Hot water cylinder slow to re-fill

[johnkevins]

I hope someone can offer me some advice !

My immersion heater element was open circuit/dead yesterday. It is an economy 7, bottom side entry heater.

As the drain valve didn't work, I siphoned the water with a hosepipe from the top of the cylinder this morning early.

The cylinder has not re-filled over 1 hour later of re-filling, although I can hear water going into the cylinder from the cold feed pipe.

Is this normal, or is mine taking far too long? It is a large cylinder, but not overly large.

The cold water tank the feeds it is in the loft

Any ideas or do I just need to be patient?

Thanks for any help from anyone I would be very grateful!

 

[Space cat]

Is this normal, or is mine taking far too long?

It's not normal. Is the cold tank full? If it is, you have a blockage or an airlock in the cold feed to the cylinder. An airlock in this pipe can happen very easily. All it needs is a slight upward section in the pipe.

 

[johnkevins]

Thanks for your reply

I can hear the water running into the cylinder through the cold feed pipe, there is a bit of glug glug but not too much

Having looked in the cold tank the ballcock seems to be letitng water in at a slowish rate, not very very slow but not full flow like it should be. COuld this be the cause?

 

[johnkevins]

Thanks for your reply

I can hear the water running into the cylinder through the cold feed pipe, there is a bit of glug glug but not too much

Having looked in the cold tank the ballcock seems to be letitng water in at a slowish rate, not very very slow but not full flow like it should be. COuld this be the cause?

The cold tank is only full to just above the cold feed outlet (the only outlet in the tank), and water is going down it.

I had to drain the tank as well as cylinder as gate valve was broken!!

 

[Space cat]

Having looked in the cold tank the ballcock seems to be letitng water in at a slowish rate, not very very slow but not full flow like it should be. COuld this be the cause?

In a word, yes, though it might not be your only problem. Given that water is only trickling out down the pipe, that tank should be full. Possible causes are:

1) Faulty ball valve.
2) Partial blockage in pipe to ball valve.
3) Poor water pressure.

Do other cold taps in the house have poor flow? If you turn one on, does the flow from the ball valve dry up completely?

 

[Agile]

How did you turn the supply to the ballvalve off?

It seems you have not turned it back on properly.

Some valves break when you move them if they are not exercised regularly.

Tony

 

[johnkevins]

Thanks for your replies

The stopcock is turned on fully and kictehn cold water is great flow and pressure

The water seems to trickle slowly from the ballvalve, not really slow but slow compared to what it should . Lots of crud and scale etc around it, and the ballvalve plastic outlet

If i push the plunger in the ballvalve stops, but when i let it go, the flow still is poor from it.

I think I should get a new ballvalve, as it looks very brittle and manky.

 

[johnkevins]

How long should a large hot water tank (direct with 2 immersion heaters, 1 Economy 7) take to fill approximately? 20mins?

 

[Jake1886]

If you have tried to isolate through the gate valve then it may have broke on you leaving the gate partially closed? If the handle just turns and turns then you need to replace the valve.