Quick boiler question

rick85

Will a combi condensing boiler use more gas (energy) heating the home if the boiler has a leak and is therefore running on low pressure?

Recently my boiler has been running on low pressure (under 0.5 bar cold and just under 1 bar when running). The water leaks from the bottom every time i attempt to refill.

It will stay at an ideal pressure for about a day and then leak from the bottom of the boiler overnight.

worchester greenstar 24i junior

thanks

duncan303

using the principal of dalton's law of partial pressure. or a basic P-T graph; the higher the pressure the less calories(gas) required to heat water to a given temperature.

however maintaining a given temperature with a given constant heat loss is negligible extra calorific usage.

So yes you will use more gas but................. I would be more concerned that you are gradually losing concentration of inhibitor and this might cost you more in the long run by possible corrosion to component parts in the system.


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aelitaman

Worcestor Bosch do a fixed fee mending service. 225 GBP details on web site.

duncan303

now i have made you more concerned about damage by corrosion............

here is a very simple little experiment. try to collect the water that is leaking into a small jar(mustard jar is perfect).

obtain a 2pence piece and a steel nail. try to clean the nail and coin up a little bit. drop the coin into the water so it lies flat on the bottom. Then arrange the nail so that the pointy end is touching the coin and the nail remains sort of upright. It is ideal if there is enough liquid to immerse the nail completely. replace the lid (do not tighten)and leave the jar alone in the morning if you see ANY black marks on the nail (black oxide)then electrolosis is occurring.... bad news

ideally the coin and the nail should stay unchanged and if you polish both coin and nail then they should remain pristine for 50 years. if within a week the nail is all black and staring to grow crystals then that is what is happenning inside your radiators and boiler. the nail is made from the same material as your radiators and in untreated water the nail will dissolve within a couple of years.

oh yes the gas given off is hydrogen so don't let anybody take the lid off with a fag in their mouths!!!!


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