Gateway fitted to fix central heating

[bowesy10]

Hi,

I have had a nightmare with my central heating. The rads never use to be greatly hot and think they were balanced out to the best they could be, but It all started when I had a new conventional boiler fitted. Once installed all 5 rads would come on but the main one downstairs would cool down and eventually go off. I have had 2 different plumbers look into this and try and rectify the problem including the lad that fitted the boiler. Firstly their was nothing wrong with the rad or other rads or any of the pipe work between them. Its was not the room stat or cylinder stat and the flow and return are the correct way round. The problem was diagnosed to be the hot water cycle was taking away the hot water slightly from the central heating hence the hot water escaping back into the cylinder causing one of the rads to go off. I had a gateway fitted to a pipe coming off the cylinder to limit the hot water going back round the hot water cycle and to also push round the central heating cycle. This has worked and all rads stay nice and hot and hot water ok but maybe to hot.

The problem now is when hot water turned on alone it sounds like a kettle boiling without water in it (in a way) , a really loud noise on and off for periods plus a loud spitting noise as if the water is struggling to get through where I had the gateway fitted. Thing is if I open the gateway I will be back to square one.

Can anyone shine some light on how I get this problem sorted once and for all.

Cheers

 

[sanddobber]

what does the 'gateway' do?

 

[bonesy60]

i assume he means a gate valve

 

[sanddobber]

Ah i see, but i still can't solve it!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

what system do you have? if you get kettling on hot water either you have a fully pumped system and your gate valve is restricted to much or you have gravity domestics which i doubt vey much with a new boiler

 

[dontknowitall]

I think you've just found the problem I have in my house!!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

gravity domestics?

 

[dontknowitall]

LOL - too much air in our system. There's a by-pass and I've never thought to fiddle with the gate valve.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

its worth trying though as you know if the systems creating to much air its system design or corrosion

 

[dontknowitall]

I have been thinking about system design too. You might remember/have read, we fitted a new Rayburn and I gave the system a good clean out first. The air problem is much more noticeable now. We're trying to sell so I'm not going to break an arm and a leg over it though!

 

[Best]

Sounds like gate valve turned down too much to cylinder to try to balance system. Wonder if a self adjusting circulating pump would help? If poss, then sealed system also, if it is open vented.

 

[jase158]

just open gate valve a little bit more, try a couple turns at a time until noise stops

 

[Best]

just open gate valve a little bit more, try a couple turns at a time until noise stops

. That's all it should normally take, same with a rad valve, but if there is still a bit of water noise I was wondering if the pump is going full power. Maybe a " smart" pump helps stop this, as no point in a pump working hard when only cylinder is being heated. Bypass valve at boiler, set properly also should help.

 

[Best]

Forgot to mention, while on the subject of " smart " circulating pumps, that, for anyone that doesn't know, they are supposed to save a lot in electricity. Hard to believe, but on a modern heating system, there is a massive saving, so pays to fit them.

 

[bowesy10]

I have an airing cupboard with a tank/cylinder in it and then a pump, motorised valve etc. Down stairs is the boiler in the kitchen. Yes maybe it is a gate valve it has a red turning wheel on it. Thing is this was put in to stop the hot water cycle taking the hot water away from the central heating as 1 of the rads downstairs kept going off. It did sort the problem but now the problem is the water spitting loud through the gate valve and a loud noise as if the tank/cylinder is boiling like a kettle without water. Hard to explain really.

Gas man what does kettling mean ??

Is there another way around my problem ie Get rid of this gate valve

Cheers

 

[bowesy10]

I had the plumber round last week he turned the gate valve a few times noise was a tad quieter but is back to normal with in 2 days. Its not air for sure. I have to be careful if I open this gate valve to much then the rad downstairs will start to go off again.

 

[doitmyself]

It all started when I had a new conventional boiler fitted.

Which boiler - make and model?

The problem now is when hot water turned on alone it sounds like a kettle boiling without water in it (in a way) , a really loud noise on and off for periods plus a loud spitting noise as if the water is struggling to get through where I had the gateway fitted. Thing is if I open the gateway I will be back to square one.

A gate valve is the correct solution to your problem. The system now needs balancing.

See How to balance a CH system

 

[jase158]

I had the plumber round last week he turned the gate valve a few times noise was a tad quieter but is back to normal with in 2 days. Its not air for sure. I have to be careful if I open this gate valve to much then the rad downstairs will start to go off again.

basically there is sludge or little bit of air which is hitting the valve as going round, if it stop for a little while when gate valve was open, try opening a bit more, keep opening a couple of turns at a time until it stops making noise.

or fully open valve and then close again to previous position and see if this solves it, if so then this will mean sludge in system is making noise.

either this or just the water is at a high pressure, try turning pump down to 2 or 1 and see if this helps. only problem with doing this is heating takes longer to heat up or may even stop working properly.