Unpleasant Smell in Hot Water (Megaflo System)

That's what concerns me - wasting hundreds. I'll try the training college route - good idea, thanks.

The whole system is only six years old (as is the house) and all the equipment is original. When I moved in recently, a plumber (there for a different job) found the boiler running at max heat with water almost boiling as it came from the taps. Now reduced to 60 but there's no improvement. Could the excessive heat have adversely affected the diaphragm which is now tainting the water? Sadia technicial thought not but wasn't wholly convincing.

I'm hoping that the original enquirer (Nov 2014) picks up this thread and lets me know if/how his/her problem was resolved.

 

I have just moved into a new house and have exactly the same problem with the addition that when heated the water comes out white and then settles. One plumber suggested that it coukd be to do with the hard water in this area. I really hate the smell so I hope someone can solve this. ( hot water from kettle is fine)

 

Id also like to note that Ive experienced this once or twice at B and B's so its not just us!

 

Rereading David's original posting, there must be a clue in the fact that bleach stopped the smell if only for a couple of days ....its not a mouldy smell .....

 

Hi Treespirit

I'm sorry to hear you have the same problem and I sympathise. (The mention of bleach was in the original post by someone else - oj17uk) Is yours also a Baxi Megaflo Pressurised Cylinder?

i've had Baxi Sadia technicians in three times, British Gas twice and Gelders Maintenance once. None of them had any clues and had never come across it before. All keen to quote for a new cylinder at well over £2k though! I'm not prepared to pay out unless I know what the problem is.

However, there are now at least three of us with exactly the same issue and your description of cloudy hot water that settles matches my experience here in Grantham. I just want to find someone who knows how the cylinder is constructed internally because I'm sure it must be the diaphragm inside the top of the cylinder if (as I've been told) it's made of rubber or some such compound.
Quote: This expansion is taken up by an expansion vessel, or in the case of a MegaFlo an expansion bubble inside the cylinder. The expansion vessel contains a flexible membrane and is charged to a similar pressure as the static pressure of the tank. (from https://www.easyflow.co.uk/unvented-water-heater.html)

I'm going to try to get hold of someone in Baxi who can tell me how their cylinders are made - someone must have designed the damned thing but the local office have washed thier hands of me, even their technical office had no idea.

Is it worth calling the B&Bs you mention if you can recall which ones had the smell?

Good luck with your research and share any outcome with me please!!

David

 

BTW - have checked with neighbours who have the same system (all built in 2009) and none report a problem

 

Hi David,
No the B and Bs have been over the years so i have no idea where they were. How odd that your neighbours dont have the problem. Im wondering if a water softener would help?

Oh dear oh dear. I would be concerned about changing the cylinder and having the same problem. There must be plumbers out there that have removed old tanks, or are removing them that could cannibalise one?

But if it is to do with a rubber diaphragm why would it be cleared with bleach?

I dont know the model of my megaflow ..only JUST discovered its a megaflow! Ok, so we need to get the water analysed then we know what chemicals are in it.

Sigh.

Many thanks for responding so promptly. I will contact megaflow too.

Linda.

 

What really puzzles me is that when the water cools it is clear and doesnt smell .... Im going to ask my chemistry friend about that ...

 

What temp is the thermostat set at? If you have bubbles the water must be starting to force out the air, that only happens at high temperatures, it may be the air that is causing the smell rather than the water itself.
If you switch off the boiler and draw water from the tank when it is cold, do you get the smell?

 

Oh! I dont know .... Its all plumbing to me! Just one big tank, but good point. I have no idea how it all works. the central heating is set on 4 and needed to bebecause 3 didnt heat the radiators enough .....

The water in the pipes leading to the hot taps is clear and non smelly until it runs hot, so i think the answer to your question woukd be no.

 

Craig the more I think about this the more sense it makes. Ofcourse a cylinder will smell inside and yes the smell would get in air bubbles. I havent had time to work out where and what the thermostat is set to but thank you for such a sensible thought!

 

The cloudy apperance of you hot water is actually millions and billions of tiny air bubbles caused by the water being aggitated when it is heated exposing the oxygen in the water, draw some off into a bowl and watch it. It will clear within minutes. As for the smell, sorry guys not come across that one before.

 

Thanks but the smell IS the problem

 

Surely everything should be flushed and cleaned with chlorine rather than household bleach...

Standard practice for legion Ella risk assessors ....

 

I think it was ... See appropriate thread message ... I was just using bleach as shorthand :}

 

Ok..

Only other thing I can think of is the original plumber is a an ex pub landlord as I seldom get a pint that doesn't smell and taste xx now a days !!!!

 

Treespirit - did you ever get anywhere with this problem? I've been living with it since last year but although some house guests say they are not aware of the odour, others agree with me that it is very apparent and somewhat unpleasant. I think it has to be connected to the fact that our hot water is stored under pressure because water heated in the kettle or a saucepan has no smell. I remain perplexed!

 

We have the same problem with two megaflows in separate properties in London. Thames water don't want to know. A water test for close to £300
told us a high bacteria count but nothing more. We have flushed and used water purifier but it still comes back. The manufacturers Sadia claim they have never heard of this problem. We are at a loss too unless someone has had this problem and cured it?

 

Sadia are well aware. I've been in direct touch with the company and had their technicians here on two or three visits, all to no avail. All they do is blame the water supply and recommend testing. I'm living with the odour but very dissatisfied. I'm not prepared to invest further money in tests, etc when it seems pretty clear the problem stems from their cylinder and I certainly will not spend up to £2k replacing the cylinder.