cant drain Combination cylinder to change the immersions ????

[bgec]

Hi all

I know im missing something here, i cant see a drain off tap or any way of doing it. I thourght i got it undone the immersion and got soaked not to metion the panic in the loft that the nice new room below was ruined. I cleaned up and made my excuses and left. I do have to go back tommorow and get this done so any help would be great.

 

[Deleted member 19807]

is it a hot water system at mains pressure or is there a header tank?

 

[Des 56]

You probably need to switch off the cold feed and run the hot water taps

I can remember changing immersion elements with no drain down,just 2 people and a bucket with a pair of quick fingers to slot and screw the new ones in before the water catchers bucket filled up

 

[Deleted member 19807]

the hot will come out of the top, you need to drain from the cold feed

 

[bgec]

is it a hot water system at mains pressure or is there a header tank?

Combination cylinder, it has a header tank attached to it so it is in affect a gravity cylinder with 2 immersions on the side. I emply the header tank ok by opening the taps and isolating the mains. but the cylinder is still full and with no drain off i dont know what to do.

 

[bgec]

You probably need to switch off the cold feed and run the hot water taps

I can remember changing immersion elements with no drain down,just 2 people and a bucket with a pair of quick fingers to slot and screw the new ones in before the water catchers bucket filled up

That is not the way forward for me lol

 

[Deleted member 19807]

Combination cylinder, it has a header tank attached to it so it is in affect a gravity cylinder with 2 immersions on the side. I emply the header tank ok by opening the taps and isolating the mains. but the cylinder is still full and with no drain off i dont know what to do.

there should be a drain on the cold water in near the bottom of the tank, if not you are screwed.

 

[bgec]

the hot will come out of the top, you need to drain from the cold feed

Yea i got what you mean but on a normal cylinder it woukd be easy on this i cant see how ?

 

[bgec]

there should be a drain on the cold water in near the bottom of the tank, if not you are screwed.

Geat lol

 

[Mark_Burgess]

How can the tank still be full if the hot taps are fully open and the cold feed isolated?

 

[Deleted member 19807]

the only thing i can suggest is a bowl under the cold in put pipe and drain by undoing the comression joint until the bowl is full, repeat until water is below immersion element.

 

[Deleted member 19807]

How can the tank still be full if the hot taps are fully open and the cold feed isolated?

the hot comes out the top so the best you can do by turning on the hot tap is drain anything above the hot outlet.

 

[Des 56]

the hot comes out the top so the best you can do by turning on the hot tap is drain anything above the hot outlet.

Yes, thinking about my combination tank,thats exactly right
Draining the hot water doesn't lower the outer tank water level

There would probably be a self screwing drain off attatchment available, I would expect, for this situation
Alternatively there is the plumbers forum,but be prepared to get:hanged:

 

[bgec]

How can the tank still be full if the hot taps are fully open and the cold feed isolated?

Well im not really sure thats why im asking ?

 

[bgec]

Yes, thinking about my combination tank,thats exactly right
Draining the hot water doesn't lower the outer tank water level

There would probably be a self screwing drain off attatchment available, I would expect, for this situation
Alternatively there is the plumbers forum,but be prepared to get:hanged:

lol i know what you mean they love it dont they

 

[Deleted member 19807]

Yes, thinking about my combination tank,thats exactly right
Draining the hot water doesn't lower the outer tank water level

There would probably be a self screwing drain off attatchment available, I would expect, for this situation
Alternatively there is the plumbers forum,but be prepared to get:hanged:

I tried it once........got banned

 

[Mark_Burgess]

okay, undo the outlet pipe, insert hose pipe and syphon!

 

[Deleted member 19807]

okay, undo the outlet pipe, insert hose pipe and syphon!

be prepaired for some water spillage as the outlet is normaly 6 to 8" above the tank, should not be too much (you hope)

 

[Deleted member 19807]

if there is no drain you can blame the plumber that installed it.

 

[sbrown2]

I agree with the above. Just get plumber.. Sounds like you will also need a plasterer now as well.......

 

[bgec]

I tried it once........got banned

haha you stay calm when talking to there kind and that plumber fell off his horse while riding off into the sunset safe in the knowledge that i would be back after a couple of years to put it right.

 

[gazz1]

yes i was thinking same as mark above ?

 

[bgec]

i will have to get it done tommorow thanks for all your help guys

 

[Spudnik]

Basically, you are not going to be able to drain the tank.

If you turn off the feed to the cold water tank in the loft, it will only drain to the bottom of THAT tank and leave the cylinder full.

If you turn off the feed FROM or TO the cylinder, all you will do is stop the hot taps from flowing.

Im assuming gravity fed.

 

[Knobhead]

okay, undo the outlet pipe, insert hose pipe and syphon!

Having read through the thread, at long last some sense! Old tanks wont have a drain point, a siphon is the only way! Drain all the water from the header tank first by turning off the feed to the header and opening the hot taps. Then it’s a load of old blankets to mop up when you undo the top pipe to get the siphon pipe in.

I just hope you know how to set up a siphon for quick use, there’s no need for rushing down stairs to suck on the end of the pipe!

 

[mole2006]

Have you thought about fitting a drain off valve using one of the pipe freezing kits you can buy from most plumbing wholesalers. The last one I used, I think it gave me about half an hour to get the pipe work done

 

[ruston]

As has been said turn off the cold supply turn on the hot taps till the header tank empties, this will still leave the hot cylinder full and probably the header supply pipe too. .If there is not a drain cock at the cold supply pipe at the bottom of the tank crack open the vent/hot supply pipe at the top of the tank and using your ingenuity capture the water that will escape (supply pipe will be full and header may not be quite empty) Then do as Mark says, you could even buy a small whale type pump and pump enough out to let you remove the element.- Or in desperation you could cut the cold supply pipe at a level above the cylinder (if you have room) loosen the union at the bottom after attaching a hose at the cut pipe then rotate the pipe to allow the water to flow from the hose. when complete join pipe with a connector. (bit messy but works) If the cold supply pipe does not clear the top of the cylinder you can't do it this way.

 

[ruston]

Having read through the thread, at long last some sense! Old tanks wont have a drain point, a siphon is the only way! Drain all the water from the header tank first by turning off the feed to the header and opening the hot taps. Then it’s a load of old blankets to mop up when you undo the top pipe to get the siphon pipe in.

I just hope you know how to set up a siphon for quick use, there’s no need for rushing down stairs to suck on the end of the pipe!

Took me that long to type ,you beat me to it.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Use a freezing kit to freeze the cold inlet pipe, cut pipe and install drain off tap and stop cock between drain off tap and header tank.
Make sure the drain off tap is below level of elements.