Cleaned my heating system filter today...

[bensonchi]

Time to turn on the heating and so far I found a weeping compression joint which I fixed, It must have been leaking for years un noticed



Then the boiler pressure keep dropping, after long investigation there is no leak with all my radiators so water must be venting out within the boiler. Opened it up and found the expansion vessel has zero pressure, drained it and try pumping air in and it will not give. After a lot of effort the valve seems to loosen and air can get in and I managed to pressured it to 0.8 bar as stated on the side and all good now for days with no more dropping pressure and stable at 1.5-1.8 bar in operation.



While working on the boiler I decided to clean out the filter for the very first time...(installed on recommendation from BS 5 years ago) then OMG



Added inhibitor and put clean filter back, all heating working perfect for last 2 days but turned thermostat way down to 15c to save on gas what a winter it will be

 

[Mysterae_]

Good job!

You're lucky with the expansion vessel and being able to repressurise it, there wasn't any water in it? A tell-tale sign that it's gubbed. I wasn't so lucky with the vessel in my system - see my efforts in this thread. The label of the vessel in your picture says to check it every 6 months, yeah like that's going to happen as you'd normally have to get a plumber out to do that. Every 12 months I'd understand as per the boiler service.

As for your magnetic filter that's a lot of crud that would otherwise be sat at the bottom of a radiator or somewhere in the system. I presume you're going to check it a lot more often now? Most filters you can check and clean without draining the system, I'd think yours is the same. I've fitted one to my system but less than 2 weeks ago I think so it won't have collected much.

 

[bensonchi]

3000L tank? that is like 3 tons of stored heat

To be fair the expansion tank is easy access for me and just need to take off the boiler cover and take pressure from the air valve, I am the owner of the house and boiler so there is nothing stopping me work on it as long as I am competent. I don't touch anything I am not familiar with and always check with my plumber friend before starting my fix. Parts is only £35 but call out and labor will end up £200

 

[Mysterae_]

so there is nothing stopping me work on it as long as I am competent.

You didn't state if it was an oil or gas boiler. If it's a gas boiler the HSE states: "A non-registered person may carry out 'wet work', ie install water pipes and radiators for a heating system, but any work on the gas boiler itself and the final connection of the water pipework to the boiler, must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer".

Don't risk it for a biscuit.

 

[bensonchi]

You didn't state if it was an oil or gas boiler. If it's a gas boiler the HSE states: "A non-registered person may carry out 'wet work', ie install water pipes and radiators for a heating system, but any work on the gas boiler itself and the final connection of the water pipework to the boiler, must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer".

Don't risk it for a biscuit.

No one said anything about gas work, expansion tank, heating loop, valves are pluming work which I am legally allowed to work on. £200 is a lot of biscuits for an hour work with no spare part needed...

 

[Mysterae_]

If the expansion vessel is inside the boiler then you shouldn't touch it unless Gas Safe is my interpretation of the law. If the vessel is outside the boiler then no harm no foul, crack on.

 

[bensonchi]

If the expansion vessel is inside the boiler then you shouldn't touch it unless Gas Safe is my interpretation of the law. If the vessel is outside the boiler then no harm no foul, crack on.

This is the wrong interpretation of the law, may be for people who weld a hammer and fix things by banging on it a few times.

First we have the official guideline "Anyone carrying out work on gas appliances or fittings as a part of their business must be competent and registered with Gas Safe Register"



I am not working on the gas - checked

But the plumbing works is inside the boiler? It is illegal just by opening the casing?

The same official guideline "Can I take the case off my gas appliance? It depends on whether the case is purely decorative or whether it is an integral part of the appliance."

I have researched and study the 60 pages of my boiler manual with exploded view diagram showing what is gas parts and what is plumbing parts I am investigating before I start. The casing is not integral casing and taking it off will not affect any integral gas components, removing the case and have access to the plumbing parts is - allowed

I am not saying anyone should open up their gas boiler and start tinkering with stuff they don't understand but it is perfectly legal for any home owner who is competent at fixing plumbing parts within the boiler as long as it does not interfere the gas side of things.

 

[gc123]

used to take the cover off my old ideal boiler in the past, but noticed when the new one was installed they have changed the design of the seal between the casing and the frame of the boiler. spoke to the engineer and he said if the casing is removed it could only be by a gas safe engineer.
take with salt because next day the electrician came out from a different company but contracted in by the gas folk and removed the casing to add a longer flex to the timer base. when challenged he said he was competent
i asked about the fitting of a external weather sensor and he showed me inside where the connections should be made and told me if i did diy i should not have any problems doing it my self very confusing.