Primatic Cylinder

[Bahco]

Got called to remove what I was told was a direct cylinder for a client who are doing away with an airing cupboard in the kitchen.
On arrival I checked and found it was in fact an old primatic connected to a back boiler in the living room. I have removed it and am left with the tails protuding from the wall. The client does not want me to remove back boiler (due to cost I presume) and has told me to leave the rest for him to sort.
My question is should I leave him to sort it out. I have drained it but is it likely that more sludge etc will emerge
Many thanks to any replies

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

Whatever you do dont cap off the pipes, if some changing rooms type comes along and opens up the fire and uses it, it could explode, if you do cap the pipes drill a hole in the boiler.

 

[ChrisR]

Bahco if you've drained it low enough you should be ok I've never seen sludge blocking what I assume are 22mm primaries completely! But what about radiators?
This is an instance of a water-vac being jolly handy. £35 from Wickes.

Make sure the bboiler's gas is capped off not just turned off. I once entombed a baxi behind a brick wall before realising I'd not capped it - luckily the gas pipe was under the boards nearby!

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

If it's a gas boiler still dont cap off pipes unless you make the boiler totally unusable for same reason as before.
Surely the pipes will be either old 1 inch or 28mm, gravity circs onto an old primatic are highly unlikely to be 22mm !

 

[Bahco]

The primatic cylinder was wired up to an immersion heater and was used soley for DHW so there would be no gas supply to it
There is no rads connected so I was surprised to see 28mm primary pipes leading from it to behind the fireplace. The building is not that old so I cannot see why the installers would have used gravity circulation with the heat coming from the open fire to the cylinder
I have left the tails open but should I inform the client that it should be removed as I do not want to be responsible for any mess.

 

[ChrisR]

The primatic cylinder was wired up to an immersion heater and was used soley for DHW so there would be no gas supply to it

The gas goes to the back boiler, not to the cylinder.

What open fire??

You've interfered with the gas system whether it was working or not - now you have to make it safe regardless (almost!) of what someone does to it.

PVM - he didn't say it was gravity did he?

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

I get the idea that you guys dont really know what your doing or this posting is a wind up.

If it's a primatic cylinder it would have to be gravity, you cant pump the circs to a primatic cylinder, danger of blowing the air lock seperation.
Gravity circs should be in 1 inch or 28mm, sometimes cowboys fitted 22mm but it's not correct and you dont come across it often.
The cylinder would never have gas to it, only the boiler.
Whatever it is gas or soiid fuel the boiler needs to be made safe for the reasons stated earlier including the gas supply to it if it's a gas boiuler.

 

[Bahco]

Sorry lads I don't think i have made myself very clear
The cylinder had an immersion heater inside which heated the dwh. It was open vented and was fed via a cistern in the loft.
The cylinder had two 28 mm tails leading to a back boiler behind the fireplace. I drained down and removed everything bar the back boiler and tails and renewed all piping throughout the kitchen.
I have not interfered with any gas piping as there would not be a gas supply to this back boiler which I believe would be heated by solid fuel hence the open fire.
I shall speak to the client advising of complete removal. I was surprised to see this system on what is relatively a newish property and would like to know what benefit this system had to offer. My understanding is that it used to be heated by solid fuel and was later converted to immersion heater when the fireplace was boarded up.
Am I being conscientious enough or should I insist that I remove all

 

[ChrisR]

Oh THAT sort of back boiler! My parents had one of those - the idea was to "help" with the hot water while the fire was burning, but they weren't always a success. Simple system on gravity though - no moving parts!

No problem leaving that old thing buried in the wall I don't think.

Never installed a Primatic but I thought I'd seen them on fully pumped. Can't really remember seeing one I didn't rip out!

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

Refer to my first reply.

 

[Bahco]

ChrisR -- much obliged
PVman also many thanks, you should change your username to Nicehelpfulchappie