My hot water is doing my head in!!

 

We have a combi boiler and all was well but recently we are struggling to get say half a bath of nice and hot water then it just goes luke warm, the boilder kicks in OK but its not warming it up enough?

 

Any ideas as the wife loves a bath and she keeps moaning at me!!

 

Also the heating is fine, gets nice and hot etc its just the constant hot water thats just not constant LOL also its all set up right on the boiler settings, ie the water on all the time.

 

Mike

I have this problem with mine too.

If I turn the tap right down to a trickle it comes very hot but takes half an hour to fill the bath!

 

When I turn on the sink tap as soon as it comes hot the pressure seems to drop and it turns into a trickle. You leave the tap running then come back expecting it to be full and find there's hardly any water.

 

Heating is great though.

The prupose of a comi boiler is to 1) heat water and send it to the cylinder tank. 2) heat the water that feeds the radiators.

 

If the rads are hot but the water is running out or heat after a while. I would guess that the size of your storage cynlinder tank is much smaller than the volume of water you are putting in the bath.

 

2 solutions. Switch on the emersion heater if fitted to the cylinder tank before you have a bath (note this water will be really hot).

Get a bigger cylinder tank fitted.

 

Most newer houses these days are fitted with a smaller tank as they seem to think that having a bath is a thing of the past and now only everyone has showers (which apparently use less water - but I guess that depends on how long you are in the shower for).

The prupose of a comi boiler is to 1) heat water and send it to the cylinder tank. 2) heat the water that feeds the radiators.

 

If the rads are hot but the water is running out or heat after a while. I would guess that the size of your storage cynlinder tank is much smaller than the volume of water you are putting in the bath.

 

2 solutions. Switch on the emersion heater if fitted to the cylinder tank before you have a bath (note this water will be really hot).

Get a bigger cylinder tank fitted.

 

Most newer houses these days are fitted with a smaller tank as they seem to think that having a bath is a thing of the past and now only everyone has showers (which apparently use less water - but I guess that depends on how long you are in the shower for).

 

Mines a combi boiler so does not have a tank, it heats the water (for the mains hot water) as it is used so "in theory" you should have hot water all the time and never run out!!

 

after doing some research it looks like it could be a scale build up on the heat exchange!! common with my boiler and pretty expensive to repair so it may be worth getting a newer boiler :(

 

more money down the drain!!

you need to get a plumber to service it mike could be scale in the plate exchanger especially if your in a hard water area, to check look in you kettle if theres a build up of limescale it could be the problem. also has the boiler been serviced if not get someone in and tell them your problem, also tell me what your boiler is

you need to get a plumber to service it mike could be scale in the plate exchanger especially if your in a hard water area, to check look in you kettle if theres a build up of limescale it could be the problem. also has the boiler been serviced if not get someone in and tell them your problem, also tell me what your boiler is

 

worse thing is its been serviced by bitish gas but i ended up canceling with tham as they tried to rip me off with a system fluch when all it was, was am air lock in the heating system which me and my dad sorted in the end and cost us £15, BG wanted to charge me £1000 as it "wasnt" covered on my service agreement!!

 

anyway will call a few plumbers :smw:

 

i hate spending money :slap:

what make boiler is it

worse thing is its been serviced by bitish gas but i ended up canceling with tham as they tried to rip me off with a system fluch when all it was, was am air lock in the heating system which me and my dad sorted in the end and cost us £15, BG wanted to charge me £1000 as it "wasnt" covered on my service agreement!!

 

anyway will call a few plumbers :smw:

 

i hate spending money :slap:

 

While I am not a plumber I had a similar problem when I helped my sister decorate a bedroom, we drained the rad to remove it and when we filled it again the combi did exactly what you are describing, the fault was when filling the rad you are suposed to use a filling loop (located at the combi) if not the pressure will fall away and this affected the entire hot water system. Check the pressure gauge on the boiler, if memory serves me right it should be between 1 and 2 on the dial.

Its sounds like it could be the divertor valve,

The normal pressure should be at 1 and half bar any lower and it will not work properly, try filling the boiler if the pressure is too low, otherwise I do think its the divertor valve.

While I am not a plumber I had a similar problem when I helped my sister decorate a bedroom, we drained the rad to remove it and when we filled it again the combi did exactly what you are describing, the fault was when filling the rad you are suposed to use a filling loop (located at the combi) if not the pressure will fall away and this affected the entire hot water system. Check the pressure gauge on the boiler, if memory serves me right it should be between 1 and 2 on the dial.

 

now thats interesting as we fitted a new radiator recently and drained the system and put a cleaner through it and then refilled it.

 

how did you sort it in the end??

 

also my boiler does not have a pressure guage on it so i cant tell but the heating works fine, its just the hot water

how did you fill your boiler mike with a filliong loop or have you got a tank in the loft, also if you say the make and model i would be able to tell you more

how did you fill your boiler mike with a filliong loop or have you got a tank in the loft, also if you say the make and model i would be able to tell you more

 

theres a tank in the loft which supplies the boiler so i let that fill it?

 

the boiler is a range powermax 155?? means nothing to me LOL

Mines a combi boiler so does not have a tank, it heats the water (for the mains hot water) as it is used so "in theory" you should have hot water all the time and never run out!!

 

after doing some research it looks like it could be a scale build up on the heat exchange!! common with my boiler and pretty expensive to repair so it may be worth getting a newer boiler :(

 

more money down the drain!!

 

You don't live in a hard water area (at least I don't think you do).

Sounds like your heat exchanger has packed up bud .. build up of crap inside .. it may need a flush or worse case replacing about 60-80 quid pls labour

 

hope that helps mate

You don't live in a hard water area (at least I don't think you do).

 

just looked and no, it looks like my area is mild?

Firstly with a newer combi's they dont have too feed a hot water cylinder, thats why they are called comination boilers (ie hot water and central heating), it does sound like a pressure issue or one of the controllers on the main circuit board. has it been serviced in say the last couple of years?? if not then i suggest you need to get it serviced, as if its playing about a bit now, i will put money on it getting much worse, then you will have no hot water, i will have a chat with my Corgi guru, who has been a worcester boiler technician for years, what he dosent know is worth knowing, and post up a reply later.

Firstly with a newer combi's they dont have too feed a hot water cylinder, thats why they are called comination boilers (ie hot water and central heating), it does sound like a pressure issue or one of the controllers on the main circuit board. has it been serviced in say the last couple of years?? if not then i suggest you need to get it serviced, as if its playing about a bit now, i will put money on it getting much worse, then you will have no hot water, i will have a chat with my Corgi guru, who has been a worcester boiler technician for years, what he dosent know is worth knowing, and post up a reply later.

 

cheers buddy

i would say its the heat exchanger is full of crap this is common on combis , but on some of the boilers you have some have a thermal store do you have one of these, its a vessel that stores water from a combi then when you draw water off it fills back up with hot water.

i would say its the heat exchanger is full of crap this is common on combis , but on some of the boilers you have some have a thermal store do you have one of these, its a vessel that stores water from a combi then when you draw water off it fills back up with hot water.

 

from reading i believe mine has a thermal store and the HW is drawn through the store to heat the HW??

ok these are flow rate ristricted i.e 10 liters per minuite (your instructions should say) if your flow rate is over what the book says you will depleat your thermo store, so your drawing off more than the boiler can supply this is the first thing i would check. if not then i would go back to the heat exchanger, but what i have said above is the most comman problem with thermo stores

ok these are flow rate ristricted i.e 10 liters per minuite (your instructions should say) if your flow rate is over what the book says you will depleat your thermo store, so your drawing off more than the boiler can supply this is the first thing i would check. if not then i would go back to the heat exchanger, but what i have said above is the most comman problem with thermo stores

 

ive tried turning the water down but your talking to a trickle before it makes any difference :confused:

 

ive got a plumber booked in for next wednesday but i really dont want to spend any money :D

then with out looking at the boiler i would say its the exchanger which you'll need a plumber to fit it. if you lived closer i would fix it for you for cost. trade it will cost £112.70 plus fitting. retail is £150 plus fitting to give you some idea of what your looking to pay

Could be just a filter blocked,we do get this a lot on worcester 400 boilers but i have never heard of that boiler is it a domestic boiler or poss small commercial or maybe a product of the north that has not made it down here yet!

 

Regards

 

Dave