just a question

[shrimp]

we have a ideal classic boiler installed in our house which is sited in the kitchen and a tank in the cupboard up stairs.
Now the question is?we have a immersion heater isolator switch next to the tank in the cupboard and it is switched off which, it has been for a while, and what i was wondering is this supposed to be switched on?Although the water is hot.
I am asking because today the hot water wasn't getting hot and i could get the pilot light to light so i switched the isolator on and it heated the water so please could somebody advised to whether it should be on or off?

 

[breezer]

off, since if is on the imersion heater will be on, no point in having it on if you have a boiler

 

[D_Hailsham]

If the water in the tank usually gets hot with the Immersion off, then you do not need the immersion on; it's there for emergencies - like you have now.

Some more info about you system is required to help diagnose the problem.

How many motorized valves do you have? The are usually near the HW cylinder (tank) or the pump.

They look like this:
View media item 800 View media item 801

 

[shrimp]

i have got the boiler working again now,the pilot light lights up,but the heating doesnt seem to want to heat up now?
It seem i only have 1 valve on the system

 

[spacethegas]

is the valve like the one on the right.
if so, turn hw off ch on r/stat turned up.
check the lever on the side of the valve has motored across ie you can push it backwards & forwards with no resistance. if it is stiff to push across its motor will require changing.

 

[shrimp]

sorry i havent got back to ya but it is like the one on the right and i tried the lever again and it wont move?
Also the pump has a boiling hot casing is this right?
Is it easy to change the valve?
Thanks for all the help

 

[steved101]

hang on the lever on the side shouldn't move across when heating is selected. it is for manual operation only eg in an emergency.

but why would it mean the motor has gone and needs changing if it has resistance when heating on and hot water off?....

 

[spacethegas]

hang on the lever on the side shouldn't move across when heating is selected. it is for manual operation only eg in an emergency.

but why would it mean the motor has gone and needs changing if it has resistance when heating on and hot water off?....

when the h/w only is calling the motor is not energized as it is not required hence the lever should provide resistance when pushed across. when reliesed the lever will slowly return.
when the c/h only is calling the motor will be energized & the valve will open to provide c/h. when you push the lever across you should encounter no resistance & the lever will stay where ever you leave it.
so, if resistance is felt when in c/h only mode the motor has not done its job & in all likelihood the motor requires changing. this can easilly be checked by testing if the motor is receiving 230v.

shrimp.
it is possible that an internal part of the valve has swollen & is restricting the flow or perhaps it has seized.
does the valve have a small raised circular bump on the top of it at one end?

 

[steved101]

spacethegas

thanks for that indo, quite interesting. what does the level feel like when the valve is in mid-position then? loose?


as you said using a multimeter - if when heating is calling the valve does not move/opne to the heating circuit the motor has worn..

 

[spacethegas]

its easiest to do this where the programmer & diverter are fitted close together ie in an airing cupboard.
make sure c/h & h/w stats are calling.
make h/w call.
hold your finger against the lever without applying pressure.
make c/h call.
you will find the lever will move most of the way across.
turn down c/stat or shut off h/w on programmer.
the lever will travel slightly further & you will hear the motor run & then stop.
turn the h/w & c/h on & off as required & you will soon get used to where the lever should be.

 

[steved101]

interesting, will look out for that now!

i have done this before though with both h/w and heating off: moved the manual lever and it had resistance. after the first push across though the resistance went and i was able to move the lever back and forth without any further resistance at all! then when i turned the h/w on at the programmer the lever has resistance again when i moved it across! but after slowly returned back. weird!!! is this normal ..

 

[spacethegas]

yes thats normal.

 

[shrimp]

cool thanks for the info,now i tried the test on the valve and tried turning the c/h and h/w on and off at the controler and the lever moves fine so it aint that.
So could it be the pump coz the heating still aint working and the pump is still boiling hot to the touch

 

[spacethegas]

shrimp.
you have turned the immersion heater off haven't you ?
if not it sounds like the pump is seized.

 

[shrimp]

oh yes the imersion heater is off,
If the pump is siezed what can i do with it for the time being so it dont cause a fire? or something