Central heating broke! Any help greatly appreciated!

[user2598]

Hi,
My system was working fine until last week then i started hearing loud noises every so often coming from the pipes above the bolier.

So i went in the loft and checked the little water tank and the top layer of the tank was covered in slime ( guessing this isn't normal !) So i removed all the slime and turned the bolier on again. No noise and it worked perfectly...

However today the noises have returned and now when i turn on the heating the bolier light only stays on for about 30 seconds and then switches off. I think the problem is air in the pump but this is a newish pump (grundfos alpha2) / bolier installed in 2010 and i cannot find the air valve on / near the pump to see if i can release any air

I have attached a few pictures one of the pictures ( picture 2 ) i think is the pump air valve but no matter how hard i try to turn it doesn't move!

Anyone got any ideas?

Many thanks

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• user2598
• 7 Feb 2013
• 1

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• user2598
• 7 Feb 2013
• 1

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• user2598
• 7 Feb 2013
• 1

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• user2598
• 7 Feb 2013
• 1

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• user2598
• 7 Feb 2013
• 1

 

[CBF]

your prob is that the vent pipe is under water, this should go up at least 12 inches before it turns to go back down over the tank & terminate way above the water level

 

[CBF]

you have created a air lock & you will find when the vent is out of the water the system starts to fill

 

[user2598]

Many thanks for quick replies
Yep that pipe was under water this afternoon so i removed the excess water and try switching on the system but got the same result...boiler turns itself off after about 30 seconds. So i filled up the tank so the pipe was covered in water again as i though that's how it was supposed to be!

Anyway i have just removed the water again and now the pipe is free of water, switched on the bolier again, same result switches off after about 30 seconds... Have i screwed it up now?

Also i have noticed the pump turns off once the bolier turns off

 

[CBF]

lift the pipe up (just carefully hold on the the bit in the tank & bend it carefully upwards holding onto the bend on the bit where it comes out of the ceiling), it still sounds like you have air or a lack of water in the system, there is no vent plug on your new pump so you will need to try & lossen that bleed screw along side the mid pos valve

 

[user2598]

Thanks again, Yes i cannot hear any water coming through
The screw you mention is it one in the picture below. Also just took a new picture of the tank in the loft

I have turned all other radiators off and just trying to heat the main one but nothing happening! The main radiator has 2 caps you can turn on each end but they don't seem to do anything


through

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• user2598
• 7 Feb 2013
• 1

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• user2598
• 7 Feb 2013
• 1

 

[gas_man_gaz]

Are you sure the pump is running? With the heating and hot water on what does the pump display? If it is running try setting it to manual 3 to clear any air ( use the > button)

 

[user2598]

Are you sure the pump is running? With the heating and hot water on what does the pump display? If it is running try setting it to manual 3 to clear any air ( use the > button)

I don't think the pump is running. It says power on, but nothing happens when you press the > button. Bascially when the light goes on out on the bolier the pump stops working and it only shows the power on light no other lights

You can actually hear the boiler switching off in the kitchen while i am looking at the pump in the bedroom and as i say the bolier switches off and so does the pump

 

[gas_man_gaz]

If the pump is workin the pump should display a number, Try unplugging the pump and re-fitting the wire..
To me it does Sound like the pump has gone tho (I've changed loads of these recently) just ensure you are gettin power to it before replacing it.

 

[gas_man_gaz]

What boiler ya got?

 

[user2598]

What boiler ya got?

Worchester Greenstar RI

 

[user2598]

If the pump is workin the pump should display a number, Try unplugging the pump and re-fitting the wire..
To me it does Sound like the pump has gone tho (I've changed loads of these recently) just ensure you are gettin power to it before replacing it.

My pump is one with the bars 1,2,3
As i say the bars show up but once the boiler cuts out the pump switches off. Or maybe it's the other way round! The pump switches off the boiler cuts out

To me honest i am not sure i know how to uplug the pump

 

[Nige F]

Hi,
I have attached a few pictures one of the pictures ( picture 2 ) i think is the pump air valve but no matter how hard i try to turn it doesn't move!

Anyone got any ideas?

]

get some pliers on the side of the slotted cap - then vent the air

 

[user2598]

Hi,
I have attached a few pictures one of the pictures ( picture 2 ) i think is the pump air valve but no matter how hard i try to turn it doesn't move!

Anyone got any ideas?

]

get some pliers on the side of the slotted cap - then vent the air

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• user2598
• 7 Feb 2013
• 1

And to confirm the picture attach shows the air vent i need to turn

 

[45yearsagasman]

Correct.