Feeder tank on Pulsacoil 2000

[Marshie]

My mum has recently moved into a McCarthy Stone property with this boiler supplying hot water. I have jus found out that she has been told to top up the feeder tank every three months.

She is worried about what happens if she forgets to do this. No one in the complex knows what to do and they all top up this tank on a regular basis. Bearing in mind some of these women are in heir 80s and some have difficulty walking - yet they all get up on their step ladders to put in eight pints of water every three months.

Surely this can't be right? I have tried to talk to someone in the management committee but they don't want to know. I've tried looking on the pulsacoil website but cant find the answer there.

The lid of the box comes off easily and, according to my mum, has never fitted properly.

Can anyone thrown an light on whether this tank should be topped up regularly.

 

[htgeng]

She is worried about what happens if she forgets to do this. No one in the complex knows what to do and they all top up this tank on a regular basis. Bearing in mind some of these women are in heir 80s and some have difficulty walking - yet they all get up on their step ladders to put in eight pints of water every three months.
.

Hmm sounds very odd to me as they are just thermal stores and shouldn't need topping up in years unless there is a leak. Having said that, these pulsacoils are cr*p. I took one out last year and after stripping off all the insulation, the copper tank was perforating in numerous places. The owner had given up on it after numerous callout fees to replace pump, pcb, other bits and pieces which kept failing.

Don't forget old people can be like compulsive/obsessive and will do anything as told, getting into strange routines especially if they believe it will explode, etc if they don't do it.

Maybe when they top up with 8 pints of water, it is just going straight out of the overflow Still if it makes them sleep well at night, let them do it....

 

[Softus]

The problem arises if the lid doesn't fit closely, because inevitably the cupboard housing the appliance becomes an airing cupboard, so water can quickly evaporate.

Certainly it's wise to check the level routinely, but I wouldn't add water unless the level drops.

If evaporation really is a problem then either fit a lid correctly, or fit a ball valve so that the cistern is topped up automatically. There's a mains cold supply to the appliance, so it's a small job to add a BV.

I've seen some P2000 cisterns installed with a ball valve but without any cold supply to it.

 

[BigBurner]

Have a ballcock and overflow pipe fitted.

 

[steve32]

Pulsacoil units can be fitted with or with out ball valves.
If they are fitted on an outside wall they can be fitted with ball valve and overfow to outside.
If they are fitted in the centre of the property they are normally fitted with out ball valves I assume this is where you mothers is fitted.
The recommendation is to check water levels approx every 3 months and top up if requried there is a water level mark on the top unit can't remember if it's on the outside or inside the top unit.
If the water level drops too low the unit will go to lockout red light on front of unit there is a sensor fitted on the top unit water should allways be above this.
Some developers fit this type off unit with out an overflow and ball valve because dripping overflows left unchecked can mark the outside brick work.
You also need to check the strength off the corrosion inhibitor (fernox sentinal X100 or other) by drawing off approx 1 pint water once a year and testing, the type of inibitor should be written in the bench mark filled in by installer.
The corrosion inhibitor needs the be min 1% I normally top at 2-3%.

Hope this helps

Steve

 

[steve32]

Further to above if you can connect an overflow pipe to outside then you can fit a ball valve, I assume the building is leasehold so you may need permission from the owners of the building.

 

[Softus]

there is a sensor fitted on the top unit

On a Pulsacoil 2000?

The corrosion inhibitor needs the be min 1% I normally top at 2-3%.

On a Pulsacoil 2000?

 

[steve32]

If corrision inhibitor is not added this can cause perforating.
The unit should be flushed when fitted and inhibitor added.

 

[Softus]

If corrision inhibitor is not added this can cause perforating.

How, and of what?

The unit should be flushed when fitted and inhibitor added.

So why do you think this is necessary even though Gledhill does not stipulate an inhibitor dose in the installation instructions?

 

[steve32]

perforating
see htgengs post above
page 20 appendix 2 of the instructions i have (benchmark for direct and indirect units)

 

[Softus]

perforating
see htgengs post above

No.

Do you have any experience of a Pulsacoil 2000 cylinder becoming perforated because it wasn't dosed with a corrosion inhibitor?

page 20 appendix 2 of the instructions i have (benchmark for direct and indirect units)

No it doesn't - you're not reading a Pulsacoil 2000 manual. Wake up.

 

[gas4you]

Yet again priceless Softus

 

[gas4you]

From the manual

The diagram below shows the F & E cistern
with ballvalve and warning/overflow pipe
which can be fitted if required. However, the
standard preferred arrangement is for the
cistern to be manually filled from a temporary
hose connection fitted with a double check
valve.

 

[Norcon]

That's what I like about this forum.
A side splitter from Softus is always guranteed at some point in the week.

 

[BigBurner]

If corrision inhibitor is not added this can cause perforating.

How, and of what?

The unit should be flushed when fitted and inhibitor added.

So why do you think this is necessary even though Gledhill does not stipulate an inhibitor dose in the installation instructions?

They recommend 1 litre in store that only contains water and small F&E tank.