Pressure loss on sealed central heating system

[ljdottir]

Probably a really basic question but this is the first problem I've had with my central heating so please bear with me!

It's a sealed system, Baxi Combi 80e boiler. We took the downstairs kitchen radiator off for decorating. It was replaced and the water came back through it fine, there's now no pressure at all registering on the boiler pressure gauge. The only info I can find on this system says 'consult a specialist heating engineer' and I can find info which tells me to 'repressurise the system' - but how exactly do I do that?

Thanks.

 

[Kristoflampie]

Use the filling loop, usually a silver braided hose linking the mains water and one of the bigger heating pipes, open the valve(s) and let the pressure rise to about 1 Bar and shut off the water again.
Should do the trick

 

[ljdottir]

Thanks for the advice! It's all sorted now, HOWEVER............

when opening the filling loop the lever broke right off. Hmm. That's when we discovered it had already BEEN SUPERGLUED!!!!!!!!! And guess what, the only people to ever touch it have been the people who installed and serviced it. Fitted 2.5 years ago, serviced last year, so too long ago to prove it really, and I know it's only a little plastic handle but had my fiance not been a dab hand with the needle nose pliers (!!) we wouldn't have been able to open the filling loop and thus had no heating and had to pay for a plumber. So I'm pretty annoyed AGAIN! So to Elite Heat in Darlington - thanks very much! (although they did an otherwise decent job on the heating installation but now I'm wondering what else has been 'bodged'!)

So now I'm off to ask Baxi or anyone if they can supply a replacement filling loop blue plastic handle thingy (!) for a Baxi Combi 80e boiler. Fab.

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

Get a new filling loop kit from any plumbers merchants, bit unfair to blame fitters as all plumbing and heating materials are craap, we dont make the stuff we only fit it, little plastic lever on mine did the same after only a year on my own new boiler after only twelve months.

 

[ljdottir]

I don't think I'm being unfair. I do appreciate things aren't made to last any more, and in fairness, a part like that should never be made of crap plastic anyway. The thing that annoys me is they've broken off, they've superglued it BADLY and not even mentioned it. If they'd said, I'd have been quite happy to wait for a new one or even get one myself, but to not point it out seems a bit odd? When they fitted the heating system they had a couple of problems, not having the correct kit etc and cos they mentioned it, I was quite happy to wait, so I would have thought it's common courtesy to mention something breaking off, even if it is small. Oh well.

You should have seen what happened to my fiance when he broke the battery door on my digital camera, superglued it badly and didn't tell me. He must think I'd be too stupid to realise... haha it cost him £40 to send to Canon to fix it properly!!

Anyway thanks, I'll get a replacement as soon as possible. Thankfully my hot water is back on, my plastering's done and I don't need to touch the radiators any more! [/i]

 

[GRACEFUL SAVAGE]

MAYBE A SLIGHT BIT OF AIR IN RADIATORS UPSTAIRS BLEED FULLY AND REPRESSURIZE TO 1 BAR COLD TO GET MAX EFFICIENCEY OUT OF BOILER

 

[GRACEFUL SAVAGE]

MAY B A BIT OF AIR IN RADS UPSTAIRS, FILL AND BLEED AGAIN, SHOULD B 1 BAR WHEN WATER IS AT ROOM TEMP.

 

[ChrisR]

Not much point changing the filling loop to replace junk with more - the metal bit you turned will be easier to turn with a small adjustable spanner. Get one in a "£1" shop and save a lot on getting a plumber out.