The expansion vessel in my combi has stopped doing its job properly
after a leaking radiator valve reduced the system pressure to almost
nothing the other day.

Last time I found the expansion vessel wasn't doing its job, I managed
to pump 10psi of air into it, and it then worked perfectly for a few
months until this latest event.

This procedure would be easy if I had a suitable (cheap) pump. Any
suggestions? A car foot pump is out of the question because the
vessel's valve is about 5 ft above floor level.

Last time I did it, I had an electric tyre pump which I connected to a
long wire which I then plugged into my car's fag lighter. But it was
very tricky because each time I pulled the pump's attachment off the
valve, the air would escape - and it doesn;t take much air to create
10psi in the vesel.. And now I don't have a car with a fag lighter!

I do have a procket pressure guage which can read as low as 10 psi.
It's just the pump which is the problem.

Thanks for any suggestions. A battery-operated pump perhaps? Anyone
know of a cheap one? Someone told me a bicycle pump would work. Is
that correct?

Many thanks

Rich

Rich wrote:

> Thanks for any suggestions. A battery-operated pump perhaps? Anyone
> know of a cheap one? Someone told me a bicycle pump would work. Is
> that correct?


Bicycle pump.


--
Grunff

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Rich <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> The expansion vessel in my combi has stopped doing its job properly
> after a leaking radiator valve reduced the system pressure to almost
> nothing the other day.
>
> Last time I found the expansion vessel wasn't doing its job, I managed
> to pump 10psi of air into it, and it then worked perfectly for a few
> months until this latest event.
>
> This procedure would be easy if I had a suitable (cheap) pump. Any
> suggestions? A car foot pump is out of the question because the
> vessel's valve is about 5 ft above floor level.
>
> Last time I did it, I had an electric tyre pump which I connected to a
> long wire which I then plugged into my car's fag lighter. But it was
> very tricky because each time I pulled the pump's attachment off the
> valve, the air would escape - and it doesn;t take much air to create
> 10psi in the vesel.. And now I don't have a car with a fag lighter!
>
> I do have a procket pressure guage which can read as low as 10 psi.
> It's just the pump which is the problem.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions. A battery-operated pump perhaps? Anyone
> know of a cheap one? Someone told me a bicycle pump would work. Is
> that correct?
>
> Many thanks
>
> Rich

I would use a car footpump, parked on the platform at the top of a step
ladder, and operated by hand. You don't need a lot of force for 10 psi - and
hand-power is quite adequate.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

"Rich" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> The expansion vessel in my combi has stopped doing its job properly
> after a leaking radiator valve reduced the system pressure to almost
> nothing the other day.
>
> Last time I found the expansion vessel wasn't doing its job, I managed
> to pump 10psi of air into it, and it then worked perfectly for a few
> months until this latest event.
>
> This procedure would be easy if I had a suitable (cheap) pump. Any
> suggestions? A car foot pump is out of the question because the
> vessel's valve is about 5 ft above floor level.
>
> Last time I did it, I had an electric tyre pump which I connected to a
> long wire which I then plugged into my car's fag lighter. But it was
> very tricky because each time I pulled the pump's attachment off the
> valve, the air would escape - and it doesn;t take much air to create
> 10psi in the vesel.. And now I don't have a car with a fag lighter!
>
> I do have a procket pressure guage which can read as low as 10 psi.
> It's just the pump which is the problem.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions. A battery-operated pump perhaps? Anyone
> know of a cheap one? Someone told me a bicycle pump would work. Is
> that correct?
>

I carry in my van a bicycle pump with suitable connector for just this sort
of operation.
Don't forget to depressurise the radiator system before pumping up the
vessel to its design pressure

"Christian McArdle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:42023b0e$0$19159$(E-Mail Removed). net...
>> Last time I found the expansion vessel wasn't doing its job, I managed
>> to pump 10psi of air into it, and it then worked perfectly for a few
>> months until this latest event.
>
> I would replace the vessel. It should not require regular precharging.

Well not regularly but you do come across the customer who says I had such
and such wrong and I thought I'd check for airlocks. I let a lot of air out
of here but it still won't go <g>
>
> Christian.
>
>