Problem with Central Heating cutting off....

[DIYWANNABEE]

Right, will try my best to give as much detail about the problem as i can and as much background as possible without going overboard.

Bought first house 11 months ago, and its been apparent that the Central Heating System and Hot Water Tank etc have not been maintained very well at all.

System Details are:-
Myson Heating - Orion 30B
Immersion Heater (Pullin) 3kw 240volts

Noise from the Boiler was the first problem. Sentinel X200 Boiler Descaler was put into the system to try and sort this problem and this significantly reduced the general noise.

We've also put sludge remover into the system once. When flushing the system it was full of sludge, so we removed all the radiators in the house and cleaned them all out before running water right through the system again and then due to the amount of sludge we have input some more sludge remover prior to flushing the whole system again (to be done this coming weekend most likely).

The timer system on the central heating system was not working properly and so we have fitted a new timer system (old man is an electrician and has fitted the new timer system for me).

The main problem with the system now is either the Central Heating Cutting Off before the rooms are warm enough, or it not starting at all.

This appears to be linked to the Immersion Heater. The setting on the Immersion Heater is currently set just passed 6 (which I presume to be 60 degrees), however, when the central heating is timed to come on it is sometimes not starting up until the Immersion Heater setting is turned up slightly, and then often cuts out before the radiators are fully warmed up unless the Immersion Heater Setting is turned up significantly.

The Immersion Heater Switch is set to Off and the Central Heating System is generally set to both "Central Heating and Water" so that we are not relying on the electric to heat the water.

Now being totally new to all of this sort of thing, and just starting to pick up a bit of knowledge here and there over the last year or so, I am at a loss as to whether this is a simple problem or a major problem.

If this reads like a load of Dutch then I do apologise. Shout up please if you can and let me know if theres something needed.

Cheers.

 

[kevplumb]

fully pumped system ?
s plan 2 valves in airing cupboard
y plan 1 three way valve ?

 

[DIYWANNABEE]

fully pumped system ?
s plan 2 valves in airing cupboard
y plan 1 three way valve ?

Now this is what I was fearing!!

Fully Pumped System from my limited understanding and from trying to decipher the manual that I managed to get a copy of.

Airing cupboard has pipe going into side of the tank with a valve on the top, then pipe out of the top of the tank as well.

How do i tell for definite if its a three way valve?

 

[kevplumb]

has it got three pipes leading in /out of it

 

[DIYWANNABEE]

has it got three pipes leading in /out of it

Yes.

Two pipes come from underneath the tank where the Pump is situated. These pipes lead into side of the tank (one above the other).

Third pipe leads out of the top of the tank to what I would call a "T Junction" with the pipe then heading into the loft and also down over.

Below the tank there is a Pump and also something else which I am not too sure about.

 

[kevplumb]

c plan by the sound of it
valve as in lump of brass with elec bit on top ?
the pipe at the top is your hot water supply
other bit could be air seperator

 

[kevplumb]

the heating dont come on or the boiler dont light ?

 

[DIYWANNABEE]

One of the pipes going into the side of the tank has a valve sort of thing as in the shape of a screw at the top of the pipe to be turned with a Screwdriver. Presumably to regulate the supply into the side of the tank.

If the Radiators don't come on then its usually a case of adjusting the switch on the side of the tank i.e. increasing the setting a bit more. Then you will hear the system "fire up" and all of the radiators in the house will then get up to temperature.

Also if running the hot water from the tank (example for a bath) and the central heating hasnt came on then it will also fire up when running the hot water.

 

[DIYWANNABEE]

Room Thermostat is also set quite high as well so its not simply the rooms being up to the temperature set.

 

[kevplumb]

get a spark its wired a*se first the hw stat is controlling the heating
you could try a post on the sparks forum(just a thought not a get out )

 

[DIYWANNABEE]

get a spark its wired a*se first the hw stat is controlling the heating
you could try a post on the sparks forum(just a thought not a get out )

so what you are saying is that the new timer system fitted is back to front so to speak?

i.e. the hot water is wired up to Central Heating wires and vice versa?

 

[kevplumb]

sounds promising mate

 

[DIYWANNABEE]

Not wanting to doubt you here, but the control system allows you to set for either just hot water to come on, or just the central heating.

If it was wired up wrong, then surely I would have to turn on the Hot Water setting to get the heating on and vice versa but this isnt the case as the Central Heating control does fire up the central heating.

Cheers for the advice all the same. Will take it on board and see if it can be sorted. Much appreciated.