Boilermate A Class

[RichardLH]

Hi I have a Boilermate in my house and I have had a seeping pipe for a while - At least a year or two (See picture Seeping Pipe).

It seemed to be getting worse, and the pipe had a bit of moisture and with Winter approaching and needing the CH system, I decided to try and sort it out once and for all by nipping it up.

I cleaned all the crud and crust off and tried to get an adjustable spanner on whilst holding the body of the elbow joint, but then the joint started dripping from another part - So I made it worse. (See picture Dripping Joint).

At this stage I was not sure what to do. Basically as I see it, the system will need draining to repair or replace the fitting.

It is awkward to even get a spanner on the nuts due to the proximity of the elbow joint to the left.

I am not 100% sure what system I have - The label says it is a "Boilermate A Class and what looks like SPSA4200" but I cannot find a 4200 model.

I am confused as to whether it is a sealed system or open vented (not that knowing would actually help me understand)

Anyway the devise feeds two levels - 1 radiator in the upstairs with a room stat and then the main loop with all the other radiators.

I think from memory that the upstairs and hallway radiators have no Thermostatic Valves (Something to do with safety).

There is a Red Balloon type vessel with a pressure gauge and a fill point that you can add water. (Someone wrote 1.5 BAR on it).

There is an F&E Tank on top which I am sure used to have more water in it (See picture).

I always thought this was an overflow 1 way if there was too much pressure.

The brochure I have shows a ballcock, but I have none.

I have been topping up the pressure on the Red Balloon on and off for years (Maybe once every 2 to 3 months). I thought that this was what topped up the water in the thermal store and radiators. Just a guess - but I changed a blocked TRV a few years ago and water came shooting out under pressure and I got soaked in the time it took to screw the new TRV on.

I have been reading the forum and seen replies about filling the system via the F&E tank with potable water (and blockages of the cold feed - but this may be a Boilermate 2000)

So I am totally confused.

I know that the Thermal store water circulates via the Boiler and also that my leak is on the Primary Return to the boiler.

There is a drain point on the A Class and also one down by the boiler.

I guess what I want to know is if I open the drain on the A Class will I lose the contents of the Thermal Store only or also all the contents of the radiator.

How do I re-fill the system(s) ?

Also where to add an appropriate amount of Sentinal.

I think I will probably need a plumber, as I never have any luck with remaking compression joints.

The only method I know is to undo it and add PTFE around the olive, and then re-make (being careful not to overtighten).

So any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[flameport]

Its a Boilermate A Class SP, or some variation of that. Page 4 of this: http://www.gledhill-spares.net/documents/BMAClassSP-Iss6.pdf has a diagram of the system.

The thermal store is open vent. Draining it will only drain the store, not the radiators. It's refilled by pouring water into the cistern on the top. There is no ballcock, because it's one of their slightly less expensive models.

Radiators and the boiler circuit are on a sealed pressurised system, which is what the expansion vessel and filing loop are for.

The leaking item is on the pressurised boiler/radiator circuit. At least some of that will need to be drained, possibly all depending on where the radiators are in relation to the leaking part.

Refilling that is via the filling loop near the red expansion vessel.
If you want to add inhibitor, the easiest will be via a radiator or towel rail.

If you get someone to fix it, they can proceed exactly as they would for any normal pressurised sealed boiler/radiator system. The thermal store part is unrelated.

Ultimately all of those Gledhill products such as Boilermate, Pulsacoil and the rest are useless junk, and the solution to their extensive list of problems is to sling them into a skip.

 

[ianmcd]

Gledhill used to do a fixed price repair about £200, give them a call and see if they still do it

 

[RichardLH]

Hi guys - Thanks for the replies.

If I understand correctly having looked at the manual and your answers.

The water in the thermal store is topped up via the F&E tank (I am a little concerned that the level is below the bottom pipe- maybe I have a leak and lost some).

The boiler heats the water in.the thermal store.

There is also water that heats the radiators.

I think that the fill loop is a pressurised system and that loop does the radiators.

So if I am losing pressure (I used to top up every 2 or 3 months), it is somewhere out of.the radiators or pipework.

If my leaking boiler return is on the Radiator / Boiler loop then I can only guess that this water circulates and that the thermal store draws heat from it ? (Ine diagram seems to show a coil inside the thermal store which is the loop that connects to the boiler.

With the Top/Middle/Bottom Heat sensors on the store, the system keeps heating until it reaches the correct temperature.

Any excess pressure in the store through overheating goes into the F&E tank.

The boiler/radiator water is piped to the radiators via valves (controlled by demand from.the room stat).

To answer above

We have 1 stat and radiator in the attic room
The rest are at or below the same level as the boilermate.

I had hoped that the same valves that shunt to allow water in and out of.the radiator circuit could be put in a position which prevents it flowing out.

But as it fills via the fill loop, it should (in theory be easy to refill, add inhibitor and bleed air out of the system.

Good idea re Gleshill Response

I had reached out to my wife's ex (who is a plumber via WhatsApp - but he may not reply)

So I hope that my interpretation of the workings of it are correct and I will try and find someone to repair it

Thanks