Elcarajillo It is worth closing the two gate valves and then reopening, they are very prone to seizing which can cause a big problem if you do need to shut them off. Fully open then back ½ a turn
What’s this two-gate valve please? Where is it located? 🤔
LMSC These (the red-and-brass bits):
Worth mentioning that old gate valves have a tendency for the spindle connection to the gate to fracture when reopening.
So be very careful when reopening, do it gently and if it feels stiff, turn it a little in the other direction and try reopening again.
I had to close one to isolate something, and it snapped inside when opening. Fortunately i had a spare ready just in case and had to fit that. Even more fortunately, the upstream valve worked fine which made fitting easier.
Thanks both. I have been trying to keeping them as smooth as possible. But, the 2 and 3 won’t budge. The gas engineers told us a few times all these pipes are bizzare, happens only in very old properties and rarely in those built from 1980. Ours’ were built in 1980.
You could try backing off the small nut between the red hand wheel and the valve body,this compresses the gland seal onto the shaft, dribble a little WD 40 or penetrating oil onto the shaft and allow to soak. Then try rotating H/W back and forth (just gently). Return small nut afterwards. Could save you trouble in the future.
Elcarajillo Will do. Those two haven’t budged despite best (careful) efforts. Will keep trying. I think the boiler, water tank and the pipes need sorting out.
One of the engineers already said we need to simplify and update, while another said mega flow as it is a big property. We don’t need a mega flow for a family of 3, do we?
Btw, the hot water ran again for 30 mins. This normally gives hot water, where we can’t set it at max at the shower. With nothing changed, the Gran at home said at noon that she had to keep the tap at max to give herself a hot shower. I running tap hot water temp was about 41C-42C.
Don’t know what had changed. I thought the engineer didn’t check properly and gave us all good test certificate. Perhaps, he won’t know unless we tell him this is an issue now. Shouldn’t the issue, if it is, with that boiler pop up when a routine service is done?
LMSC They won’t be checking motorised valves etc in a boiler service. Perhaps motorised valve is faulty…are any rads apart from towel rails heating when you run the hot water. Is the pipe going to the boiler hx nice n hot e.g 50C
DavecUK …are any rads apart from towel rails heating when you run the hot water. Is the pipe going to the boiler hx nice n hot e.g 50C
We have enabled the living room to come up with moderate rad settings when the temp < 16.5C. Can check this tmrw.
I think the middle pipe is the connection goes into the boiler; the left is the drain and the right is the fill. This is a good point. I will check tmrw morning! Thanks Dave.
LMSC Sorry my fault, coffee machines on the brain by boiler I mean the hot tank and by HX i mean the long spiral pipe inside it that heats the water. So you have to be in the airing cupboard near the 3 way valve and checked the pipe going into the hot tank is hot enough, or hot as it should be, which would be almost 50C if your boiler is set to output hot water at 55.
I see you have more than 1 motorised valve and something that looks suspiciously like a 3rd on the right of the tank on the floor. I don’t really understand why you would have so many on a simple vented system with a simple system boiler? But hey, what do I know, I’m not a plumber.
Usually though you have a heat source, a pump (which will all be in your boiler), pumping up to a single 3 way valve for HW and Rads. The HW will often run the towel rails and heat the HW tank) the CH position may, or may not heat the towel rails as well….and shared, the third position will send hot water to both. I can only think for some reason they have your hot water on a separate 3 way valve, to try and do something clever with the towel radiators.
If you set the boiler for hot water only, track which valve moves and then source the pipe from there to the HW tank that the boiler is feeding. The upper pipe should be the hot into the tank and the lower one the return to the boiler. You won’t have a feed and expansion tank of course, that will all be inside the boiler and some of them can even have the 3 way valve fitted in the boiler.
LMSC I think you will find the L/H one is the condensate drain. Centre one gas supply to boiler and the R/h one is the cold feed for D/H water and charging the heating system.
There is also a diverter valve inside the boiler case R/H side towards the back. It is possible if it is partially closed it could be restricting the D/H water flow. It does not need the system to be drained to check the motor and move the lever. (plumber)
Try turning up the D/HW knob on the boiler to max and see if the water from shower / tap is hotter,
Thx Guys!
The 3-way valve, which Dave showed wasn’t as hot as it should. Re-the HW Knob on the boiler, I have taken it to 5.5. The gas engineer did tell me makes no difference to the temp of the water irrespective of where it is set.
However, the temperature control on the hot water bank may be important. I have slightly put it up, which helped. My wife did say this morning the water is hotter than yesterday.
However, I do think there is an issue, which requires investigation . Perhaps, it is one of the valves, which you guys are mentioning. I think I may have to call a gas engineer who will also check the plumbing / mechanical side of things. I don’t want to mess up.
Thx folks!
LMSC Re-the HW Knob on the boiler, I have taken it to 5.5. The gas engineer did tell me makes no difference to the temp of the water irrespective of where it is set.
However, the temperature control on the hot water bank may be important. I have slightly put it up, which helped. My wife did say this morning the water is hotter than yesterday.
I’d be wary about what the gas engineer says (unless the knob has always been in the position on the photo). That knob looks set to make 70C max, with 60 being the top of the normal range. I’d assume your cylinder stat is set to 60, unless you changed it…you can look and check. As winter approaches and water temp drops 50 may not have been enough for the length of time it was on, sure you moved it up to 55, now try 60 (or 6 on the dial).
P.S The gas engineer might be thinking it will reach what the tank stat is set to. But it won’t if the time is too short and incoming water too cold.
DavecUK I’d assume your cylinder stat is set to 60, unless you changed it…you can look and check. As winter approaches and water temp drops 50 may not have been enough for the length of time it was on, sure you moved it up to 55, now try 60 (or 6 on the dial).
I never had to change anything since Day 1. The knobs were as shown in the picture above (e) for hot water and at 55C at the cylinder. Either some valve isn’t working as it should or the perhaps we had been letting the hot water run a little longer in the past than we are atm. Perhaps, a sign of aging! 🤣
Sure, I will raise the knob to 6 and/or 60 on the cylinder and see. Thx! 🙏🏽
How does yours’ work please? Thx
LMSC My cylinder stat is set to 60, my water temp (which affects HW and CH, only one control), is set to 55. When the cold weather set in I had to increase the time the HW was on. My intention once I start using the CH in November, is to have the HW on a bit longer still and overlap it with the CH, to get the lowest flow temp drop I can and maximise gas savings. This is for 3 reasons:
I had no choice over the boiler size (cos it was free, long story)….had I a choice I would have gone for 15kW (6 bedroom house), for a relatively modern property and double glazing, a powerful heat only boiler isn’t required. Of course with Combis, they have to be more powerful because of the instant hot water….and I don’t like Combis really.
DavecUK Interesting and useful approach to energy and cost optimisations. Our approach is a bit different. Our hot water comes up for 30 mins for 2 of us in the morning. That’s all the hot water for the day unless my daughter is at home or have guests like my 83 years old MIL.
I don’t remember changing the settings on the cylinder and the boiler at all. Perhaps, there is an issue that requires attendance. Keeping the HW knob at 6 helped as the water was very hot after 30 mins. My wife didn’t say anything. I had switched the HW on for 15 mins to ensure the grany doesn’t complain.
Re-CH, it doesn’t come up until Nov. We usually set it at 18 for the winter between 7 am and 9 pm. It is set at 8 or 10 to avoid freezing of the pipes in the night.
But, this season. we had to bring it on at 18 since yesterday as MIL is continuously complaining! We don’t want her to fall sick until she flies home on the next Sat. After that, we will revert the CH to 15C unless we really have to. 🤣
We need to simplify the pipes. It’s too messy. Our thought why change it unless required. I don’t like Combi for the same reason. What about mega flow ? It is not worth it now as we are just 2 mostly and 3 for a few days a month.
LMSC I wouldn’t change a anything if you don’t have to. Wait until you need a new boiler or are forced to have a heat pump.
When/if you have a new boiler, you can get it properly sized and sort the system out then. Sure a megaflow might be good for you, depends on water pressure how many showers and the investment in them.
I have 3 computer controlled pumped showers, that only 1 of, would work with a megaflow. Plus baths one of which works from a pump, the other is gravity and mains fed.
DavecUK computer controlled pumped showers
What does it do that it needs a computer to control it?
MediumRoastSteam They occasionally run to prevent pump siezing up. Flash an LED on the dial to tell me up to temp, too hot etc. Have a clicky dial for digital temp control, plus boost functions. Also manage and monitor pressure/temp of hot and cold in.
Oh and support an extra button in one of the showers to turn it on before you enter the cubicle.
🤫Gas boilers ??
A well known house builder is just starting on 154 dwellings near me, I noticed today they are installing substantial gas mains 🤫🤔
