Help on pipework from boiler to manifold.

[Franke]

Hello, I need some advice. Can anyone tell me if this installation is done correctly? We had a plumber who installed the UFH. Then couple of weeks later different plumber came to do boiler service. Straight away said that the pipe work is wrong. I don't have any knowledge on this so I would be grateful for any second opinion.

 

[exedon2]

Mixing valve wrongly connected
Top connection should be flow the one on left return .
All very clear in polypipe installation guide.
Needs altering.

 

[Franke]

Mixing valve wrongly connected
Top connection should be flow the one on left return .
All very clear in polypipe installation guide.
Needs altering.

Bear in mind, the pump is installed upside-down. We had the manifold connected in that way originally but we couldn't see the water flow indicators moving at all, seemed to be bushed by water. So we asked this to be swapped. Now we can see clearly the flow of the water. However, we were told by another plumber that the copper pipe work is wrong. As it is connected in a way that the water flows in opposite direction??? And the white danfos valve is fitted wrong place too.

 

[exedon2]

Yes copper pipework is wrong! Motorised valve should be on flow which should be then connected on top connection.
Put pump back in correctly as I said follow manufacturers instructions!
Currently you have no come back at polypipe and no guarantee as its incorrectly installed.

 

[Franke]

Yes copper pipework is wrong! Motorised valve should be on flow which should be then connected on top connection.
Put pump back in correctly as I said follow manufacturers instructions!
Currently you have no come back at polypipe and no guarantee as its incorrectly installed.

Thank you for your reply. It's in line with what the other plumber said to. I'm devastated as I paid over £1000 for the connection and correcting it is gonna cost me £900.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Zone valve can go on the return aslong as it’s inline with the flow makes no difference

Also “So we asked this to be swapped. Now we can see clearly the flow of the water.” So you can’t really blame the plumber as it was piped up correctly first

 

[Franke]

Zone valve can go on the return aslong as it’s inline with the flow makes no difference

Also “So we asked this to be swapped. Now we can see clearly the flow of the water.” So you can’t really blame the plumber as it was piped up correctly first

Well, it had to be wrong because previously all the red indicators were showing 0 L/min on all zones all the time when heating was on. And I understandthat that the manifoldis designedto indicatethe flow.So, now, we can see the flow, for example on one zone showes 1 L/min on other is 2 L/min. So how it can indicate the flow now and not before change? Don't understand that.

 

[Franke]

Well, it had to be wrong because previously all the red indicators were showing 0 L/min on all zones all the time when heating was on. And I understandthat that the manifoldis designedto indicatethe flow.So, now, we can see the flow, for example on one zone showes 1 L/min on other is 2 L/min. So how it can indicate the flow now and not before change? Don't understand that.

Could it be that the pipe work above mixing valveis wrong ?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Was the hot pipe originally connected to the to the right pipe eg same one as the other zone valve was on

 

[Franke]

Was the hot pipe originally connected to the to the right pipe eg same one as the other zone valve was on

If you mean the copper pipes then all was connected as it showes on the pictures. We only asked to change the position of actuators and flow indicators. Originally the actuators were on the bottom and flow indicators on the top and the flow indicators were pushed to the top all the time. After change it showes the flow but apparently it is still wrong. So I assume it is the copper pipe work wrong with placing the white brushed port zone steel valve placed wrongly and the copper piper are connected to wrong places at mixing valve.

 

[king of pipes]

This will give you a idea of how it should connected your primary flow and return pipework needs swapping over . Kop

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Then yes the connections are wrong

2 hour job max

 

[exedon2]

Thank you for your reply. It's in line with what the other plumber said to. I'm devastated as I paid over £1000 for the connection and correcting it is gonna cost me £900.

Those prices are shall we say ambitious to say the least!
As Shaun has said max 2hrs to sort out.
Unfortunately poorly installed underfloor systems seems to be a trend we are polypipe registered installers and I get 2 to 3 calls a week to sort out poor installations.

 

[SJB060685]

Can I ask does the UFH heating even heat the room? Looking at how it’s piped I imagine the valve is fully open to take hot boiler flow which is actually your UFH return. If this is true then the water in the UFH loops is just recirculating itself and the water from boiler is just flowing through the by pass?

 

[Franke]

Can I ask does the UFH heating even heat the room? Looking at how it’s piped I imagine the valve is fully open to take hot boiler flow which is actually your UFH return. If this is true then the water in the UFH loops is just recirculating itself and the water from boiler is just flowing through the by pass?

It all works. We have warm floor. And thats is what I don't understand? We were told that the pipes should be swapped, as seen on attached picture. Is that right? Another question- if it works should I leave it as it is or the whole system is less efficient and I might pay more for energy, or the boiler/manifold/pump might have less life span?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Green is a bypass as you have pump overrun on the boiler

 

[SJB060685]

It all works. We have warm floor. And thats is what I don't understand? We were told that the pipes should be swapped, as seen on attached picture. Is that right? Another question- if it works should I leave it as it is or the whole system is less efficient and I might pay more for energy, or the boiler/manifold/pump might have less life span?

The red box with green arrow is the by pass. When the blending valve is almost throttled shut the by pass opens to create a circuit for flow. Without by passes in certain scenarios you would be pumping against a closed circuit (dead heading).
The pipes should be repositioned yes to ensure proper function.
You say the floor is warm but does the room actually reach target temperature at the thermostat?

 

[Franke]

The red box with green arrow is the by pass. When the blending valve is almost throttled shut the by pass opens to create a circuit for flow. Without by passes in certain scenarios you would be pumping against a closed circuit (dead heading).
The pipes should be repositioned yes to ensure proper function.
You say the floor is warm but does the room actually reach target temperature at the thermostat?

Yes it does reach the target temperature on the thermostat.

 

[Franke]

Those prices are shall we say ambitious to say the least!
As Shaun has said max 2hrs to sort out.
Unfortunately poorly installed underfloor systems seems to be a trend we are polypipe registered installers and I get 2 to 3 calls a week to sort out poor installations.

We were told that it will be a whole day job. Because the plumber would have to run all new copper pipes from boiler to manifold. Could you explain what exactly would need to be done to not to incur in such big costs. Thank you.

 

[king of pipes]

It's not a big job couple of hours tops, drain down and swap the flow and return pipes over. Kop