Why Your Range Tribune Cylinder Has No Hot Water: Common Faults and What to Do Next

A Range Tribune unvented cylinder is generally reliable, but when something goes wrong, you’ll often notice the issue immediately: no hot water, lukewarm water, slow heat-up times, or a complete failure of the system.

Because these cylinders operate under mains pressure and include several safety components, figuring out the problem requires an understanding of how the system works and knowing which symptoms point to which faults.

Below, you’ll find the most common reasons a Range Tribune cylinder stops producing hot water.

1. A Faulty Immersion Heater (Very Common)

Most Range Tribune models include at least one immersion heater, and many have two (top and bottom elements). Signs your immersion may be the problem:

• No hot water at all
• Water only heats halfway (top element working, bottom failed)
• Lower-than-normal temperature despite long heat-up times
• Tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse

You can check:

• Whether the switch or fused spur is on
• Whether the MCB has tripped

2. Thermostat Failure (A Silent but Common Fault)

Every immersion heater relies on a thermostat to regulate water temperature. If the thermostat fails, it can either stop heating the cylinder completely or trigger the safety cut-out.

Typical symptoms:

• Completely cold cylinder
• Water starts warm, but never reaches the correct temperature
• The safety thermostat keeps tripping

3. Motorised Valve Issues on Indirect Systems

If your Range Tribune cylinder is heated by a boiler, a motorised valve controls hot water flow from the boiler coil. When this valve sticks or fails, the boiler can run, but the cylinder won’t heat.

You might notice:

• The boiler is running normally
• Radiators are heating fine, but no hot water
• The cylinder stays cold even after long heating periods

4. Airlocks or Poor Hot Water Flow

Unvented cylinders shouldn’t develop airlocks, but trapped air can still occur if:

• Recent plumbing work has been carried out
• The cylinder has been drained
• The supply line was shut off

5. Combination Valve Failure (Pressure-Related Fault)

The combination valve is one of the most misunderstood parts of an unvented system. It controls:

• Mains pressure
• Backflow prevention
• Safety relief functions

If it fails, the cylinder may:

• Not heat properly
• Produce little or no hot water
• Discharge frequently through the tundish
• Experience high or inconsistent pressure

6. Expansion Vessel Problems (Leading to Safety Cut-Out)

A failed or depressurised expansion vessel stops the system from accommodating hot water expansion. Signs include:

• Tundish dripping when the cylinder heats
• High system pressure
• No hot water after safety shut-off

7. Temperature and Pressure Relief Valve (T&P Valve) Faults

The T&P valve is an important safety device. If it sticks open or gets clogged with lime scale, the cylinder may not heat or repeatedly shut down.

Warning signs:

• Regular discharge through the tundish
• Lukewarm water
• System not heating at all

What You Can Check Yourself Before Calling an Engineer

It’s safe to check:

• Power to the immersions
• Whether timers or programmers are set correctly
• Whether the boiler is firing (for indirect systems)
• Whether a reset button on the immersion’s safety cut-out restores operation

Anything beyond these steps should be handled by a G3-qualified professional due to the high pressures involved.

Get the Professional Help You Need

A Range Tribune cylinder with no hot water can be caused by anything from a simple thermostat trip to a failed valve or expansion component. It’s always safest to book a G3 engineer to inspect and repair the system before more serious issues develop.

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No hot water from your Range Tribune cylinder? You’re not alone. It’s one of the most common problems UK homeowners experience, and there are several potential causes ranging from simple user-resettable issues to more serious faults that require a G3-qualified engineer.

In some cases, the problem is as simple as a tripped immersion heater, a faulty thermostat, or an incorrectly set programmer. These issues are relatively common and can often be identified quickly. But more complex faults can cause the entire system to shut down.

This post breaks down each of the major causes of hot water loss, helping you understand what’s happening, what you can safely check yourself, and when you need to call in a professional.

Check out our full post to learn the most common Range Tribune “no hot water” faults and what you should do next.

Source:

https://www.boilerguide.co.uk/common-hot-water-cylinder-problems

https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/25925-range-tribune-he-150ltr-issue/

https://www.kapaiplumbing.co.nz/plumbing-resources/hot-water-cylinder-troubleshooting-common-issues-and-how-to-fix-them