Glow Worm Betacom 30c lock out, no pressure, drops again when I open taps, frozen?

[0x01]

Hi everyone,

A few days ago my Betacom 30c stopped working, the red lock out light is on, and the pressure gauge shows 0. When I open the two taps on either end of the silver flexi cable the pressure goes back up, but when I close them at 1.5 bar the pressure just slowly drops back down to zero. All the water seems to be flowing out of the copper pipe, which I believe is the pressure release pipe?

I've read this could be due to a frozen condensate pipe, it has been very cold here the last few days. Unfortunately it comes out of my house 8 feet up in the air so I don't fancy trying to pour hot water on it, I'm going round to a friends to get a hairdryer in a few hours to give that a shot. The condensate is the white plastic pipe, correct?

Does it sound like this is the problem? If/after I thaw it out, what's the routine, do I switch the boiler off for 30 seconds then back on? When do I open those taps to bring the pressure back up? Do I do that when the boiler is off or on?

Or is something else broken causing the pressure to drop?

Many thanks!

 

[LeakFinder's]

Re: Glow Worm Betacom 30c lock out, no pressure, drops again when I open taps, frozen

I would suggest getting a gas engineer out. It souds like the safety valve may be knackered.

 

[0x01]

Re: Glow Worm Betacom 30c lock out, no pressure, drops again when I open taps, frozen

Thanks for the reply, if it was just a frozen condensate pipe would I be having the losing pressure issue?

 

[LeakFinder's]

Re: Glow Worm Betacom 30c lock out, no pressure, drops again when I open taps, frozen

I wouldn't think a frozen condensate would result in pressure loss. It would be more likely a safety valve or burst. The leak may not be as significant. If you set the system to 1.5bar then go round the rooms and remove any air from the rads and keep the pressure topped to 1,5. it will tell you how significant the loss is. A small pipe pipe is attached to the safety valve and likely goes out through the wall check to make sure the water is not escaping from it. It could still be a burst pipe.

 

[0x01]

Re: Glow Worm Betacom 30c lock out, no pressure, drops again when I open taps, frozen

The pressure drops from 1.5 bar to 0 in literally about 30 seconds, and lots of water starts coming out of the small copper pipe outside the house, right where the boiler is.

 

[LeakFinder's]

Re: Glow Worm Betacom 30c lock out, no pressure, drops again when I open taps, frozen

safety valve loosing.Is like mjor minus temp where you are.

 

[fixter1]

Re: Glow Worm Betacom 30c lock out, no pressure, drops again when I open taps, frozen

prv shot you need a new one