Boiler question.

[taxi ray]

Hi,
We have a Baxi sealed system boiler, it loses pressure, quite often. It is easy enough to pressurise, so it has never been a problem.

Boiler is about 3 or 4 years old, there is no visible signs of leaks.

Is it possible to convert it from a sealed system, to one that has a cold water header tank?

 

[Matrixx]

if it losses pressure there must be a leak, if it doesn't regulate pressure then is the expansion vessel, check for water leaking out of the safety valve outside.

 

[gaz1]

no it cant be done

what will be happening is either you have a leak or your expansion tanks gone faulty check first to see if it needs re-pressuring on the tank though
you can fit an external tank to it is the easy fix

https://www.jtmplumbing.co.uk/centr...MIk-X7zM2C3QIVTbftCh38zQbBEAQYASABEgL-1PD_BwE

 

[Matrixx]

Its designed to do away with the header tank, an improvement?

 

[gaz1]

yes and no

yes it saves on header tank and piping ( mains overflow and feed from the tank )having to go to the highest point in the house however can cause floods in the house if away from the property and it bursts a pipe

no in some parts are expensive depending on your boiler that you have but an external tank comes in handy when the original boiler one fails

also saves flooding out and extra costs as in whats described above

just to point out these external tanks are used on hot water cylinders therefore doing away with there water tanks as well

 

[RonA]

no it cant be done

what will be happening is either you have a leak or your expansion tanks gone faulty check first to see if it needs re-pressuring on the tank though
you can fit an external tank to it is the easy fix

https://www.jtmplumbing.co.uk/central-heating-controls-valves-c436/zilmet-pressure-vessels-c525/zilmet-robokit-intafil-pressure-vessel-plus-sealed-system-kit-p19386/s21622?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=zilmet-robokit-18l-intafil-vessel-plus-sealed-system-kit-ifp18-zilme-zilmet-18l-robokit-vessel-plus-sealed-system-kit-ifp18&utm_campaign=product+listing+ads&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIk-X7zM2C3QIVTbftCh38zQbBEAQYASABEgL-1PD_BwE

Had similar problem with my Worcester boiler, exactly as above the expansion tank diaphragm had holed. Confirmed by water leaking from air top up valve. Abandoned internal tank & fitted extrrnal expansion tank as recommended by Gaz1. Cheaper than changing Worcester internal tank & all back to normal again.
RonA

 

[Migmac]

Have you put leak sealer through the system ? We had a leak that was proving hard to find, poured in the sealer, ran the system, no loss of pressure. Not as good as a proper fix but needs must

 

[Kayos]

At that age it could be a few things

Small leak, the difference between full and pressurised is surprisingly small

Failed vessel making it discharge outside

Failed prv making it discharge outside

Leaking heat exchanger so it’s going out of the condensate pipe

Gassing up and escaping out of the air vent

Top 2 are most likely, bottom ones less likely on a Baxi but still possible

 

[taxi ray]

Thanks for the replies. Just got to find a plumber/ heating engineer that will fix this boiler, and not try and sell me a new system.

 

[gaz1]

do it yourself

 

[taxi ray]

Could I work on the water side of the boiler? or does it have to be a gas safe plumber/ heating engineer.

 

[Kayos]

Could I work on the water side of the boiler? or does it have to be a gas safe plumber/ heating engineer.

You can work on the water side, just make sure you are confident it’s drained or your next post will be asking for a cheap wet vac.......

 

[angellonewolf]

i was told by a mate if you remove the cover from boiler you had to be gas safe or is that rubish ?

 

[gaz1]

i was told by a mate if you remove the cover from boiler you had to be gas safe or is that rubish ?

if that was true then an electrician wouldnt be able to wire in the plugs for it

sort of a grey area at best

 

[Kayos]

i was told by a mate if you remove the cover from boiler you had to be gas safe or is that rubish ?

Depends on the boiler, if the outer case is the combustion seal that’s correct but usually it’s just cosmetic

The seal on the depression chamber of an atmospheric boiler is also a combustion seal

If it’s a premix burner you have to strip quite a lot to get to any combustion or gas seal