Combi Boiler knocking

Which valve are we talking about...

There are two likely candidates: The expansion chamber valve and the overpressure release valve. Since the overpressure release valve ought to be piped outside in 15mm copper pipe, I expect that we are talking about the former.

If its the charging valve that's leaking (i.e. the one that looks like a car tyre inflation valve), then that is a cause for concern since there should not be water in that side of the chamber at all (the wet side connected to the heating should be separated from the air side by a rubber membrane).

Assuming the expansion vessel is shagged, then you really have two options. Replace it or augment it with another somewhere else. Replacement difficulty varies with the boiler - some place the thing right at the back such that the only way to get at it is to dismount the boiler from the wall. This is obviously a non trivial job since it means breaking and re-making all the connections for gas and water etc. Others have them in more serviceable places. If yours is of the latter type, then you could investigate getting the makers replacement part[2], swapping it out and pumping up the new one.

If you can't easily get the old one out, can you stop its valve weeping (by sticking a cap on it for example (perhaps with some Fernox LS-X leak sealer in it to make sure it does not leak!)? If you can, then you can get another generic expansion chamber[1] and add that somewhere else in the system. (you can leave one rad with some air in it as a temporary measure assuming you can stop the leak).

[1] e.g.
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Ikon-t were made by Glowworm I am led to believe. If you cna find a part number for the chamber then someone like MJT controls ought to eb able to get you the part.

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that a call to glowworm themselves may get you the part number.

Reply to
John Rumm
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Sorry if I'm not being clear but I'm a bit confused. I just found the expansion vessel in my boiler diagram and it has a 'car valve' on top I depressed it and was greeted by a puff of air. There is a second 'car valve' in my boiler which is on top of what my diagram calls the "Automatic air vent" that is the one that's weeping. Your first link called it an "Bottle air vent".

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I could keep pressing the valve on top of the expansion vessel to see if water comes out eventually but I'm nervious about letting out too much air.

Reply to
Chade

Right ok, that sounds like it is ok then. Don't go pressing that valve any more since you want to keep air pressure it it (you can of course re-inflate them with a pump)

enable the boiler itself to be purged of air when refilling the heating system. Often these are designed so that in theory they can be left open and they will only vent passing air but not water. However, as yours may be illustrating they are not perfect and can weep.

You may find that it has a manual screw/knob that you can tighten to close the thing and stop it weeping (it may also stop it venting air - but since your system is now full and bled, that is not of much concern). Some like the one you mentioned on the BES page have a check valve you can shut off (possibly with a screwdriver or knob on the inlet pipe to it) - this is to allow the vent to be removed for cleaning etc (which may also stop it weeping ), but could also be used to just turn it off.

There is an example here:

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if that looks anything like yours.

Reply to
John Rumm

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