Airing Cupboard Running Water.

[Bramleyboy]

In our airing cupboard we appear to have an overflow connection which was a drip but is now a
running flow. There are two 'taps' in the pipe line which are sort of sprung. When you turn them the flow becomes a torrent but when you let go they spring back closed but the water contiues to run! Any advice gratefully received. Bramley.
I don't know if you are able to download these two pics. [IMG]http://i63.tinypic.com/taplon.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i64.tinypic.com/29uxgr9.jpg[/IMG]

[Mamyalynne]

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=taplon&;s=9

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=29uxgr9&s=9

[The Builder]

Thanks to Mam for the pics.
I can't quite figure out what the layout is in the second pic, but the first one shows what's known as a "tundish".
All it is, is a visible indication of an overflow. There should be no overflow to show.
I would guess you have an unvented hot water system (mains pressure hot)?

[Bramleyboy]

Mamyalynne- How did you do that? I used to have no trouble with Tinypics. What did I do wrong? Thank you. Bramley

[The Builder]

Right, I've brightened up the second pic.
The big white thing on the right is an unvented cylinder.
The two other bits are pressure relief valves.

Bramley .............. DO NOT mess with these.
They are factory set at a pressure of 3 bar usually. They only blow off when the pressure has built up . The excess has to go somewhere.

[Bramleyboy]

Yes Builder, we do have an unvented system. There are two of these taps and both go to the one tundish. They are sort of sprung so when you turn them anticlockwise water runs but if you let go they spring back closed. Sorry but the pics are poor. One pipe comes from the hot tank and the other pipe is cold. The water escaping is definitely cold water. Sorry I can't be more use.

[Old_Geezer]

You stuck [IMG] [/IMG] in there, which messed things up.

[Mamyalynne]

You just chose the wrong link to copy Bramley, no worries - I don't get on with Tinypic so use upl now.

[The Builder]

OK, that helps. You say the water is cold. I assume the cylinder is on, and hot?

Unfortunately, two valves share the same tundish. But, as the water is cold, we can assume the overflow is from the left valve (cold mains water presumably.)
The one on the right (green) is the safety valve for the hot cylinder. If that was blowing, the overflow would be warm.
I would say that the cylinder side of things is Ok. What's overflowing is the mains water pressure reducer / safety valve.

Either way, these valves are not for us to adjust. It would seem the cold one needs replacing.
I don't want to spook you by telling you to switch the whole thing off. As long as the tundish is working, pressure is being relieved.
Please have this looked at by any decent plumber as a priority.
In the meantime, keep an eye on the tundish.

[Bramleyboy]

Thank you all sincerely. I will get this sorted first thing monday morning.
Bramley