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Weeping PRV


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15 minutes ago, Robbo said:

Do you have an expansion tank on the hot water side?

Afraid I don't know.. I need to check. I wondered if not then the water has to go somewhere if it just keeps getting hotter yes? 

11 minutes ago, mross said:

As a last resort, you could dismantle and descale it.

Is that as simple as it sounds? I'm no plumber but I assume turn off supply to Cal and remove valve.. Assuming it unscrews simply...

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For the sake of £3-£4, it is not worth attempting a repair. If the built was built with a calorifier by a reputable fitter, I'm sure youl'll have vessel Check your expansion vessel pressure also. If too low or too high, this will produce weeping PRV's. Pressure needs to be approx. 1/2 way between pump pressure and the maxsystem pressure, usually 3 bar. To replace, switch off water pump, open a hot tap, have some cloths/bowl handy to catch drips, unscrew and replace. Before you do this, check the configuration of your valve ( usually 1/2" BSP Female inlet and 1/2" BSP female outlet).

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1 hour ago, ianali said:

My valve is weeping, constant trickle, overboard so not a massive worry but any suggestions to help. Have twisted it a fair bit but no difference. New valve I guess? Thanks Ian . 

My one is teed into my shower outlet but upstream of the gulper pump. When it developed a leak, there was much head scratching as to why the shower tray was slowly filling, until I worked out what was happening.

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I replaced our last autumn as it was weeping and giving it a few twists did not help.  There are cheap so not really a big deal to replace and the replacement was exactly the same size so fitted with no pipe work modification.  My view would be, not worth messing with just replace it.

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2 hours ago, ianali said:

Afraid I don't know.. I need to check. I wondered if not then the water has to go somewhere if it just keeps getting hotter yes? 

And the temperature inside a calorifier can get really hot if heating via engine.   If you don't have a expansion tank then yes the water needs to go somewhere.   Calorifiers like surecal have non return valves on the inlet so really need a expansion tank.   If it doesn't have the NRV then the accumulator acts as a expansion tank if big enough.

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I only noticed this yesterday. Having kept an eye on it over a couple of hours cruising this morning it leaks for an hour or so then stops. Hot water is fine. Might it do this if it has no expansion bottle ? Was thinking water expands as it heats so opens PRV then stops leaking when water settled at its highest temperature? Ian.

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Thanks Tony. We recently sold out business and this is the first year out on the boat without a schedule to meet. I am maybe spotting things that I had no time to before. Maybe it's always weeped a little! Il keep an eye on it. Thanks all . 

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8 hours ago, ianali said:

Thanks Tony. We recently sold out business and this is the first year out on the boat without a schedule to meet. I am maybe spotting things that I had no time to before. Maybe it's always weeped a little! Il keep an eye on it. Thanks all . 

As others have said, you may have an expansion vessel that needs attention.

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My boat has a PRV but not an expansion tank.

The PRV dribbles as the water in the calorifier heats up and then stops when it is hot. This is what they are meant to do. If it didn't dribble as the water heats up, the calorifier will become pressunited and fail prematurely.

Ignore the above if you have an expansion tank fitted, and check the pressure setting on the expansion tank.

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My PRV dribbled for 8 years as the calorifier heated up. It's plumbed overboard via a skin fitting. Then the calorifier split. I now have an expansion vessel in the circuit and the new calorifier doesn't dribble.

Edited by aread2
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