Thorin Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Right then, hot water works fine, but when we put the heating on nothing usually happens. Radiators just don't even get warm. We've a small boiler thing in the kitchen next to the timer thing, a thermostat on the wall in the kitchen also (set on full). Upstairs where the tank is there's a mass of pipes and a switch, which is I presume the emersion heater? and turned off. Attached in the middle of part of the pipes is a small box with a little lever on the side marked Auto on one side and manual on the other. Is this some automatic valve opening thing for the heating? If you move the lever from auto to manual there's some resistance until you've moved it to the other side but then it's free. Once you do that the heating works fine... but then the next time you come to put the heating on the lever has moved back to auto of its own accord and the heating doesn't work again. WTF is going on? I know nothing of these things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Sounds like you need a plumber, not a Supra mechanic. Look at some of the forums in the links I replied in this thread - http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=84946&highlight=combi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 Sounds like you need a plumber, not a Supra mechanic.[/url] Pffft, well I posted in off-topic and I'm too lazy to go post on another forum We have a few plumbers on here though surely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foodfreak Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 the box is a zone valve, the resistance you feel is when the valve is closed & there is no signal to open from your programmer, & you're pushing to open it. it will reset itself after the programmer has switched the valve on. The problem could be either the programmer not telling the valve to open or a duff valve, but you would need to test the signal form the programmer to find out which is not working. Hope this helps john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 the box is a zone valve, the resistance you feel is when the valve is closed & there is no signal to open from your programmer, & you're pushing to open it. it will reset itself after the programmer has switched the valve on. The problem could be either the programmer not telling the valve to open or a duff valve, but you would need to test the signal form the programmer to find out which is not working. Hope this helps john Cheers John, probably best off me not testing anything electrical. I'll stick with for a while and if it still won't work properly I guess I'll have to get a plumber out... Or anyone in the area want to pop round and fix it for me? I make a mean cup of tea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren-K Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 pumps gone, same happened here not 2 months back and we got someone to fit a new pump and all was dandy . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foodfreak Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 It could possibly be the pump ( listen to it with the programmer / heating switched on, you can take the centre plug out , behind should be the shaft, you can see if this is turning) but, I would have thought that you wouldn't have hot water. ( this depends on wether your system has pumped hot water. your zone valve could either be a 2 way or 3 way valve. How many pipes are going into the valve?) John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Pffft, Yeah, sorry - that sounded pretty miserable of me. I just meant there's some good links in what I posted before. Helped me once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 It's sort of a 'T' arrangement with the valve in the middle, so three. I thought the boiler in the kitchen was just for hot water and the one upstairs is for the heating. Surely if the pump had gone then we wouldn't get heating at all? (but we do if you move the valve thing manually) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 Yeah, sorry - that sounded pretty miserable of me. I just meant there's some good links in what I posted before. Helped me once. Yeah I know, thanks for the info though... I'm just too lazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foodfreak Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 The boiler in your kitchen heats the water for all of the system, The Cylinder( usually upstairs) stores hot water for your taps. You have a 3 way zone valve which means you can have hot water only, heating only, or both on together. For some reason, the heating signal to the zone valve is not getting through. You haven't messed about with the programmer settings or room thermostat have you? Try turning the room stat up John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 You haven't messed about with the programmer settings or room thermostat have you? Try turning the room stat up John Room thermostat's on full (and does 'click' once you turn it past a certain point), and the programmer is a simple thing with just 3 on/off settings each for hot water and heating. Not much for me to cock up I don't think! Also the same if I just press the "+1 Hour" button. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lui Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Sounds like pump open cap in front of pump & spin it with a small electrical driver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris aka fonz Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 if its a 3 port valve you have or a Y plan as its known and your hot water works its not your pump as this would be a fully pumped system , your boiler would be banging and kettleing if it was on but the pump wasnt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris aka fonz Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Try this .. Get someone to turn on the Hot water at the programmer while you are next to the 3 port valve , it should move and you will hear this , next turn off the hot water and turn on the heating at the programmer , again listen for it moving if it doesnt id say its the valve ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIJ8631 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 got to agree with chris aka fonz, the motorised valve when asking for dhw only, allows the heat to circulate around your dhw cylinder to heat the hot water. when you ask for heating and dhw, the valve changes over to allow the heat to circulate around the cylinder and also your radiators. If you have to manually open the valve for heating then it is usually the motor that is knackered and you normally need only fit a new motor - not the whole valve otherwise you will have to empty the ch system best of luck Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 Pretty sure it is this valve motor then, I manually did it when I got in this afternoon and the heating has worked fine tonight... but you can bet tomorrow it'll not work again unless I fiddle with the lever thing again. So where can I get a new one of these motor things and is it an easy enough job? How much is it going to cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIJ8631 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 you'll get one at any plumbers merchants - grahams , plumbcentres, etc. Alternatively try http://www.toolstation.com/shop, i find that their prices are quite reasonable. Quite straight forward to fit if you only change the electric motor,best trying to get same as one already fitted then it is a straight swop. If you are quite handy with electrics then should be no probs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun. Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Thorin .. it's Karma ... you heating is now working and mine has packing in tonight Got to get a new Fan Assembly as mine has ceased up, that's going to be nice and cheap. Shaun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIJ8631 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Thorin, in tollstation.com / plumbing & heating / replacement head for 3 port valve, p/n: 97482 = £24.12 cheers Ian Shaun, what is the make and model of your boiler ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trig Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 3 way valve all the way. I can get you one for cheap if you need one mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted October 18, 2006 Author Share Posted October 18, 2006 Cool thanks guys, I'll take a photo of it tonight or something so I know exactly what it is to try and get one the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trig Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 Looks like this?? or similar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted October 18, 2006 Author Share Posted October 18, 2006 Looks like this?? or similar? [qimg]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y205/trig10uk/3port.jpg[/qimg] Kinda yeah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted October 18, 2006 Author Share Posted October 18, 2006 In fact I'm pretty sure it looks identical to this one... http://www.uk-plumbing.com/product2.asp?name=087N665100 I notice on that there's different sizes (22mm and 28mm?) I'll have to see if it's written on it somewhere I guess. And I guess it would just be the actuator only I need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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