Temperature pressure relief valve dripping

Lulu58

FreeBear said:

Lulu58 said: The cylinder etc is in the garage on the ground floor. There doesn't appear to be much if any water below the plinth that I can see but I'll double check using cardboard as you suggest.

It could just be condensation forming on the cold water pipe that is dripping down. Garages are never a good place for stuff like this - Some days during the winter months, my toys machine tools will be dripping with water and I have to coat everything with a generous layer of oil, wax or grease.

I'd recommend building an insulated cupboard around the cylinder and any pipework. That should help reduce the condensation as well as cut down on heat losses.

Hi FreeBear and thanks for your post.

There's no evidence of any condensation at all. Everything appears to be bone dry.

Thanks for your suggestion regarding building an insulation cupboard.

ThisIsWeird

Lulu58 said:

There was no water that we could find under the plinth. However, the wood is very damp this morning and the leak has progressed onto the garage floor.
I've checked every single joint etc this morning and they all seem to be bone dry.
Is it possible that the leak is coming from the bottom of the cylinder?
They are in the open in the garage, no cupboard. The boiler is alongside the cylinder.

Concrete garage floor, so no ultimate harm should be caused.

The leak could be from anywhere! Yes, even a failed cylinder, although that's very unlikely. If it is the cylinder, it should be under warranty, so check that first before the guy starts mentioning £k bills...

I'd ask for recommendations for a local handyperson - even the GS guy might know someone. Get a couple around to quote for a simple timber-framed (3x2 CLS timbers) cupboard, insulated with something cheap and easy like Jablite. A couple of doors to allow easy access when required. Outside skin could be 9mm Sterling Board (OSB), which you can paint if you like. No inside skin required - just stuff the Jablite neatly in between the framework. It should keep all stuff that dust-free, and help reduce heat loss too.

Could you post a pic showing everything - the cylinder and boiler beside it?

Lulu58

ThisIsWeird said:

Concrete garage floor, so no ultimate harm should be caused.

The leak could be from anywhere! Yes, even a failed cylinder, although that's very unlikely. If it is the cylinder, it should be under warranty, so check that first before the guy starts mentioning £k bills...

I'd ask for recommendations for a local handyperson - even the GS guy might know someone. Get a couple around to quote for a simple timber-framed (3x2 CLS timbers) cupboard, insulated with something cheap and easy like Jablite. A couple of doors to allow easy access when required. Outside skin could be 9mm Sterling Board (OSB), which you can paint if you like. No inside skin required - just stuff the Jablite neatly in between the framework. It should keep all stuff that dust-free, and help reduce heat loss too.

Could you post a pic showing everything - the cylinder and boiler beside it?

Thanks as always, ThisIsWeird.

It could be tricky putting a cupboard in our garage whilst still ensuring good access, but not impossible. Thanks for the information regarding Jablite etc. 

Here's a photo of the 'beast' in the garage. Not sure if you can see but a lot of the pipes have insulation foam around them.

ThisIsWeird

Lulu58 said:

Thanks as always, ThisIsWeird.
It could be tricky putting a cupboard in our garage whilst still ensuring good access, but not impossible. Thanks for the information regarding Jablite etc.
Here's a photo of the 'beast' in the garage. Not sure if you can see but a lot of the pipes have insulation foam around them.

It isn't by any means vital, just 'recommended'.

I have no idea just how much energy it would save due to the additional insulation level - surely at least a couple of %?, but hard to quantify. Yes, the pipes are essentially well insulated already, as is the cylinder - and even the boiler. But if you were to build a cupboard around it, you'd be surprised at how warm it would be inside it! You wouldn't want to leave...

It also helps protect it all, keeps dust away, tidies it all up, guards against frost.

Tbh, that looks like a very straight-forward job. In essence, the only 'wall' would be a 600-700mm deep one to the left of the boiler, floor-to-ceiling, and then a timber frame around the 'front' - along the ceiling, down the RH wall in front of the cylinder, and back along the floor. A centre vertical post. Then two large, full-height doors in front. That's it.

Doors to slightly overlap the frame with rubber seals to fit against them, and insides lined with Jablite or Celotex. Large 'shed/gate' hinges, and enough securing bolts to prevent the doors from warping.

But, not essential.

FreeBear

ThisIsWeird said: I have no idea just how much energy it would save due to the additional insulation level - surely at least a couple of %?, but hard to quantify. Yes, the pipes are essentially well insulated already, as is the cylinder - and even the boiler. But if you were to build a cupboard around it, you'd be surprised at how warm it would be inside it! You wouldn't want to leave...

Looking at the wider setup, I think I'd build a stud wall and insulate walls/floor/ceiling to the hilt. It would make for a very effective drying room (with a suitable extractor to the outside. The boiler is probably wasting 2-3% of the heat it generates through the casing. Added to the heat given off by the DHW tank, pipes, and EV, a drying room would get nice & toasty.

Lulu58

FreeBear said:

ThisIsWeird said: I have no idea just how much energy it would save due to the additional insulation level - surely at least a couple of %?, but hard to quantify. Yes, the pipes are essentially well insulated already, as is the cylinder - and even the boiler. But if you were to build a cupboard around it, you'd be surprised at how warm it would be inside it! You wouldn't want to leave...

Looking at the wider setup, I think I'd build a stud wall and insulate walls/floor/ceiling to the hilt. It would make for a very effective drying room (with a suitable extractor to the outside. The boiler is probably wasting 2-3% of the heat it generates through the casing. Added to the heat given off by the DHW tank, pipes, and EV, a drying room would get nice & toasty.

Thanks, FreeBear. I like the idea of a drying room!  Would the extractor have to literally be on an outside wall, or do you mean to the outside of the drying room?

FreeBear

Lulu58 said:

FreeBear said:

ThisIsWeird said: I have no idea just how much energy it would save due to the additional insulation level - surely at least a couple of %?, but hard to quantify. Yes, the pipes are essentially well insulated already, as is the cylinder - and even the boiler. But if you were to build a cupboard around it, you'd be surprised at how warm it would be inside it! You wouldn't want to leave...

Looking at the wider setup, I think I'd build a stud wall and insulate walls/floor/ceiling to the hilt. It would make for a very effective drying room (with a suitable extractor to the outside. The boiler is probably wasting 2-3% of the heat it generates through the casing. Added to the heat given off by the DHW tank, pipes, and EV, a drying room would get nice & toasty.

Thanks, FreeBear. I like the idea of a drying room!  Would the extractor have to literally be on an outside wall, or do you mean to the outside of the drying room?

The extractor needs to vent to the outside and linked to a humidistat. Venting in to the remaining garage space will just pump warm moist air in to the space and cause any steel objects to rust.

Lulu58

ThisIsWeird said:

It isn't by any means vital, just 'recommended'.

That all sounds do-able.  I'll see if I can get some quotes.

When I checked the cylinder etc this morning there was more water on the plinth, but I still couldn't feel or see any signs of a leak.

I was out this morning but when I got home I could feel it was cold in the house so I checked the garage. The boiler had switched itself off again and there was a lot more 'wet' water (rather than the plinth being damp) on the plinth and floor.

Various parts of the piping etc were wet so I dried everything off and waited. After a while I could see a steady drip coming out of another valve (pressurised?) which is alongside the motorised valve for the water, see photo. It has 10 bar 775C Caleffi on the top of it. A quick internet search suggests it may be a Caleffi Robocal Automatic Air Vent with Check Valve but I'm not certain.

I'm not sure if it's the source of the latest leak or not. The drip seems to be coming out of the 'bobble' on the top.

I tried turning on the boiler and nothing happened so I turned the heating up which seemed to kick start various bits on the cylinder. I waited a few minutes and tried the boiler again and it started up this time. The display was showing the two T's on their side as before alternating with the figure 29 was has increased to 62 and the T's have gone.

There was definitely a motor type sound from the boiler as if something was trying to start up several times before whatever it was actually worked it reminded me of the sound of a fan.

I'm wondering if I need to get Worcester Bosch out once I get the cylinder sorted as it's under guarantee.

Lulu58

FreeBear said:

Thanks, FreeBear. I like the idea of a drying room!  Would the extractor have to literally be on an outside wall, or do you mean to the outside of the drying room?

The extractor needs to vent to the outside and linked to a humidistat. Venting in to the remaining garage space will just pump warm moist air in to the space and cause any steel objects to rust.

Thank you. The garage is attached to the house on two sides so we would need to consider when the ventilation pipe would run etc.

Presumably we would also need to have a light source if we created a drying room?

FreeBear

Lulu58 said:

FreeBear said:

Thanks, FreeBear. I like the idea of a drying room!  Would the extractor have to literally be on an outside wall, or do you mean to the outside of the drying room?

The extractor needs to vent to the outside and linked to a humidistat. Venting in to the remaining garage space will just pump warm moist air in to the space and cause any steel objects to rust.

Thank you. The garage is attached to the house on two sides so we would need to consider when the ventilation pipe would run etc.

Presumably we would also need to have a light source if we created a drying room?

A light would be useful unless you enjoy fumbling around in the dark like a mole. You have power in that area (for the boiler at least), so connecting a fan & light shouldn't cause too much of a problem.