Boiler pressure in the red
Discussion
Ah the joy of rental properties and AWOL agents when you need them, hopefully Pistonheads will come to the rescue.
As per the title I've noticed the boiler pressure guage is in the red, seems to get higher each time I look at the damn thing. It's a British Gas C1 Combi (might mean something to somebody), I've got it set to run twice a day but as I've been home today I've had it on during the afternoon. All the rads have thermo-valves set about half way.
Any ideas what I can do to keep warm and not blow the boiler up now? I've turned the heating side completely off for the time being but the gauge has only dropped 0.1bar in 20 minutes. Do I need to turn the heat temp down/up, open/close the rad valves? Pray for the Sun to go supernova?
It's only a 2 bed cottage but old, timber and plaster construction so bloody hard to keep warm at the best of times. I may be possibly regretting plumping for the rural idyll option back in the autumn
Cheers,
Rob
As per the title I've noticed the boiler pressure guage is in the red, seems to get higher each time I look at the damn thing. It's a British Gas C1 Combi (might mean something to somebody), I've got it set to run twice a day but as I've been home today I've had it on during the afternoon. All the rads have thermo-valves set about half way.
Any ideas what I can do to keep warm and not blow the boiler up now? I've turned the heating side completely off for the time being but the gauge has only dropped 0.1bar in 20 minutes. Do I need to turn the heat temp down/up, open/close the rad valves? Pray for the Sun to go supernova?
It's only a 2 bed cottage but old, timber and plaster construction so bloody hard to keep warm at the best of times. I may be possibly regretting plumping for the rural idyll option back in the autumn
Cheers,
Rob
Pressure will creep up when the water in the system is up to temperature but not to the levels you described.
I'd open a bleed valve on a radiator and relieve some pressure (aim for about 1 bar) and monitor it.
The boiler will have a pressure relief (or blow off) valve built in for safety. Make sure the pipework exiting the house is clear and not frozen. It will most likely be a 15mm bit of copper angled back into the wall outside behind the boiler.
Oh and double check you havent knocked handle the filling loop slightly enabling the system to be slowly topped up.
I'd open a bleed valve on a radiator and relieve some pressure (aim for about 1 bar) and monitor it.
The boiler will have a pressure relief (or blow off) valve built in for safety. Make sure the pipework exiting the house is clear and not frozen. It will most likely be a 15mm bit of copper angled back into the wall outside behind the boiler.
Oh and double check you havent knocked handle the filling loop slightly enabling the system to be slowly topped up.
Edited by B17NNS on Friday 3rd December 17:32
My limited knowledge of boilers and AWOL agents would suggest bleeding the system of some water, thus lowering the water pressure, also don't switch off the boiler as if a pipe freezes and consequently bursts it will be much much worse than a bit too high of a water pressure.
As previously mentioned there is a valve that releases excess water pressure automatically, it make a horrific noise, well mine did anyway.
Good luck and I hope you get it sorted sharpish.
As previously mentioned there is a valve that releases excess water pressure automatically, it make a horrific noise, well mine did anyway.
Good luck and I hope you get it sorted sharpish.
Thanks guys, I've just gone around and bled them all, only one of them had a small amount of air in. I did then drain off about 1litre of water from one of them to see if that made a difference, can't say it did but maybe I need to drain off quite a lot more? Feels a bit medieval leech doctory to me! I definitely don't want to leave it off and risk burst pipes.
I'll go check outside for the outlet pipe.
Cheers,
Rob
B17NNS said:
Oh and double check you havent knocked handle the filling loop slightly enabling the system to be slowly topped up.
What's this and what's it look like? The boiler is wall mounted in the kitchen, difficult to knock anything on it really but I wouldn't put it past myself!I'll go check outside for the outlet pipe.
Cheers,
Rob
B17NNS said:
The boiler will have a pressure relief (or blow off) valve built in for safety. Make sure the pipework exiting the house is clear and not frozen. It will most likely be a 15mm bit of copper angled back into the wall outside behind the boiler.
Aha!! One big old lump of ice and a solid feeling pipe. Shame I haven't got a blow lamp or even a heat gun handy! I wonder how far up the pipe it's frozen?!!Cheers,
Rob
You will have a flexible pipe at the bottom of the boiler which is the filling loop.
There will be a valve at one end or usually both ends of this flexible pipe.
Turn the levers / slotted key on these valves so that they stay at 90 degrees to the pipe. One or both of these valves is probably open and as previously stated your system will be slowly topping up.
After a while your boiler pressure will settle.
There will be a valve at one end or usually both ends of this flexible pipe.
Turn the levers / slotted key on these valves so that they stay at 90 degrees to the pipe. One or both of these valves is probably open and as previously stated your system will be slowly topping up.
After a while your boiler pressure will settle.
OK, things are looking, good, pressure is in the green currently around 2.3bar and dropping (next post, boiler pressure too low ). I drained off about 3 litres of pleasantly smelling radiator water for the hell if it, and a couple of kettles on the drain pipe seem to have got that dripping again. I'll get some pipe lagging for it tomorrow and see if I can convince the end of it to move a bit further away from the wall so it isn't as easy to form a big icicle against the wall.
Final question, which is more economical, heating on (lower setting) all the time or two sessions morning and evening?
Thanks again for all the help, pints all round!!!
Cheers,
Rob
). I drained off about 3 litres of pleasantly smelling radiator water for the hell if it, and a couple of kettles on the drain pipe seem to have got that dripping again. I'll get some pipe lagging for it tomorrow and see if I can convince the end of it to move a bit further away from the wall so it isn't as easy to form a big icicle against the wall.Final question, which is more economical, heating on (lower setting) all the time or two sessions morning and evening?
Thanks again for all the help, pints all round!!!
Cheers,
Rob
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