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Discuss Very weird set up - is it a primatic cylinder? in the Plumbing Forum | Plumbing Advice area at PlumbersForums.net

J

Jeff56

I can't get a consensus on this from four plumbers that have visited. We've been using the system with no prpblems for 7 years - but the cylinder leaks and needs replacing. It's an old and peculiar set up I have onherited after buting my two storey house. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions as to what is going on with my pipes... it's some sort of open vented system

1) Boiler in basement
2) Hot water cylinder upstairs with electric immersion heater and central heating coils , and vent pipe to loft tank 1
3) When draining through the boiler stopcock the radiators and cylinder both empty out (and 2 loft cold water tanks)
4) In the loft are two largeish capacity plastic tanks connected near the bottom to effecticvely form one tank
4) Tank one has mains feed, expansion vent pipe and outlet feed pipe
5) Tank two has tank overflow pipe to outside wall , and an outlet feed pipe. However this outlet pipe, which goes down and out of the attic into the bathroom (hidden by a shower panel) with the other pipes does not appear to be functioning - I have blocked off tank one's outlet and tried to refill the system using tank2 but the level stays the same.
6) The boiler wall unit is set up so that you can have hot water and heating on, but not heating only - it switches itself off if you try to do that.

I am thinking of sawing into the cylinser to see if it is primatic.

If it is a not a primatic cylinder, how could it work - is there possibly a sharing of the hot water vent pipe by the heating pipes behind the shower panel? How safe would that be - we've never had brown water from the taps - except for a brief moment after refillinfg the system recently.
 
I cannot see the photo's but from your description it sounds like it may be a primatic.

The outlet that disappears is likely to be a cold feed or was at some point. It could/could've fed a bath, shower or all the cold in the house used to wash only.

I don't know why it takes 4 'Plumbers' to work out what you have unless they are too young or maybe inexperienced in all aspects of hot water systems? Who knows.

For an qualified and experienced Plumber/Heating Engineer, it won't be an issue sorting it out. You cannot use Primatic Cylinders anymore. I don't think they are even made anymore to be honest. You will need to upgrade the system to fully pumped now but like I say, it's not difficult if you know you the job. There are a number of options open to you.

What boiler do you have?
How old is it and the system?
Can you post photo's we can see without having to join photobucket?
 

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