Can’t separate hot water and central heating

[jpbeattie]

Hello all,
I’ve a had a search through these forums and haven’t found the answer to this, but if it has been discussed before just point me in the right direction!
We live in a house which is around 14 years old. It’s fairly modern in most respects but I’m not sure how the plumbing has been set up. I’m a complete noob to plumbing. We have a Grasslin Towerchron QM2 controlling our heating and hot water. For some reason if we want hot water, and switch on only the hot water switch on the panel, the radiators on the ground floor of the house also get hot. That’s a major problem during the summer when the house is boiling because we need hot water.

It’s also diverting hot water away from the taps because there’s never enough for a deep bath. It will start running cold again even after the boiler has been on for hours.

I took off the front panel of the Grasslin and there’s no wires connected to the HW OFF or CH OFF. Picture attached.

I’ve also taken photos of the boiler set up.
If any kind person can offer me any advice on what is like the issue I will be so, so grateful.

 

[ianmcd]

As you dont have HW off wired in it sounds like you have an S plan so you will have 2 x 2 port valves, try and find them and post pics of which ones you have

 

[DP]

Does not need wires to off connection.
Almost certain there will be two two port valves as one is always required for unvented cylinder
Get a heating engineer in. Perhaps replace the room thermostat with a programmable room thermostat.
Quite likely your motorised valves are passing or defective ( poor hot water heating)

 

[flameport]

Suggest you also find out why you have 2 pumps installed.

Is this a particularly large house?
What does the cable for the yellow bodied pump connect to at the other end?

 

[ianmcd]

Suggest you also find out why you have 2 pumps installed.

Is this a particularly large house?
What does the cable for the yellow bodied pump connect to at the other end?

Think it is a Bronze secondary HW circulation pump, havent actually seen that exact model before though

 

[jpbeattie]

Hi all, thanks for helping out already. I’ve snapped what I think are the two valves. The house is not a mansion or anything, it’s a 4 bed. The yellow bodied pump I can’t really tell where or what it’s connected to. If seems to be separate from the red pump though and it’s on the opposite side of the hot press.
Thanks again!

 

[ianmcd]

Hi all, thanks for helping out already. I’ve snapped what I think are the two valves. The house is not a mansion or anything, it’s a 4 bed. The yellow bodied pump I can’t really tell where or what it’s connected to. If seems to be separate from the red pump though and it’s on the opposite side of the hot press.
Thanks again!

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Yes that is what you are looking for, one of them is faulty, there is a small ever on the end of each valve, this is for putting the valve into manual position, with CH and HW both turned on these levers should be able to slide across but should show a resistance, with the CH and HW turned on and any thermostats calling for heat they should be very easy to slide across, try that, it sounds like your CH one is jamming open or letting by

 

[ianmcd]

on your yellow pump there is writing on the black plastic, would you be able to get a better pic or tell us what the writing says , as in pump make and model number

 

[ianmcd]

In your pic with the zone valves it looks like your electric Immersion heater is switched on, this is for emergency back up if your boiler fails and it shouldnt be on

 

[jpbeattie]

Immersion switch is off now! I’ve snapped a couple of pics of the yellow pump. Are these other photos the levers that you mentioned Ianmcd? I don’t see anything that looks like a traditional lever, except on the opposite wall coming out of the small red water tank in my first post. Thanks everyone for your help!

L

 

[ianmcd]

Immersion switch is off now! I’ve snapped a couple of pics of the yellow pump. Are these other photos the levers that you mentioned Ianmcd? I don’t see anything that looks like a traditional lever, except on the opposite wall coming out of the small red water tank in my first post. Thanks everyone for your help!
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The yellow pump is indeed a secondary bronze circulating pump as suspected, the levers that you are looking for are at the end of the silver boxes, on the zone valves, not the pump

 

[jpbeattie]

Yes, as you suggested Ian this appears to be the issue. One of the levers had jammed and wouldn’t move. If I have someone who knows what they’re doing replace this, would it possibly fix both my issues of not being able to separate hot water from heating and that there is never enough hot water for baths etc?
Thank you so much!

 

[ianmcd]

Yes, as you suggested Ian this appears to be the issue. One of the levers had jammed and wouldn’t move. If I have someone who knows what they’re doing replace this, would it possibly fix both my issues of not being able to separate hot water from heating and that there is never enough hot water for baths etc?
Thank you so much!

Yes , I think that you were heating your HW with the Immersion heater , which doesnt heat the whole cylinder, and that the jammed actuator is the HW one, get the jammed one replaced, and come back on if it doesnt solve everything ,and I will help you some more