Advice and Troubleshooting

Expansion Tanks

Expansion Tanks are an essential feature on any hot water system. They need to be installed on the hot water supply after the hot water heater. Anywhere on the hot side of the system, but preferably as near to the hot water heater as is reasonably possible. It can be fitted in any orientation.

The tanks are pre set at our factory for most systems, however the pressure is worth checking as some installations are set up with different pump pressures. In general the required pressure setting for an expansion bottle is 5psi above your pump pressure. If you do not know your pump pressure then set the expansion tank to 30 psi.

Surejust accumulator and expansion tanks are supplied complete with mounting bracket and plumbing fitting, ready to connect into your system.

Expansion/Accumulator Tank Size Chart

Calorifier Size	Recommended Expansion Tank Size
0-22 Litres	2 Litres
22-55 Litres	5 Litres
55-80 Litres	8 Litres
80-120 Litres	12 Litres
120-200 Litres	24 Litres

Expansion/Accumultor Tank Size	Physical Size of Expansion / Accumulator Tank
Expansion/Accumultor Tank Size	Width	Height	Depth
2 Litres	120mm	300mm	150mm
5 Litres	180mm	380mm	190mm
8 Litres	220mm	410mm	230mm
12 Litres	270mm	400mm	280mm
24 Litres	260mm	600mm	280mm

Connections to the tank

The engine coil is ready for 15mm I.D heater hose. Fit 2 x jubilee clips on each heater hose to secure to the barbed fittings.

The hot out, cold in and PRV are made for plastic plumbing Hep 2 or speed fit. Use a straight connector or elbow to snap on to the brass fitting. Hot out must be at 12 o’clock (ie at the highest point) and cold in at 6 o’clock (the lowest point).

Troubleshooting

What Pressure is the P.R.V (Pressure Release Valve) set at?

Normally the P.R.V will be factory set at 3 or 4 bar, this can be checked by looking at the pressure rating indicator on the face of the red knob.

Do the dimensions of the cylinders include all fittings and insulation?

Yes, insulation and all fittings suppled as standard with our calorifiers are included within the dimensions stated.

Is an accumulator tank necessary?

An accumulator tank is usually necessary, we would advise the installation of an accumulator tank as it will help look after the pressure pump and provides a small volume of water to use before your pump kicks in.

How long does water take to heat up to a usable temperature?

Lots of factors will determine the actual heat up time of the water in your calorifier, however as a rule of thumb a 1 KW immersion will take 30 minutes to heat up 10 liters of water to a usable temperature. When using the engine or diesel heaters the entire tank will generally heat up in approximatley 30 minutes.

Can an expansion bottle be fitted upside down and where should it be fitted?

An expansion bottle can be fitted in any orientation, the bottle should be installed after the mixer valve.

The immersion heater isn’t working!

Make sure the manual safety reset button hasn’t popped out. If so identify why this has happened and then reset.

How do you adjust the output water temeperature?

This can be altered by turning the thermostatic mixing valve to a comfortable temperature fully closed (clockwise is 30 °C or fully open (anticlockwise) 65 °C.

Do I need a twin or single coil calorifier?

If you only have one heat source (i.e. one or two engines) then a single coil should be used. If you have more than one heat source (i.e. an engine and a diesel heater) then you would use a twin coil.

My P.R.V keeps dripping or releasing water?

You need an expansion tank fitted or, if you already have an expansion tank, the tank pressure needs altering. When altering the pressure in an expansion or accumulator tank, first switch your pump off and open your taps (cold taps for an accumulator, hot for an expansion tank).