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www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk Forum Index -> Plumbing Forum
-> Central Heating & Boilers |
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johntyburger
Junior Member
Joined: 03 Jun 2007
Posts: 17
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 Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:55 pm Post subject: Hot water ok but NO central heating - potterton system |
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ok here goes, hot water is working fine but central heating doesnt want to come on. its switched to auto on the main control and thermostat is showing it hasnt reached require temp, boiler doesnt "fire up" except to heat the hot water - any ideas guys
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tim'll fix it
BANNED
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 2137
Location: Leicestershire
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:12 am Post subject: |
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is the pump running ???
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johntyburger
Junior Member
Joined: 03 Jun 2007
Posts: 17
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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the only noise seems to be a bit of water going into the top of the boiler, kind of gurgling
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tim'll fix it
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Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 2137
Location: Leicestershire
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 12:01 am Post subject: |
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find the pump, see if it is running ?
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johntyburger
Junior Member
Joined: 03 Jun 2007
Posts: 17
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| Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:34 am Post subject: |
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| Doesnt seem to be, would the pump start running before the bolier fired up? |
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tim'll fix it
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Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 2137
Location: Leicestershire
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| Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 11:21 am Post subject: |
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the pump will be controlled by the wall thermostat
turn the boiler to CH and then turn the wall stat up
then take the cover off the pump and check for volts
if you dont have volts then its a problem with the supply to the pump or the wall stat
if you have volts but its not pumping then its probably seased up
there will be a large screw in the middle of the face of the pump
undo this, a small amount of water will leak out, dont worry but have a small container ready to catch it and make sure it wont damage anything
then put a screwdriver down the hole and you will find a screw head and give it a tweak and the pump will run
then put the big screw back in
now I would do this with the pump powered but it probably a good idea to turn the power off
its very common for pumps to sease over the summer months
if you have power and this doesnt work then perhaps you may need a new pump
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johntyburger
Junior Member
Joined: 03 Jun 2007
Posts: 17
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| Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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ok i have removed the big screw in the centre and when i put the tip of screwdriver in there i can feel the pump spinning, the pipes either side of pump are hot so im guessing its pumping the water, but still no sign of boiler firing up and heat to rads. what would be the next thing to check?
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tim'll fix it
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Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 2137
Location: Leicestershire
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| Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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have you got the three port valve
errr you've reached the end of my knowledge here  HINTON
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bathstyle
BATHROOM DESIGN AND INSTALLATION
Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 796
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| Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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Is there a motorised valve or two near the pump?
If there is then try moving the lever on the thing, the mot valve is normally a brass bodied valve with a silver or white box ontop, sometimes blue.
This will manually open the valve to give you heat. |
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johntyburger
Junior Member
Joined: 03 Jun 2007
Posts: 17
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| Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:27 pm Post subject: |
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hmm there is a silver box just under the pump with a lid on the top which i will investigate tomorrow
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Hinton Heating
Gas/Heating Expert
Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 4296
Location: Bournemouth
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| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:26 pm Post subject: |
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providing that teh external controls are calling for heat, then the most likely problem is the syncron motor in the 3 port valve.
I asume you have a normal 3 port valve on a fully pumped system.
(tim has decribed a gavity hot water/pumped heating system)
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johntyburger
Junior Member
Joined: 03 Jun 2007
Posts: 17
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| Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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ok, i managed to open the silver box and inside is a honeywell sundial y plan 3 position diverter valve v4073a1039 (i think this is the 3 port valve you referred to Hinton). the lid was rusted over so i think there has been a very slight drip from the pipe above it which i can only describe as a dead end with a knurled thumb screw type thing at the end (and no, i havent undone it!...lol)
Anyway under the silver box is a spring loaded lever, if i move the position of this it moves itself back again, should it do this or should it stay in position? ( it seems it will hold itself if i hook it back but im not sure if would cause damage by holding this valve open?)
if this needs replacing is it something i can do myself?
thanks again for help so far |
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johntyburger
Junior Member
Joined: 03 Jun 2007
Posts: 17
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| Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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ah just read bathstyle's post and tried holding the lever open manually and low and behold the rads are hot - woohoo.
Now how do i tell if its the valve or the electrics, i guess the fact i can open the valve manually suggests the valve works and its the electrics at fault (give me a computer and i can strip it down and rebuild it etc but this sort of stuff is way above my head....lol)
If i hold the lever open manually what happens when the thermostat has reached its temp, willl it just keep sending hot water round the system until i move the lever to auto again? |
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Jaeger_S2k
Senior Member
Joined: 19 Nov 2006
Posts: 2786
Location: North West, England, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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If the thermal monitors are working the boiler will shut down when it receives hot water back. It will be overworking and highly inefficient!
If you need heating lock the valve back, until you get a replacement. But you'll have hot rads while you have hot water, just like in the winter, but the valve won't shut when it gets hot returned the boiler will.
If I recall it's the whole thing you want, valve and electrics. It might be worth calling an engineer in now, bit like you handing me one of your computers and me setting on it with a 16" Stilson? 
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Hinton Heating
Gas/Heating Expert
Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 4296
Location: Bournemouth
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