Hold a strong magnet (old magna clean magnet is perfect) near any copper pipe that you think maybe blocked obviously copper is non magnetic but if its blocked with old magnetite from the system rusting over the years it will stick to the copper. Found a few blockages like this!
Thats a really great tip, I should have shown it in the video, I was nearly certain as the pump was dry the blockage was likely to be in the air sep, thanks for the support mate
Only just started watching your vid's mate and they're excellent. I was a self taught self employed electrician/plumber in my day. I was lucky enough to retire at the age of 48 but still do a bit of DIY plumbing at the age of 63. I don't seem to have the confidence I had when I was working and get a bit stressed when doing the simplest of jobs. However, after seeing such a pro as yourself up to your elbows in dirty water I then it gives me a little more confidence knowing that there are no short cuts with these awkward jobs and it is what it is. Thank's Tom for the great vid's.
Not just you who gets the dodgy issues but you have to give yourself a pat on the back for finding and fixing the problems and considering the customer and having the patience and skills to do a good job for them. 👍
Thanks for the support as always mate, it was a tough one, I wish I could have gotten it fully working but it was alot better than when I started, have a great weekend mate 👍
It's a good tip, I sometimes do that but from experience if there's no water in the flow pipe normally its blocked on the air sep, thanks for watching mate
Just watched the full video Tom -- well done mate you did your best -- just like some of the jobs ive been to -- customer has had a new boiler thinking all the problems will be solved -- but the system has been piped all in 15mm !! the system water is like engine oil + the boiler installers never even tried to clean the system ( all they wanted was to get the boiler in , get their money + run !! ) -- you did everything you could -- even just a flush would have found it hard to clear the blockage in the air seperator -- i bet the customer has had a few plumbers look at that system and they had all said the same ( we're to busy sorry !} -- keep up the good work mate respect Jim ...
It's always the same story, a new boiler won't fix a bad system, hopefully a flush will fix some of the problems but ultimately it may never work properly
@@brianmayne6513 I have 4 on the plumbing side but the company does all trades, I'm seriously thinking about taking an apprentice to pass on some skills
Hi Tom -- yes know what you mean -- i've even opened the box on site and it's been the wrong part in the wrong box !! -- and thats been when the customer has had half a day off work to let me in to do the job !!- my advice is like the earlier comment -- open the box in the van outside the shop -- then anything wrong you can just take it back inside the shop ! -- good that the busy boiler breakdown season is here eh -- take care Jim ....
Your a good lad Tom it shows, on jobs where the customer lifespan is less than the lifespan of plastic I just rip out replace and try and get a better sized feed in ,, It’s financial sense the pipes out pays well enough with that much crud and she’ll be happy to be warm
You could well be right on that one mate, its sometimes the sensible option rather than fixing old stuff, obviously jobs can get expsensive so I always quote for big jobs so the customer knows exactly how much it will, not only that it gives them a choice of getting more quotes to get the best price possible, I know this means I might not get the job, but looking after the customer is always a priority
The Salamanders do seem to be far less reliable than the Stuart turner pumps, I think I will stick to fitting the later, thanks for the support as always mate
@@PlumbLikeTom nice one pal! I’ve been looking at the waterproof bags you can get for kayaking, boating etc normally to keep your stuff dry but I could use it in the opposite way, after all it’s still waterproof! 😉👏🏻
Excellent video as usual Tom, you are not the only one to have faulty boilers out of the box had a few myself just glad that the customers were understanding but it does not give you any faith in the manufactures
Thanks for the support mate, it's difficult explaining to customers that there very expensive new boiler doesn't work, it causes me a lot of stress and worry to be honest, manufactures need to way more responsibility and look after installers as well as there customers.
Get some new blades on ya cutters! :D Nice work as always Tom, always satisfying when you find the issue, but always demotivating when it's in the WORST place possible! I'm sure you'll completely solve the issue soon
Thanks for the support as always Josh, the system needs more work and a proper flush, hopefully it should work OK but pipe sizing may still be an issue, have a great weekend 👍
Had issues myself with damaged or missing components etc. Always make a habit of opening things at the merchants these days . Great video mate, wish I had the inspiration to film some of my own work. 👍👍
city plumbing were questioned fairly recently about security seals................... apparently some pcb boxes (alpha boiler as i recall, forget the model, its the one where the transformer burns out consistently every couple of years. its got an lcd on the front.) (dave the parts manager) have you or your bosses been selling me ebay crap?. how do you launder the money without accounts being involved? or are they? who is this dave evans guy ceo of city plumbing? mose imortantly who the **** is the IT guy. lol
The jobs been booked back in for more investigation and a flush, some of the other pipework looked very dodgy so this will need looking at before flushing, hopefully it will work as well as it possibly can when done, although I still believe some of the larger radiators may struggle as most of the pipes are 15mm, thanks for watching mate 👍
Lincolnshire mate, I don't really sound or talk like the folk round here though, most sound like guy martin who is from just up the road, thanks for watching as always
⭐️ @PlumbLikeTom Yes I was trying to narrow down the Sound while listening to You & it's plain like a Coventry & Warwickshire accent where most of My Family live & I was Born .I lived in Ingoldmells during the 80s for a while though 🌙
I try and open the products in the car park of the merchants before leaving, had too many broken or misdescribed products out of the box. Thanks for the vid as always.
Good video Tom, I love jobs like that! Hunt the air sep ?? Who puts them in the floor, are people still fitting boilers and not flushing 😢 you can only do your best 👍
Thanks for watching mate, it seems that people do still fit boilers and don't preform any sort of flush, I did go back to this one a few weeks later and everything was working, the customer didn't end up wanting a flush, I can only ever advise on what I think is best
Hi mate, have a look for compression fitting spanners on Amazon, the one I use is the monument 2069r, but I've been told there is a blue silverline one that is identical for half the price
Good work as ever bud. You said about putting pump on a plug to stop / start. If you hold the speed button down for a few seconds that will also stop it. Have a good weekend mate
Thanks for the support mate, I normally use wonder wipes for a start and them I find fairly liquid and hot water clears the rest, I've seen videos online of the big wipes cleaning hands to an immaculate standard with the toughest grime, they don't seem to work for me in the real world
Hi Tom, These problems must drive you insane. Dodgy new parts from the supplier and the supplier not being bothered is a continuing problem too. You do fantastic work in difficult/impossible circumstances, your knowledge is unbelievable. Great film as always, well done mate, have a good weekend and take care. 🍻👍👍👍
Thanks for the support as always Chris, it's tough out there sometimes, and it does get very frustrating when new stuff doesn't work, trying to explain to a customer that there very expensive new boiler doesn't work is a very hard thing to do, It causes me a lot of worry and stress through no actual fault of my own
Those air separators were the fashion in the 80s , they also made one without cold feed connection which didn’t seem to block, as always Tom good vid/work
They are fine if the system is clean and in the correct place. That system obviously not flushed properly when the Worcester was fitted. Well done for perseverance
Cold feed blockages. When I first went out on my own after apprenticeship the boss used to give me all this type of rubbish, actually makes you good at problem solving. Although I never thanked him at the time................ I have had exactly the same problem with those salamander pumps, mine was branded Center brand ( wolseys own) the salamander tech guy on phone told me that the replacement was registered to that address, so I made the customer wait a couple of days (they had another shower) so I would not get lumbered with the replacement pump as you did. What was the problem with the new Heatslave??? I have had 2 bad new Danfoss nozzles recently that gave similar symptoms and had me scratching my head for half hour! Boiler would strike up run for a bit then lock out. Have a good weekend.
Worcester went out to the Heat slave and changed the oil pump, nozzle and photocell for some reason, I think the boiler had been messed around with as normally they are full of that green water stuff but this one was dry, for the oil pump to have been set on 60psi something was defiantly a miss with it, I brought it from plumb centre who normally don't sit on boilers but this one looked like it had been sat. Those Salamander pumps have caused me more problems than enough, I will not be fitting anymore, thanks for watching as always mate
The Blow Test.......All proper plumbers have mastered the art of the blow test....hahahah I know EXACTLY what you mean with the "manufactures and who pays for our time" issues mate, had it with Honeywell as you may of seen, 400mile and 2 brand new 3ports later i switched to EPH and all is fine.
It's tough for installers sometimes having to bare the costs of call backs to faulty parts, I honestly believe manufactures should be required to go to site and fix their products, it might make them produce quality items instead of sending rubbish out and making the installer fixing free of charge, thanks for the support as always Mark
Great video footage Tom! I feel your frustration with some manufacturers parts out there that aren't fit for purpose. There seems to be lots of 3rd party after market crap out there, and some it finds its way into manufacturers products because it is cheaper. The car parts market is heavily suffering from this too expecially from Nappit. It's good to vent your frustrations on here. Look forward to your next video footage on the job. Your a top man mate! :)
Thanks for the support, I'm so pleased you are enjoying the videos, I think faulty parts are becoming more frequent as everybody tries to cut costs, the problem is it's the installer who always seems to have to foot the largest part of the bill which is refitting the faulty item
The best way to prevent manufacturers from forcing the fitter to pay for the manufacturers dodgy parts is to get the customer to purchase the part, ie new boiler etc.
That is a fair point, I tend to like to supply my own stuff but I completely get why some people don't, luckily it doesn't happen to often, getting the job right for the customer always has to be the most important thing when it does though
Dormer bungalows are always a shed full of sh*t when it comes to the plumbing & heating, alot of DIY builder add ons, bodge ups and shoddy workmanship. Fair play to you for getting it sorted 😎
Thanks for the support, I think there was a fair amount of DIY on show, obviously people do their best, but it does sometimes make life difficult down the line
You’re not the only one getting this crap mate I get it all the time drives me mad . Love the videos you’re a top class engineer mate keep up the good work
Nice one Tom , I've cut out so many of those seppo's in the past which where all blocked , a bad design really but there's a lot of crappy designed kit out there and you can only do your best to fix , when I've had bad circulation problems on rads I shut them all off apart from the furthest and put a bottle of x800 in , temp cap the F&E tank and connect a mains water supply to fill it up and and push out all the air , fire up the boiler and get the x800 circulating , do one rad at a time for 15 mins , it's always worked for me... Cheers.... 👍
Thanks for the support mate, the air seps seem to act like a mini filter with all the system debris getting stuck to the bottom, I like the idea of forcing it through with mains water, I think this system could defiantly benefit from a proper flush, it may not fix all the problems, but it certainly wouldn't hurt, thanks for watching as always
Oil boilers can't modulate like gas boilers can so they keep a tank filled with hot heating water which in turns passes through the plate to heat the hot water, they don't actually store hot water but they do give good flow rates, I'm planning on doing a video explaining more
@@PlumbLikeTom I've seen somthing similar one ,but a gas boiler . It as two pumps . The cylinder is full of central heating water not domestic hot water . It al
Lukily most systems are now sealed but on open vented systems as long as the feed and vent are within 150mm of each other on the negative side of the pump the system will work perfect, air seps always collect dirt, I think they act unintentionally like a filter, dirt drops to the bottom and blocks the thing up
@@PlumbLikeTom I don't mean to sound like a dick here but there's something really satisfying about having a hard day at work, then getting home chilling out and watching someone else have hard day at work 😂
What a nightmare that first Job Tom, where do you stop ? They can be endless, but shows what workmanship is out there, and it’s always a pain trying to rectify something that’s never going to be good, well done for persevering with it, and in my experience Worcester boilers aren’t good out of the box 🤪 hope you got it sorted. Take care 👍🚽
I think its only the 3rd Worcester in 14 teras thats not worked properly for me, but the second this year, standards have definitely took a slide, its difficult explaining to a customer that there very expensive new boiler doesn't work, it causes me a lot of worry, thanks for the support as always Peter 👍
It probably would solve some of the issues, the only thing is the pipes are under concrete floors downstairs and it may open up a can of worms if they do leak, thanks for the support as always mate
Fitted quite a few salamander pumps mostly bought from screwfix, there have been defective within a year . No problem from SF but the customer has to pay for the time when it should be the company who foots the bill. Seems to be you lose or the customer looses and the company chucks out shoddy goods and creams the money
I requested Salamander to go out and change the pump, they refused stating it was likely fitted incorrectly, they take no responsibility when things go wrong, I will not be fitting another one of their products. thanks for the support mate
My air separator was slowing my water down for a good few years until it totally blocked. Had it removed & a H section of pipes with the vent on one side & the feed on the other sorted it. My heating has never been hotter...
Agree with the manufacturing defects and lack of accountability from manufacturers. The amount of should have been rejects showing up is getting rediculous. I've even had bathroom pottery with manufacturing flaws with a quality control sticker covering the defect. Obviously didn't remove the sticker until after installation. After arguing the toss they send you out a new one and want you to dispose of the faulty one all at the fitters exspense.
I fitted 7 toilets on a job last week, one was so poorly cast it didn't sit back to the wall properly, I phoned my supplier asking for a new pan, the only way the manufacture would send a new one would be if I paid £60 delivery, it's an absolute disgrace that installers should be left with a financial penalty for manufactures defects
I couldn’t agree more with us having to fit the bill when manufacturers cock up! It’s getting worse and worse even when they send out replacement parts, it’s our time going back to replace them. Also a heads up to anyone who uses city plumbing I brought a iflow shower from them just over a year ago that the thermostats failed on it’s meant to have a 10 year warranty on it. I asked city to get me a new thermostat but as there records only go back a year they couldn’t find when I purchased it, so I said I was happy to pay for the thermostat. But because it’s under warranty, they can’t sell me one and allow me to pay for it , but they won’t give me a new one under warranty unless I can supply proof of purchase how mad is that? Ended up buying a complete new shower to keep a good customer happy
It is getting worse mate; I would say at least a couple of days a month is wasted sorting manufacturing problems out, having to go back to jobs through defective parts is becoming all too frequent, I genuinely don't understand why the manufactures don't have to attend site, thanks for watching mate
I think it has been a loft conversion at some point, a very strange place to put one, I actually never went back to this job, I did quote for a flush but the customer was happy, I did struggle to balance the system and get all the air out, it was one of them where you can only do your best
@@PlumbLikeTom i can imagine balancing being tricky yet tenacity is a virtue yet in some cases its a curse lol I've had similar jobs where you can only do so much before you have to just let it go. If the client is happy thats all the matters
Personally I like to tell them what to buy and just let them get it. That means it's customers responsibility. OR you buy on credit card, that why you inform the credit card company and say they sold you faulty goods. The manufacturer will act when the credit card company asks for their money back
Plumbers are way under valued in the UK, there will be a time in the near future when we will get paid for what we know and do. I was speaking to a Gardner the other day that charges the same for a days work as what i do, for cutting grass, geez. Problem is plumbers have not put there rates up since around 2008 but everyone else have. No young guys wants to come into plumbing for the money we make and the shit we have to put up with. Mark my words plumbers will be charging £50 an hour in the near future and quite rightly so.
I think you hit the nail on the head there, I have recently upped my rate a bit, it is an expensive industry to be in with all the training and equipment needed, thanks for the support as always mate
They should have flushed the system prior to new boiler installation. No warrantee to be had with the manufacturer as a result. Cutting corners doesn't pay.
@@PlumbLikeTom No worries mate. Keep up the good work. Love yours and Mark Tiff’s videos. Don’t know if you know him. You should do a video or work together.
No, it's not you that only gets the crap jobs. My son-in-law is also a heating and plumber engineer, it always seemed that he got the back boiler jobs which he used to hate doing.
I hate the back boilers as well, when I worked for my old company all I used to get was all the jobs nobody else wanted, it was certainly a character building job, thanks for watching 👍
That was a thought I did have, I was just worried about some of the old pipework under the concrete floors, it might open a whole new can of worms, thanks for the support mate
@@PlumbLikeTom yeah there is that potential problem But i guess a pressure test on the pipes would give you a better idea. Love the vids, proper plumbing even though the wife says im plumbing all day then watching it all.night on TH-cam You can only do your best 😉
I’d robo kit it if it’s an option….state of the water it’s obv never been flushed ….brand new Worcester boiler you say never been registered…… whoever originally installed that boiler has shafted the customer….absolute cowboy…what’s the point in buying a decent boiler with a decent guarantee when it’s null nd void a second after it’s been fitted!!!
The system needs further investigation, ideally it needs new rad valves as most of them are leaking or stuck, a good flush should fix some of the issues but pipe sizing will also be a factor, all three large doubles in the lounge and dining room were piped of one 15mm drop, some jobs you can only do your best, thanks for the support mate 👍
Shouldn’t the installer of that new looking boiler in the dorma bungalow flushed the system and checked everything was working properly? Doubt they could have benchmarked it either after commissioning.
It should be the installer going back but a lot of plumbers seem to disappear when problems arise, never to be seen again, I checked the registration with Worcester and the boiler wasn't registered so it's unlikely the benchmark was left or filled out, thanks for watching mate
You don't understand? Well, by law, the installer is liable when they become the retailer. If you don't want that liability, then get the customer to go and pay for and collect the parts.
Hold a strong magnet (old magna clean magnet is perfect) near any copper pipe that you think maybe blocked obviously copper is non magnetic but if its blocked with old magnetite from the system rusting over the years it will stick to the copper. Found a few blockages like this!
Thats a really great tip, I should have shown it in the video, I was nearly certain as the pump was dry the blockage was likely to be in the air sep, thanks for the support mate
Only just started watching your vid's mate and they're excellent. I was a self taught self employed electrician/plumber in my day. I was lucky enough to retire at the age of 48 but still do a bit of DIY plumbing at the age of 63. I don't seem to have the confidence I had when I was working and get a bit stressed when doing the simplest of jobs. However, after seeing such a pro as yourself up to your elbows in dirty water I then it gives me a little more confidence knowing that there are no short cuts with these awkward jobs and it is what it is. Thank's Tom for the great vid's.
Thanks for the support mate, I'm pleased you are finding the videos helpful, thanks for watching
I agree with you Tom regarding the manufacturers turning there backs on installers.when something goes wrong.
Fair play Tom, your perseverance is top drawer
Thanks for the support Anthony, glad you enjoyed the video
Not just you who gets the dodgy issues but you have to give yourself a pat on the back for finding and fixing the problems and considering the customer and having the patience and skills to do a good job for them. 👍
Thanks for the support as always mate, it was a tough one, I wish I could have gotten it fully working but it was alot better than when I started, have a great weekend mate 👍
Wet vac can be a real life saver sometimes
good vid as always, I tend to put a magnet on them air separators to see if they are blocked. a tip a old plumber gave me well I was a apprentice
It's a good tip, I sometimes do that but from experience if there's no water in the flow pipe normally its blocked on the air sep, thanks for watching mate
Just watched the full video Tom -- well done mate you did your best -- just like some of the jobs ive been to -- customer has had a new boiler thinking all the problems will be solved -- but the system has been piped all in 15mm !! the system water is like engine oil + the boiler installers never even tried to clean the system ( all they wanted was to get the boiler in , get their money + run !! ) -- you did everything you could -- even just a flush would have found it hard to clear the blockage in the air seperator -- i bet the customer has had a few plumbers look at that system and they had all said the same ( we're to busy sorry !} -- keep up the good work mate respect Jim ...
It's always the same story, a new boiler won't fix a bad system, hopefully a flush will fix some of the problems but ultimately it may never work properly
Hi Tom. Hope you were well paid for that job. You never give up.
Well done
Not much beats me mate, thanks for the support as always Brian
You seem to cover everything Tom. How many guys working for you
Any apprentice would learn a lot from you. Not many guys have your experience
@@brianmayne6513 I have 4 on the plumbing side but the company does all trades, I'm seriously thinking about taking an apprentice to pass on some skills
Hi Tom -- yes know what you mean -- i've even opened the box on site and it's been the wrong part in the wrong box !! -- and thats been when the customer has had half a day off work to let me in to do the job !!- my advice is like the earlier comment -- open the box in the van outside the shop -- then anything wrong you can just take it back inside the shop ! -- good that the busy boiler breakdown season is here eh -- take care Jim ....
Definitely not rough, you’re one of a few master plumber’s out there Tom
Thanks for the support as always Charles
Your a good lad Tom it shows, on jobs where the customer lifespan is less than the lifespan of plastic I just rip out replace and try and get a better sized feed in ,,
It’s financial sense the pipes out pays well enough with that much crud and she’ll be happy to be warm
You could well be right on that one mate, its sometimes the sensible option rather than fixing old stuff, obviously jobs can get expsensive so I always quote for big jobs so the customer knows exactly how much it will, not only that it gives them a choice of getting more quotes to get the best price possible, I know this means I might not get the job, but looking after the customer is always a priority
Sitting in the pub enjoying a pint and watching the new video. That cable needs clipped at the gas pipe 😂😂
Thanks for watching as always Colin, enjoy that pint mate
Fair play mate, great to see real world plumbing and the stress of getting everything back up and running 👍🏼
Thanks for the support mate 👍
Nice to see you back in Norway Wayneo let hope the big fish come out to play 😉👍
Loving the vids mate, keep up the good work!
Thanks for the support as always mate
Proper stuff
Thanks for watching mate 👍
Great video Tom 👍 I stopped fitting salamander pumps, especially the CT range - nothing but trouble. Stuart Turner only now.
The Salamanders do seem to be far less reliable than the Stuart turner pumps, I think I will stick to fitting the later, thanks for the support as always mate
Hi Tom, thank you for your videos!
What is the big water collection bag you use?
You use it as a tool bag too I think!
Hi mate, it's a 20l folding bucket, have a look on amazon, I do use it as a tool bucket, thanks for watching mate
@@PlumbLikeTom nice one pal!
I’ve been looking at the waterproof bags you can get for kayaking, boating etc normally to keep your stuff dry but I could use it in the opposite way, after all it’s still waterproof! 😉👏🏻
This man cannot be tamed, havnt even watched it yet, just know your gonna pull it out the bag kidda
Thanks for the support mate, I do like to get stuck into jobs
Good job, only thing after doing all the messy job wash your hands before touching boiler fused spur and rads 😂
Thanks for the support mate, I really do need to start doing that, it saves having to give everything a wipe down
well done for giving it your best shot for the lady tom
Thanks for the support mate
Excellent video as usual Tom, you are not the only one to have faulty boilers out of the box had a few myself just glad that the customers were understanding but it does not give you any faith in the manufactures
Thanks for the support mate, it's difficult explaining to customers that there very expensive new boiler doesn't work, it causes me a lot of stress and worry to be honest, manufactures need to way more responsibility and look after installers as well as there customers.
Get some new blades on ya cutters! :D
Nice work as always Tom, always satisfying when you find the issue, but always demotivating when it's in the WORST place possible! I'm sure you'll completely solve the issue soon
Thanks for the support as always Josh, the system needs more work and a proper flush, hopefully it should work OK but pipe sizing may still be an issue, have a great weekend 👍
just started watching Tom and enjoy watching but you don’t half stress me out😂
Thanks for the support mate, I stress myself out too, it's tough out there sometimes
Just found your channel mate (MJ Tiff) and love the content...
Your passion and knowledge shine through...
Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the support Carl, have a fantastic Christmas mate
I'd like to know what the 'blue bag' is that you are using please. Looks useful.
Hi mate, have a look for folding buckets on amazon, mines a 20litre one, they are brilliant, thanks for watching 👍
Had issues myself with damaged or missing components etc.
Always make a habit of opening things at the merchants these days .
Great video mate, wish I had the inspiration to film some of my own work. 👍👍
It's a good shout to be fair mate, I will know for next time, thanks for the support and thanks for watching
city plumbing were questioned fairly recently about security seals................... apparently some pcb boxes (alpha boiler as i recall, forget the model, its the one where the transformer burns out consistently every couple of years. its got an lcd on the front.) (dave the parts manager) have you or your bosses been selling me ebay crap?. how do you launder the money without accounts being involved? or are they?
who is this dave evans guy ceo of city plumbing? mose imortantly who the **** is the IT guy. lol
Great vid , Tom 👍👍
Thanks as always mate, have a great weekend 👍
Heroic work there. How about running some cleaner in the central heating for a week. I bet that would make a very big improvement, at little cost.
The jobs been booked back in for more investigation and a flush, some of the other pipework looked very dodgy so this will need looking at before flushing, hopefully it will work as well as it possibly can when done, although I still believe some of the larger radiators may struggle as most of the pipes are 15mm, thanks for watching mate 👍
⭐️ Slightly off subject but You have a Warwickshire accent 🌙
Lincolnshire mate, I don't really sound or talk like the folk round here though, most sound like guy martin who is from just up the road, thanks for watching as always
⭐️ @PlumbLikeTom Yes I was trying to narrow down the Sound while listening to You & it's plain like a Coventry & Warwickshire accent where most of My Family live & I was Born .I lived in Ingoldmells during the 80s for a while though 🌙
I try and open the products in the car park of the merchants before leaving, had too many broken or misdescribed products out of the box. Thanks for the vid as always.
It's a good shout to be fair mate, I was just rushing around on this one so it's partly my fault, I will know for next time, thanks for watching
Another victory for perseverance, great effort mate 👍👊
Thanks for the support Chris
Good video Tom, I love jobs like that! Hunt the air sep ?? Who puts them in the floor, are people still fitting boilers and not flushing 😢 you can only do your best 👍
Thanks for watching mate, it seems that people do still fit boilers and don't preform any sort of flush, I did go back to this one a few weeks later and everything was working, the customer didn't end up wanting a flush, I can only ever advise on what I think is best
Merry Christmas Tom. Will you get some time off? Cheers.
Have a wonderful Christmas Craig, I will get some call outs but no work is booked until the 3rd
Great video Tom 👍
Thanks for watching mate 👍
Hi dude, what size spanner do u use for the 22mm nuts
Hi mate, have a look for compression fitting spanners on Amazon, the one I use is the monument 2069r, but I've been told there is a blue silverline one that is identical for half the price
@@PlumbLikeTom cheers mate appreciate it
Good Job Tom .. You know who has the easy Job? The man not doing it
Thanks for the support mate 👍
Great video
Thanks for the support as always mate 👍
Good content as per Tom, you look like you enjoy the awkward ones! Good to watch you work through that one mate👍🏻
Thanks for the support as always mate
Good work as ever bud. You said about putting pump on a plug to stop / start. If you hold the speed button down for a few seconds that will also stop it. Have a good weekend mate
Thats a great shout mate, thanks for watching, have a great weekend
You too mate. Take care. Where u based btw ?
@@dmheatingplumbing9805 I'm based in Lincolnshire
The bloke who trained me was from Spalding.
i thought it was only me who got shite jobs carry on the good work on training channel
Thanks for the support as always Bill
Another great problem solving vid. Out of interest what do you use to clean your hands at the end of the day to clear all the ground in black??
Thanks for the support mate, I normally use wonder wipes for a start and them I find fairly liquid and hot water clears the rest, I've seen videos online of the big wipes cleaning hands to an immaculate standard with the toughest grime, they don't seem to work for me in the real world
@@PlumbLikeTom 👍, always dubious of anything seen on videos etc, sometimes good old soap, water and elbow grease is the only way
Great vid m8t if installers flushed these systems before fitting new boiler you wouldn’t have this problem .👍
Your right mate, some systems need properly sorting out, it gives the boiler half a chance of working
Hi Tom,
These problems must drive you insane. Dodgy new parts from the supplier and the supplier not being bothered is a continuing problem too. You do fantastic work in difficult/impossible circumstances, your knowledge is unbelievable. Great film as always, well done mate, have a good weekend and take care. 🍻👍👍👍
Thanks for the support as always Chris, it's tough out there sometimes, and it does get very frustrating when new stuff doesn't work, trying to explain to a customer that there very expensive new boiler doesn't work is a very hard thing to do, It causes me a lot of worry and stress through no actual fault of my own
@@PlumbLikeTom yep it is a nightmare on occasion, your reply is always appreciated, take care. 👍👍👍
Really enjoyed the video! Love your attention to detail man!
Thanks for the support mate, glad you enjoyed the video
Those air separators were the fashion in the 80s , they also made one without cold feed connection which didn’t seem to block, as always Tom good vid/work
Thanks for the support as always Danny, I've never really been a fan of them, they always seem to either block up or leak
They are fine if the system is clean and in the correct place. That system obviously not flushed properly when the Worcester was fitted. Well done for perseverance
Great work Tom , always enjoys watch your vids mate 👍
Thanks for the support as always mate
Tom, what's the name of the stuff you always apply to a compression joint?
It's jet blue plus mate, it's suitable for all liquids and gasses, I use the regin one
@@PlumbLikeTom Brilliant mate. Have a good Christmas. Thanks.
Cold feed blockages. When I first went out on my own after apprenticeship the boss used to give me all this type of rubbish, actually makes you good at problem solving. Although I never thanked him at the time................
I have had exactly the same problem with those salamander pumps, mine was branded Center brand ( wolseys own) the salamander tech guy on phone told me that the replacement was registered to that address, so I made the customer wait a couple of days (they had another shower) so I would not get lumbered with the replacement pump as you did.
What was the problem with the new Heatslave??? I have had 2 bad new Danfoss nozzles recently that gave similar symptoms and had me scratching my head for half hour! Boiler would strike up run for a bit then lock out.
Have a good weekend.
Worcester went out to the Heat slave and changed the oil pump, nozzle and photocell for some reason, I think the boiler had been messed around with as normally they are full of that green water stuff but this one was dry, for the oil pump to have been set on 60psi something was defiantly a miss with it, I brought it from plumb centre who normally don't sit on boilers but this one looked like it had been sat. Those Salamander pumps have caused me more problems than enough, I will not be fitting anymore, thanks for watching as always mate
The Blow Test.......All proper plumbers have mastered the art of the blow test....hahahah
I know EXACTLY what you mean with the "manufactures and who pays for our time" issues mate, had it with Honeywell as you may of seen, 400mile and 2 brand new 3ports later i switched to EPH and all is fine.
It's tough for installers sometimes having to bare the costs of call backs to faulty parts, I honestly believe manufactures should be required to go to site and fix their products, it might make them produce quality items instead of sending rubbish out and making the installer fixing free of charge, thanks for the support as always Mark
Good work yet again mate, would definitely be purchasing a wet vac though pal 👌👌👌
Thanks for watching mate, I've been looking at the battery ones, I do have a 240v one in the van but only use it when I'm really in trouble
Great video footage Tom! I feel your frustration with some manufacturers parts out there that aren't fit for purpose. There seems to be lots of 3rd party after market crap out there, and some it finds its way into manufacturers products because it is cheaper. The car parts market is heavily suffering from this too expecially from Nappit. It's good to vent your frustrations on here. Look forward to your next video footage on the job. Your a top man mate! :)
Thanks for the support, I'm so pleased you are enjoying the videos, I think faulty parts are becoming more frequent as everybody tries to cut costs, the problem is it's the installer who always seems to have to foot the largest part of the bill which is refitting the faulty item
Ah mate I wish I can call you to personally congratulate you on these videos and the channel In general
Thanks for the support mate, I'm so pleased you are enjoying the videos
The best way to prevent manufacturers from forcing the fitter to pay for the manufacturers dodgy parts is to get the customer to purchase the part, ie new boiler etc.
That is a fair point, I tend to like to supply my own stuff but I completely get why some people don't, luckily it doesn't happen to often, getting the job right for the customer always has to be the most important thing when it does though
Dormer bungalows are always a shed full of sh*t when it comes to the plumbing & heating, alot of DIY builder add ons, bodge ups and shoddy workmanship. Fair play to you for getting it sorted 😎
Thanks for the support, I think there was a fair amount of DIY on show, obviously people do their best, but it does sometimes make life difficult down the line
You’re not the only one getting this crap mate I get it all the time drives me mad . Love the videos you’re a top class engineer mate keep up the good work
Thanks for the support mate, I'm pleased it's not just me that gets it, have a great weekend 👍
Nice one Tom , I've cut out so many of those seppo's in the past which where all blocked , a bad design really but there's a lot of crappy designed kit out there and you can only do your best to fix , when I've had bad circulation problems on rads I shut them all off apart from the furthest and put a bottle of x800 in , temp cap the F&E tank and connect a mains water supply to fill it up and and push out all the air , fire up the boiler and get the x800 circulating , do one rad at a time for 15 mins , it's always worked for me...
Cheers.... 👍
Thanks for the support mate, the air seps seem to act like a mini filter with all the system debris getting stuck to the bottom, I like the idea of forcing it through with mains water, I think this system could defiantly benefit from a proper flush, it may not fix all the problems, but it certainly wouldn't hurt, thanks for watching as always
I've not done oil .
Is it a storage combi ?
Oil boilers can't modulate like gas boilers can so they keep a tank filled with hot heating water which in turns passes through the plate to heat the hot water, they don't actually store hot water but they do give good flow rates, I'm planning on doing a video explaining more
@@PlumbLikeTom I've seen somthing similar one ,but a gas boiler .
It as two pumps .
The cylinder is full of central heating water not domestic hot water . It al
What’s your preference to an air separator?
Lukily most systems are now sealed but on open vented systems as long as the feed and vent are within 150mm of each other on the negative side of the pump the system will work perfect, air seps always collect dirt, I think they act unintentionally like a filter, dirt drops to the bottom and blocks the thing up
Loving the videos mate, top quality stuff. Learn something new every time.
Thanks for watching mate, I'm pleased you are enjoying the videos
@@PlumbLikeTom I don't mean to sound like a dick here but there's something really satisfying about having a hard day at work, then getting home chilling out and watching someone else have hard day at work 😂
Which areas in UK do you cover sir?
What a nightmare that first Job Tom, where do you stop ? They can be endless, but shows what workmanship is out there, and it’s always a pain trying to rectify something that’s never going to be good, well done for persevering with it, and in my experience Worcester boilers aren’t good out of the box 🤪 hope you got it sorted. Take care 👍🚽
I think its only the 3rd Worcester in 14 teras thats not worked properly for me, but the second this year, standards have definitely took a slide, its difficult explaining to a customer that there very expensive new boiler doesn't work, it causes me a lot of worry, thanks for the support as always Peter 👍
Is it worth closing the system to a pressurised system?
It probably would solve some of the issues, the only thing is the pipes are under concrete floors downstairs and it may open up a can of worms if they do leak, thanks for the support as always mate
Fitted quite a few salamander pumps mostly bought from screwfix, there have been defective within a year . No problem from SF but the customer has to pay for the time when it should be the company who foots the bill.
Seems to be you lose or the customer looses and the company chucks out shoddy goods and creams the money
I requested Salamander to go out and change the pump, they refused stating it was likely fitted incorrectly, they take no responsibility when things go wrong, I will not be fitting another one of their products. thanks for the support mate
@@PlumbLikeTom your spot on ! Always incorrect installation, do you recommend any other brand?
@@jeromeroddy4931 Stuart and turner have always been the best shower pumps, they are more expensive, but it clearly shows why
Nice one Tom, rather you than me! Hopefully your next 10 jobs will be a breeze! Great video mate!
If only I was so lucky, I've been literally up to my eyes in mud today, thanks for the support mate
My air separator was slowing my water down for a good few years until it totally blocked. Had it removed & a H section of pipes with the vent on one side & the feed on the other sorted it. My heating has never been hotter...
Air seps were a good idea in theory but tend to cause more problems than enough, like you say a H section works just as well, thanks for watching
Do you like servicing those Worcester kebab heat exchanger ?😢
There not too bad, I employ a service engineer who does most of my work, he's ex Worcester so he loves them, I keep him busy all year
What part of England do you live Tom?
Hi mate, I live in Lincolnshire
Agree with the manufacturing defects and lack of accountability from manufacturers. The amount of should have been rejects showing up is getting rediculous. I've even had bathroom pottery with manufacturing flaws with a quality control sticker covering the defect. Obviously didn't remove the sticker until after installation. After arguing the toss they send you out a new one and want you to dispose of the faulty one all at the fitters exspense.
I fitted 7 toilets on a job last week, one was so poorly cast it didn't sit back to the wall properly, I phoned my supplier asking for a new pan, the only way the manufacture would send a new one would be if I paid £60 delivery, it's an absolute disgrace that installers should be left with a financial penalty for manufactures defects
Have you ever watched your vids with the subtitles lad? 🤣 My fav so far is you said "Hot & Cold" and it said "Hong Kong" 🙈
I never really watch my videos back, It's weird because when I edit them it's fine, as soon as I put them up I can't stand the sound of my voice
You should invest in a wet vac. 👍🏼😊
I feel your pain though bud. The struggle is real. 🤘🏼😂
If the wet vac comes out the van it normally means I'm in real trouble, thanks for the support mate 👍
Take care mate. You work pretty long hours.
Thanks for the support as always Craig, have a great weekend mate
From what I hear it’s better to get the customer to buy it so the warranty is on them.
They pay you for the job not the product.
I couldn’t agree more with us having to fit the bill when manufacturers cock up! It’s getting worse and worse even when they send out replacement parts, it’s our time going back to replace them. Also a heads up to anyone who uses city plumbing
I brought a iflow shower from them just over a year ago that the thermostats failed on it’s meant to have a 10 year warranty on it. I asked city to get me a new thermostat but as there records only go back a year they couldn’t find when I purchased it, so I said I was happy to pay for the thermostat. But because it’s under warranty, they can’t sell me one and allow me to pay for it , but they won’t give me a new one under warranty unless I can supply proof of purchase how mad is that? Ended up buying a complete new shower to keep a good customer happy
It is getting worse mate; I would say at least a couple of days a month is wasted sorting manufacturing problems out, having to go back to jobs through defective parts is becoming all too frequent, I genuinely don't understand why the manufactures don't have to attend site, thanks for watching mate
Hi Tom do you work for yourself or a company ? Just wondering
Hi mate, I work for my family's construction company
Why is the air separator under the floor or did they put it in the ceiling 😂😂 either way kudos to you Tom man
I think it has been a loft conversion at some point, a very strange place to put one, I actually never went back to this job, I did quote for a flush but the customer was happy, I did struggle to balance the system and get all the air out, it was one of them where you can only do your best
@@PlumbLikeTom i can imagine balancing being tricky yet tenacity is a virtue yet in some cases its a curse lol I've had similar jobs where you can only do so much before you have to just let it go. If the client is happy thats all the matters
👍️👍️👍️👍️👍️👍️
Thanks for the support mate
I hope you charged a lot of money for that job, your skills are impressive!
Thanks for the support mate 👍
WHERE DO YOU GET THE BAGS FROM M8 TO CATCH THE 3WATER
Hi mate, I got mine from Amazon, have a look for 20 litre folding buckets, they come in really handy
@@PlumbLikeTom thanks mate will come in handy cheers
Good effort, working through it until you find the problem.. valuable info for the inexperienced lads 👌
Thanks for the support as always Jock
🤘😎🤘
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Thanks for the support as always mate 👍
Personally I like to tell them what to buy and just let them get it. That means it's customers responsibility. OR you buy on credit card, that why you inform the credit card company and say they sold you faulty goods. The manufacturer will act when the credit card company asks for their money back
Could you please do a weekly TOMS RANT 😂😂😂👍👍👍
Thanks for the support as always Paul, some weeks it could fill a hole episode the amount of stuff that goes wrong
Plumbers are way under valued in the UK, there will be a time in the near future when we will get paid for what we know and do.
I was speaking to a Gardner the other day that charges the same for a days work as what i do, for cutting grass, geez.
Problem is plumbers have not put there rates up since around 2008 but everyone else have.
No young guys wants to come into plumbing for the money we make and the shit we have to put up with.
Mark my words plumbers will be charging £50 an hour in the near future and quite rightly so.
I think you hit the nail on the head there, I have recently upped my rate a bit, it is an expensive industry to be in with all the training and equipment needed, thanks for the support as always mate
They should have flushed the system prior to new boiler installation. No warrantee to be had with the manufacturer as a result. Cutting corners doesn't pay.
Your right John, a flush probably would have stopped a lot of the issues the system is experiencing, thanks for watching mate
You should wear gloves Tom! Keep your hands clean and protect them from the chemicals,dirt and general crap.
I need to get into the habit of wearing them mate, it's a tough one to break, thanks for watching
@@PlumbLikeTom No worries mate. Keep up the good work. Love yours and Mark Tiff’s videos. Don’t know if you know him. You should do a video or work together.
No, it's not you that only gets the crap jobs. My son-in-law is also a heating and plumber engineer, it always seemed that he got the back boiler jobs which he used to hate doing.
I hate the back boilers as well, when I worked for my old company all I used to get was all the jobs nobody else wanted, it was certainly a character building job, thanks for watching 👍
I fit grant no problems at all
I do like them to be fair, thanks for the support as always
Make it into a sealed system after its had a proper flush 😳
That was a thought I did have, I was just worried about some of the old pipework under the concrete floors, it might open a whole new can of worms, thanks for the support mate
@@PlumbLikeTom yeah there is that potential problem
But i guess a pressure test on the pipes would give you a better idea.
Love the vids, proper plumbing even though the wife says im plumbing all day then watching it all.night on TH-cam
You can only do your best
😉
I’d robo kit it if it’s an option….state of the water it’s obv never been flushed ….brand new Worcester boiler you say never been registered…… whoever originally installed that boiler has shafted the customer….absolute cowboy…what’s the point in buying a decent boiler with a decent guarantee when it’s null nd void a second after it’s been fitted!!!
The system needs further investigation, ideally it needs new rad valves as most of them are leaking or stuck, a good flush should fix some of the issues but pipe sizing will also be a factor, all three large doubles in the lounge and dining room were piped of one 15mm drop, some jobs you can only do your best, thanks for the support mate 👍
Shouldn’t the installer of that new looking boiler in the dorma bungalow flushed the system and checked everything was working properly? Doubt they could have benchmarked it either after commissioning.
It should be the installer going back but a lot of plumbers seem to disappear when problems arise, never to be seen again, I checked the registration with Worcester and the boiler wasn't registered so it's unlikely the benchmark was left or filled out, thanks for watching mate
You don't understand?
Well, by law, the installer is liable when they become the retailer. If you don't want that liability, then get the customer to go and pay for and collect the parts.
just a thought pressurise make sealed system fuck header tank
Please buy a wet and dry hoover .
Nosh copper like Tom
Whoever installed that new boiler and walked away leaving like that wants shooting!
You are not wrong mate, it does make you wonder sometimes if people are even qualified when you see work like this
You’re not getting much of a tune out that trumpet mate 🎺
I think my trumpet was a bit blocked up on this one, thanks for watching mate