Boiler Pressure Problem

lamialex

here is a close up picture that shows a very fainted "bar", not sure why it says "-" before, is it because it's unpressurised?

yes i tried bleeding a radiator, water comes out with a pressure but not sure if you could say forcefully.

lamialex

and yes definitely no red expansion vessel anywhere

Bendy_House

That's a bar, but not the word 'bar'!

From what I understand about the sealed versions of these boilers - and that's not much - when the pressure drops to below the required level, it flashes an F22 (I think) alternating with the actual pressure reading, such as "0.6 bar".

Your (almost certainly) 'vented' system is not pressurised as such, but is supplied by that wee tank, so the water is only under gravitational pull, the 'head' of water above the boiler. Typically, that'll be around 0.2 bar, so it's no surprise that the bleed screw doesn't 'jet' out, but still streams out nicely.

Is it still showing an F22 code?

Your whole system clearly needs a good clean out - both tanks look pretty filthy, and the really dirty larger tank will be supplying the cold taps in your bathrooms, and your hot water via the hot cylinder - that's what you are bathing/showering in...

To clean these tanks is not technically difficult, but you need to know what you are doing.

It would essentially involve shutting off the supply to them - if they don't have valves, then just tie up the ballvalves! Then the tanks should be bailed out so as to remove as much dirt and debris as you can - you don't want that going down the outlet into your system. Once the tanks are empty and clean, you drain each system at its lowest point - the large tank via a draincock at the bottom of the hot cylinder - fix on a hose, run it outside (into a water butt...) and let it drain. And the wee F&E tank via a draincock that's hopefully on the ground floor near a radiator. Do ditto. Once the flow has stopped from the latter, if you open each rad's bleeds screw in turn, you'll also drain the rads fully, a good move.

Once empty, leave the '!!!!!! open for a few minutes as you allow the nice clean tank to refill (one at a time), wait until nice clean water is coming out t'hose, and then shut the '!!!!!!. Repeat.

All the rads will need bleeding, and corrosion inhibitor added to the F&E tank. Make sure both tanks have snug-fitting lids, and insulation.

Oh, whilst your system is drained, do yourself a further favour and add a magnetic filter to the return pipe.

Why your boiler isn't firing, tho', is still a mystery. Please double-check that error code.

lamialex

the word bar is definitely showing, in minuscule letters, it's very fainted on my picture



and yes still code F22 showing up, I tried to fire it up again today

i agree both tanks are very dirty, we just moved to the place and no one had lived in it for a long time

thanks for your help about cleaning them.

nofoollikeold

The following assumes the system water is replenished from an F&E tank.
1. If the property has been empty for some time, it is possible that the cold feed pipe from the F&E to the system is blocked.  Try running a magnet next to this pipe from the point where it exits the F&E to the point where it joins the system, which latter should be just before the pump.  There should be no attraction felt, but if there is it is an indication of a blockage.  The only real remedy is to cut out and replace any blocked section.  
2. Another method is to clean out the F&E tank (bucket, sponge etc.) then refill it, open a drain point on the system and see how quickly it drains.  If it takes more than about 5 minutes to empty the F&E, then there is likely a blockage.
3. When adding inhibitor to the system after draining and refilling, there is little point in adding it to the F&E tank after refilling.  The water in that tank only makes up small losses, so it could take months for inhibitor added to it to enter the system.  Add the inhibitor to the F&E before refilling so it gets straight into the system.  

macman

Time to get the boiler serviced...

Bendy_House

lamialex said:

the word bar is definitely showing, in minuscule letters, it's very fainted on my picture



and yes still code F22 showing up, I tried to fire it up again today

i agree both tanks are very dirty, we just moved to the place and no one had lived in it for a long time

thanks for your help about cleaning them.

My apologies - I can see it in the original pic too. Soz.

It isn't 'proper', tho'. If your system is vented - which it almost certainly is - then 'bar' just doesn't apply; there is no 'pressurised system' involved. The F22 fault code must either relate to something else, OR perhaps, your boiler has been set up as tho' it's sealed when it isn't. So you have a confused boiler. But, I don't know.

I'm at a loss as to what's going on with your boiler, but as Macman says, your whole system needs a thorough going-over as it isn't clean.

lamialex

so we have decided to not bother about fixing this boiler and change the whole system, too much hassle with this one 
thanks for all the help! 

Bendy_House

It looks like an oldish boiler, and the system is definitely very dirty, so sounds like a fair move.

What are you going for? Are you keeping the hot cylinder, so going for a 'system' or 'heat only' boiler?

My personal choice would be to lose the F&E tank, and go for a sealed 'system' boiler.

lamialex

yes we are gonna ask for a combi boiler, we want to convert the loft at some point and those two tanks up there seem like a waste of space and also don't like all those pipes and tanks and shower pump, old and dirty system indeed. Getting some quotes now, seems like we are gonna need a  mains booster pump since pressure in the house is not great.