boiler cuts out shortly after firing up

['aveagoJo]

Checked the 2vertical pipes. Magnet does not sticking all the way up

 

['aveagoJo]

 

['aveagoJo]

Horizontal pipe, sticks from join on and around corner

 

[Johntheo5]

Not sure where all this is getting us. System seems installed correctly, the extreme right hand horizontal pipe is (probably) the boiler flow (hot) pipe, the first vertical pipe is the vent, the second is the cold feed with another horizontal short section of pipe connection to the pump inlet. I would syphon out the water from the F&E tank after ensuring the boiler is OFF and ballcock tied up, clean out the tank, remove connection at the pump inlet, drain off any litre or two of water into a bucket, then pour enough water into the F&E tank to just cover the cold feed outlet and see if it flows out of the now disconnected pipe, you can move on from there depending on your findings.

 

[terryplumb]

Not sure where all this is getting us. System seems installed correctly, the extreme right hand horizontal pipe is (probably) the boiler flow (hot) pipe, the first vertical pipe is the vent, the second is the cold feed with another horizontal short section of pipe connection to the pump inlet. I would syphon out the water from the F&E tank after ensuring the boiler is OFF and ballcock tied up, clean out the tank, remove connection at the pump inlet, drain off any litre or two of water into a bucket, then pour enough water into the F&E tank to just cover the cold feed outlet and see if it flows out of the now disconnected pipe, you can move on from there depending on your findings.

All well and good ,but I was trying to establish why the system isn't filling up via the pipe that heads away from the pump ,horizontally, which we now know also attracts the magnet. There may well be an issue at the pump ,but the system should still fill looking at the pipework layout.
Wouldn't you agree Johntheo5 ?

 

[Johntheo5]

It certainly should fill but the test(s) seem to indicate that the water level isn't changing in the F&E tank when water is drained off, so only explaination is that the ballcock had refilled it before the level was rechecked or there is a full blockage somewhere?, so I would start with the cold water feed which can be relatively easily checked as per post #34.

 

['aveagoJo]

Well thanks to you both. This has been really helpful. I'm done for the evening but will try again tomorrow. Thanks for taking an interest, I'm really grateful.

 

['aveagoJo]

afternoon!
ok, so I had a go and have disconnected the pipe configuration from the pump as you suggested.
the F&E tank is clean as a whistle and I popped some water into it
when i let it run nothing came out!!
Have also discovered a gate valve half-way up the cold feed. So i disconnected it there and water flowed freely out of the tank. So we know the blockage is not up there.
Now , how do i clear what must still be a blockage in the rest of the pipe?
interestingly it is evident that the pipes are dry!! No water was running to the pump. Hmmm...
i had drained the system and it does not appear to be re-filling.
Damn, where's Ant-man when you need him?!

 

[Johntheo5]

You might be able to shove a rod or a bit of stiff wire down from where the pipe is disconnected from the gate valve to the horizontal T for a start.

 

['aveagoJo]

Yes go to idea I have been trying but there's a corner (ref previous photo) can't push past there

 

[Johntheo5]

You may have to cut it ~ 3 to 4 ins above the T, the blockage is likely down there anyway, you can always connect it back in with a compression coupling.

 

['aveagoJo]

Mate, you never believe it!;I did it! I pushed and prodded wrestled with it all afternoon and then finally it dislodged and the water flowed out .
What a joy.
The heating is back on!
Fantastic
Thank you so much for all your help.
It's been Brilliant having you and Terry there to guide me . Couldn't have done it without you. Thanks and have a great weekend.

 

[feynman]

Also make sure you buy some inhibitor and put that in. Lack of inhibitor was no doubt what caused your problem in the first place.

Come to think of it, this might be an issue with the system I have just inherited.

 

[Johntheo5]

Often wondered about inhibitor effect, my own system is > 50 years old with some rads > 40 years, I throw in the odd drop of inhibitor on the very few occasions that I drain the system but I can certainly state that a few neighbours who I occasionally change a TRV or circ pump for have never put inhibitor in their systems and some, like mine have rads decades old. I put it down to the combined feed and vent that all these houses were built with over 53 years ago, I would think there is absolutely no air ingress whatsoever but I reckon the system above even when spotless clean creates a bit of a see saw movement in the "H" and does pull in a little air, that's my story anyway.