Grr.. stupid bl**dy plumber

A bike pump will fit that with ease. The flexible bit screws on rather than a car pump with a bloody big lever.

No it f*cking doesn?t!!

I had to go out and buy a cheapo bike pump as my track pump head wouldn?t fit in the space available. The flexible adapter did screw on but it was damned awkward as the bracket *almost* precluded getting the threaded end lined up properly.

Tim

So it fitted then?

But most definitely not "with ease".

The usual, loss of system pressure requiring frequent top ups. No other leaks from system.

A failed expansion vessel was always the likeliest cause but PRVs are cheap so I thought it would be worth replacing, especially as I had witnessed it passing water at less than 2 bar.

After replacing the system pressure rose to over 3 bar quite quickly and then the new PRV started passing water.

Tried recharging the expansion vessel but it wouldn't hold pressure.

Tim

did you remember to leave the system open as you pumped up the expansion vessel? You can't fill the vessel with air unless the water can empty from it. It needs to be all air at about 15 psi before pressurising the system.

Quote: ?but it wouldn?t hold pressure?. It?s knacked. Yes, I do know to recharge with the system open.

Tim

New expansion vessel arrived today and on closer inspection the chamber can only be fitted one way around.

So, apologies to the plumber who is exonerated and brickbats to the boiler designers. To give them their dues, despite being mounted behind the boiler it wasn't that hard to change once I'd worked out how to lift out the old one. (Bootlace lasso around the Schrader valve).

This is the lovely water that came out of the expansion chamber.

Tim

There are many variations of "bike pump", some may indeed fit easily in that situation, but some won't easily and some may not at all.