Bypass on a Y plan

Feb 08, 2007 5 Replies

I have been to my friends new house and there is what looks like a bypass (gate valve operated) on his Y plan system.



I thought Y plans did not need a bypass and the valve is stuck solid so I cannot mess with it. Any ideas what it could be? I assume it is open as both sides of the pipes are red hot. The plumbing goes from the pump to a T connector that splits to the to the gate valve and the the inlet for mid position valve. The rest is under the floorboards



Adam



It might also be a feed to a towel rail so that the towel rail is on whenever the boiler is on, either for HW or for heating.

Yes, or a bathroom radiator of some sort. The gate valve might be there for balancing purposes.

Y-Plan systems don't generally need a by-pass - although if all the rads are fitted with TRVs, you *could* be left without a flow path in CH-only mode.

older cast iron boilers needed a bypass as to minimise great differentials across the flow and returns to stop wetting on heat exchangers.. especially baxi back boilers as they hissed without one, hope that helped pete

I had thought of that as well, I checked the bathroom radiator along with all the others. It seems they all go cold when the CH is off. There are TVRs on all rads except the hallway which has the room stat.

Adam

It is a wall mounted Baxi Bermuda, the house is about 20 years old and the boiler is probably original.

Adam

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