Plumbing advice needed

PeteHall

Moderator
Any plumbers out there who can pass a little advice?

The radiators in my house have started coming on when the hot water is getting heated, which is the last thing I need in this weather!

There appears to be an actuated valve to direct the water from the boiler either through the heating loop in the jot water tank,  or around the central heating circuit. I assume that this is jammed in the wrong position.

Does this sound like a reasonable diagnosis? Any idea if I can test if it's the actuator or valve that's at fault, or will I need to replace the whole unit?

Any other tips before I regret being a cheapskate and not paying a plumber?
 

Fulk

Well-known member
I suppose as a short-term measure you could turn all the individual heaters off until you get a definitive diagnosis.
 

royfellows

Well-known member
I dont have any zone valves but believe that they can be actuated manually. They are a common source of problems. You can get new motor units off eBay without replacing the whole unit. The open/closed position should be marked, if in a dark place use a torch and turn the rads off manually.

Google up "zone valves" , "wet central heating" etc and you should get a load of info.

I dont want hot showers in this weather so I turn off the whole lot and save money. Dont forget that the boiler itself will add heat ti your home.
 

PaulW

Member
as above, 3port valve that diverts heated water from boiler to either heat the radiators or the hot water cyclinder, or both.

Ours is the same at the moment and awaiting a replacement
 

ChrisJC

Well-known member
You may have one 3-port valve, or two 2-port valves. Either way, they can be manually overridden to on, or in your case to off by removing the actuator and turning the valve by hand. You can at least prove whether it is the valve or actuator as they are separately available.

Chris.
 

jimmo62

New member
Some 3 port actuators have an external indicator which shows how they are set - you could google the instruction manual for your make/model and see if it is so equipped?
 

PeteHall

Moderator
Thanks all. It's in a bit of an awkward place, but now it's cooled down and I've got close to it, I should be able to take the actuator off fairly easily (once I've isolated the power to it...)  (y)
 

royfellows

Well-known member
Seeing that there is quite a bit of plumbing interest....

I bought my home in 1977 and it had the 'old school system' of cast iron pipes and rads with a solid fuel boiler. All ripped out and replaced by a gas fired system. When I had the place extended, I extended the heating system myself following a bit of academic study. I did a few mods as well during lockdown.
Its a bungalow by the way, the original wet central heating nightmare as no upstairs to balance the system.
I changed part of the system to underfloor and put in an extra return from one of the descending loops.

Now, and its a large place, the whole system runs fine with the circulator on its lowest setting. My main living area is my roomy bedroom, small dressing room, and ensuite, this plus hall and kitchen can be heated for same running cost as a single electric convector heater. No zone valves, with hot water only one single rad gets lukewarm only, and as this is only on a very short while do not consider it an issue. Main unwanted heat in summer is from the boiler so I just turn everything off. Stored cold in the loft gets warm this weather and does me for showers.
Boiler is the original but had to fit new gas valve in first 5 years, then replace all the control system with modern electronic system.

Interesting thing about DIY is that if you know what you are doing you find out some of the stuff that 'professional tradesmen' have done in the past. Oh Dear.
Another bathroom had its mixer shower with cold being drawn of the mains, miracle its worked OK never mind building regs.

Thermostat was a 3 wire, but only 2 connected = never worked. I fitted a new one which was 2 wire mechanical plus a third for indicator LED, used the earth for this in the preexisting wiring. "Jaysus Mickael, I never taught of tat"
:LOL:
 

PeteHall

Moderator
royfellows said:
Interesting thing about DIY is that if you know what you are doing you find out some of the stuff that 'professional tradesmen' have done in the past. Oh Dear.

Pretty much why I'll never pay anyone to do anything (except gas pipes, I'll pay up and let someone else solder those!). My logic is that it's generally not very difficult, but you actually have an incentive to do a decent job, unlike the professional who's only incentive is to get it done as quick as possible.

I've found some absolute shockers in my house. The last owners clearly went for the cheap tradesman every time...
 

ChrisJC

Well-known member
PeteHall said:
I've found some absolute shockers in my house. The last owners clearly went for the cheap tradesman every time...

Not much!. one picture is the 'before' wiring for the central heating, the other picture is the 'after'.

Chris.

 

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royfellows

Well-known member
Re wiring. Yes. Junction Boxes every time rather than loop in, and wiring neatly secured to, and along,  the roof beams not lying everywhere.
Costs more but a better job.

I really like 'messing' DIY jobs on the home or whatever.

Chris, this maybe up your street, bottom of the page. last lockdown project was rebuilding it. The yellow one, had to use a 5 ton trolley jack to lift the barrel.
http://royfellows.uk/myhome.html
 

royfellows

Well-known member
Tomferry said:
ChrisJC said:
My plumbing is also pretty tidy!  :sneaky:

Shame you don?t no how to rotate a photo though  :tease:

So thats it, I wondered about the large square LED unit on the ceiling. I have two in my bathroom but they are round. Also, odd place to run the pipes, I pondered on this.
 

tomferry

Well-known member
royfellows said:
Tomferry said:
ChrisJC said:
My plumbing is also pretty tidy!  :sneaky:

Shame you don?t no how to rotate a photo though  :tease:

So thats it, I wondered about the large square LED unit on the ceiling. I have two in my bathroom but they are round. Also, odd place to run the pipes, I pondered on this.

Yes Roy it took me until I got neck ache to figure it out , with some one as good as Chris with technology on p.c?s I expected more myself  :spank:
 

PeteHall

Moderator
Tomferry said:
ChrisJC said:
My plumbing is also pretty tidy!  :sneaky:

Shame you don?t no how to rotate a photo though  :tease:

When a photo is uploaded directly, it sometimes appears sideways, even if it was originally the right way around. I expect it's something to do with the metadata, but I may be wrong.

If you actually click on it to see it full size, it is the right way around  :tease:
 

royfellows

Well-known member
PeteHall said:
Tomferry said:
ChrisJC said:
My plumbing is also pretty tidy!  :sneaky:

Shame you don?t no how to rotate a photo though  :tease:

When a photo is uploaded directly, it sometimes appears sideways, even if it was originally the right way around. I expect it's something to do with the metadata, but I may be wrong.

If you actually click on it to see it full size, it is the right way around  :tease:

Yes, I have just done this. This must have annoyed Chris something wicked when it appeared the way it is!
Its usually down to people uploading direct of cameras or using the cameras supplied software to view on their PC, not realising that their pic isnt being saved in that format.
I resize and correct all mine in Photoshop before uploading anything.
 
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