Plumber/ Heating engineer help - Combi Boiler top up question - low system pressure

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User62651

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Need to top up the system water pressure in my Ideal C32 combi LPG boiler. It's down around 0.2 bar, needs to be between 1 and 2 bar. The expansion tank (out of picture) is pressurised to 1 bar which is about right.

The underside is per the photo.

Which of the two valves are the ones you need to open/turn on to let water in and increase presure? Is it the 2 square brass ones?

What are the red tap valve and yellow tap for?



Looked at numerous vidoes but none look like this, they all have obvious blue taps etc for topping up.

Please dont post with 'get a plumber' - I know that already, just a system top up shouldn't be a major operation.(y) It's good to learn.

I dont know the history of this boiler, inherited it when we moved in a few years ago and the guy before us was a builder so may have done this DIY.

Thanks

boiler.jpg
 
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Feck me that pic makes my pipework look good 😂😂

Wheres the filling loop? it should be a flexible silver pipe.
 
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Which of the two valves are the ones you need to open/turn on to let water in and increase presure? Is it the 2 square brass ones? None

What are the red tap valve and yellow tap for? The red tap is a gate valve being used as a isolation valve on the cold supply and the yellow is the gas isolation tap.
 
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Stuart_C said:
Feck me that pic makes my pipework look good 😂😂

Wheres the filling loop? it should be a flexible silver pipe.
Click to expand...

I don't think there is one, is there? - the only flexible pipe per the picture is from that red valve going back towards the expansion tank linked to the foreground white pipe, part of the cold water system?

boiler2.jpg
 
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Turn the valve below the brass tee with a flat screwdriver.
 
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SocketRocket said:
Its normally by the pressure gauge and a plastic twist grip.
Click to expand...

Seems to be missing any other twist grips other than the yellow one, a cowboy job probably.:oops: I can usually work these things out with a little youtube help but struggling with this.
 
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Dibby

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The cold supply tees off and then goes up the right, what happens there?
There is another pipe coming back down into the white pushfit elbow, is this connected to the pipe going up?

You need to show more of the system to have a clue.
 
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maxfli65 said:
Quarter turn or half turn or keep turning anticlockwise? Will I hear water gush in? thanks
Click to expand...


half turn so its parallel. Make sure the red valve is open too. once thd pressure is right make sure both valves are shut
 
SocketRocket

SocketRocket

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maxfli65 said:
Seems to be missing any other twist grips other than the yellow one, a cowboy job probably.:oops: I can usually work these things out with a little youtube help but struggling with this.
Click to expand...
Its just that my daughter in London calls me at times and says her Ideal boiler has stopped working and shows an L2 error, her water pressure taps are like the ones in the video though.
 
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User62651

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Stuart_C said:
half turn so its parallel. Make sure the red valve is open too. once the pressure is right make sure both valves are shut
Click to expand...

Doesn't seem to do anything.:unsure: Turned boiler off and tried the above - Pressure got up to about 0.6 but has fallen back low between 0.3 and 0.4 bar now dropped to 0.2 bar.

The cold water should get into the system from a pipe coming in from above and joins the system 3" or so above the red wheel value. There is a tap on that pipe above the boiler which is open so water running and links to that black pipe coming out of the ceiling. I know that is pressurised cold as that feeds my washing machine off one of those grey utility hose pipes and works fine. Cant understand why when I open the t-piece valve and red wheel it doesn't let mains water into the system??

Does this suggest a leak in the system? Never seen any leaky radiators or wet floors though!
Faulty boiler?
Faulty pressure gauge? Unlikely as we've noticed poor heat output from radiators with low pressure shown on gauge.

pipes.jpg
 
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maxfli65 said:
Doesn't seem to do anything.:unsure: Turned boiler off and tried the above - Pressure got up to about 0.6 but has fallen back low between 0.3 and 0.4 bar now dropped to 0.2 bar.

The cold water should get into the system from a pipe coming in from above and joins the system 3" or so above the red wheel value. There is a tap on that pipe above the boiler which is open so water running and links to that black pipe coming out of the ceiling. I know that is pressurised cold as that feeds my washing machine off one of those grey utility hose pipes and works fine. Cant understand why when I open the t-piece valve and red wheel it doesn't let mains water into the system??

Does this suggest a leak in the system? Never seen any leaky radiators or wet floors though!
Faulty boiler?
Faulty pressure gauge? Unlikely as we've noticed poor heat output from radiators with low pressure shown on gauge.

View attachment 26744
Click to expand...

Wow.

I'd disconnect the filling loop (silver braided pipe) at the opposite end to the isolation valve, get a bucket then open the valve with your flat head screwdriver and make sure your getting water through the valve.

if that doesnt work then call a profesional out.
 
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