called the "water control assembly" and for a Morco boiler is about £60.

 

In fact - looking at the photo I think that you can see the 'split' line where it has cracked, and the top half of the 'silver' part is slightly displaced to the right when compared to the bottom half.

 

I'm afraid its dead, deceased, defunct, ut has passed, it is no more, it is pushing up the daisies and has shuffled of its mortal coil.

 

 

 

I thought that but the pic is misleading. the horizontal 'line' that appears to be displaced upwards (on the right) is actually a ledge and is not displaced in reality. It actually come forward so is an optical illusion.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, OliveOyl said:

I thought that but the pic is misleading. the horizontal 'line' that appears to be displaced upwards (on the right) is actually a ledge and is not displaced in reality. It actually come forward so is an optical illusion.

Ok - then get it stripped down and looked at.

Have you got a water 'stop-tap' in the supply pipe to the boiler ? (hopefully so otherwise you will need to have all of the water turned off until you get it mended / replaced.

You should also have a 'gas stop-tap' just below the boiler, turn this off so if you start taking it apart and happen to loosen gas pipes instead of water pipes it will not matter.

[MtB]

I can't express how strongly I recommend you replace this Paloma with a new Morco D61 while they are still available. 

[OliveOyl]

13 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Ok - then get it stripped down and looked at.

Have you got a water 'stop-tap' in the supply pipe to the boiler ? (hopefully so otherwise you will need to have all of the water turned off until you get it mended / replaced.

You should also have a 'gas stop-tap' just below the boiler, turn this off so if you start taking it apart and happen to loosen gas pipes instead of water pipes it will not matter.

I will have a look for both when I go back to the boat later.; thanks for the guidance.

9 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

I can't express how strongly I recommend you replace this Paloma with a new Morco D61 while they are still available. 

Thank you and if things pan out as I hope they will, I might be in a position to do this, but not at present.

[MtB]

As a post script to this thread where earlier I pointed out that production of the D61 has ceased, it appears that production has started again, and the Hamilton link isn't just old stock.

 

Checking Midland Chandlers site this morning they now have 252 of them in stock!!

[OliveOyl]

7 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

As a post script to this thread where earlier I pointed out that production of the D61 has ceased, it appears that production has started again, and the Hamilton link isn't just old stock.

 

Checking Midland Chandlers site this morning they now have 252 of them in stock!!

Thank you for your advice, however a good friend of mine has stepped into the breach and dismantled the bit that was leaking. A diaphragm was removed and appears to be intact, so we have scraped off some old sealant as this seemed to be preventing a water-tight fit, and it seems to have fixed it. I am going to the boat tomorrow and will run the taps and check again.

 

In due course, I may well have to replace the heater, but for now . . . . . . . . . . it seems as though I have been very fortunate.

 

 

Thank you so much to everyone who has given me the benefit of their knowledge, expertise and opinion, I am exceedingly grateful.

[Boater Sam]

Lucky, so drain it next winter!

[OliveOyl]

On 04/05/2018 at 19:13, Boater Sam said:

Lucky, so drain it next winter!

I would if I knew how! I wasn't aware you needed to, so I've learnt a hard lesson. If you know how to do it, please let me know. Many thanks.

 

[MtB]

On 28/04/2018 at 19:18, rusty69 said:

If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find him, maybe you can hire paloma Bob 

 

IF anyone can find him.

 

His website seem to have gone, as has his advert on gumtree. Is he still fixing Palomas, does anyone know?

[Boater Sam]

There is a screw in a nipple on the bottom of the water valve pipe, turn off water and remove screw, simples.

[rusty69]

Is that where bob is hiding? 

[MtB]

18 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Is that where bob is hiding? 

 

I don’t think so. Although I have to admit I haven’t looked. 

[OliveOyl]

1 hour ago, Boater Sam said:

There is a screw in a nipple on the bottom of the water valve pipe, turn off water and remove screw, simples.

beg pardon?

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, OliveOyl said:

beg pardon?

The part we discussed earlier (that I thought was split) is the water control valve.

Somewhere on that (around the lowest point) will be a small 'bolt', with maybe, a screwdriver slot in it, unscrew it. This is the drain point to get all of the water out of the boiler.

 

Once it is drained, (if possible) disconnect the main water feed to the boiler and blow up (hard and for as long as you can) into the boiler to help remove any last drops lingering in 'corners'. To get your mouth onto the boiler water inlet you may need to get a length of rubber hose to push onto the boiler water inlet pipe (but you can keep this as part of your winterising kit)

 

[system 4-50]

Somebody out there must have a picture of a nipple?  A Paloma nipple that is..

[WotEver]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Once it is drained, (if possible) disconnect the main water feed to the boiler and blow up (hard and for as long as you can) into the boiler to help remove any last drops lingering in 'corners'. To get your mouth onto the boiler water inlet you may need to get a length of rubber hose to push onto the boiler water inlet pipe (but you can keep this as part of your winterising kit)

Replace the drain screw first...

[OliveOyl]

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

The part we discussed earlier (that I thought was split) is the water control valve.

Somewhere on that (around the lowest point) will be a small 'bolt', with maybe, a screwdriver slot in it, unscrew it. This is the drain point to get all of the water out of the boiler.

 

Once it is drained, (if possible) disconnect the main water feed to the boiler and blow up (hard and for as long as you can) into the boiler to help remove any last drops lingering in 'corners'. To get your mouth onto the boiler water inlet you may need to get a length of rubber hose to push onto the boiler water inlet pipe (but you can keep this as part of your winterising kit)

 

Thanks Alan.

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The part we discussed earlier (that I thought was split) is the water control valve.

Somewhere on that (around the lowest point) will be a small 'bolt', with maybe, a screwdriver slot in it, unscrew it. This is the drain point to get all of the water out of the boiler.

 

Once it is drained, (if possible) disconnect the main water feed to the boiler and blow up (hard and for as long as you can) into the boiler to help remove any last drops lingering in 'corners'. To get your mouth onto the boiler water inlet you may need to get a length of rubber hose to push onto the boiler water inlet pipe (but you can keep this as part of your winterising kit)

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

Just now, WotEver said:

Replace the drain screw first...

I have never done that - I leave it open (removed) so the last few drops of water can escape by being 'blown out'.

[OliveOyl]

Just now, WotEver said:

Replace the drain screw first...

First? Surely I won't be able to blow up anything if it's screw is in place????

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, OliveOyl said:

First? Surely I won't be able to blow up anything if it's screw is in place????

You don't blow up the drain screw hole - you blow up where the main water supply (15mm white plastic pipe ?) goes into the boiler.

Edited May 13, 2018 by Alan de Enfield

[rusty69]

Drain point 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, rusty69 said:

Drain point 

 

Using pictures is cheating.

 

Move your 'tippex' over to the left a bit to show Olive where the drain screw is.

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Using pictures is cheating.

 

Move your 'tippex' over to the left a bit to show Olive where the drain screw is.

Oh, have I got it wrong. I thought that was the drain?

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Oh, have I got it wrong. I thought that was the drain?

I think it is but she needs to know where the drain screw is to let the water down the drain pipe.

 

Alternatively if Olive just follows the pipe back it will attach to the drain point / drain screw.

 

It could be that the drain screw is already open as it look like water is persistently pouring down it.

Edited May 13, 2018 by Alan de Enfield

[bizzard]

If anyone has the later Paloma PH-5LFE the drain plug is also a pressure safety valve with spring and two O rings.  If you lose it an ordinary bolt won't work.  Replacement safety valve plugs are very very hard to find.