Ravenheat HE85 T 3 way valve slow leak

[psarinuk]

Hi

I have a slow leak from my diverter valve roughly in the middle between the diaphragm and the 3 way valve section.

The leak is from what looks like a small tube which connects the diaphragm housing to the 3 way valve, there are holes around its radius where it seems to be emitting drops..

At the moment its 1 drop every 5-10 minutes, so would have to wait to tell if boiler is loosing pressure...

I have spoken to Ravenheat who advised me to raplace the whole diverter valve assembly at £100. Part number 0002VAL06005/0.

Is there any other solution like repair and what part to get?

Hope I won't have to drain the CH system for repair/ replacement..
(If I need to, can I add inhibitor directly to the magnaclean container rather than buying the much more expensive inhibitor gun that feeds the chemicals through bleed valve?)


The boiler is a ravenheat HE85T. Entire CH (radiator by radiator) has been mains flushed and fitted with a magna clean and inhibitor added 2 weeks ago.

Can anyone please help?

 

[psarinuk]

Since I've not had a reply, I am providing bit more info with an image of affected part and where its leaking…
(admin please add my image here, thanks)

 

[psarinuk]

Any help please? Where is slugbabydotcom?

 

[psarinuk]

All I need to know is whether changing the diaphargm would solve the leak or do I need a new diverter valve?

The leak as explained above is through the small holes on the bit connecting the divertor to the 3-way valve..

Thanks..

 

[ChrisR]

The part with the holes is meant to be dry, obviously, with shafts emerging from both the other sections through O rings. So it could be either side leaking.
Changing the diaphragm alone would make no difference, you need to change the O rings, though the rest of the rubbers are likely to be worn too. Dirty system water is usually the culprit, on the boiler side.
How much analysis and fifddling you want to do depends on how much you value your time! I'd certainly change the whole valve. There are "pattern" spares available on the net, but some of them don't fit very well.
Don't blame Ravenheat on this one, that part is common to many boilers.

Yes you can put additives in your Magnaclean.

You don't have to drain the whole system if you trust the boiler isolation valves, but most of us wouldn't want to touch them!

 

[psarinuk]

Thanks Chris

That is a very helpful reply indeed..

I've found this on net. Would this be any good?
http://www.ezypart.co.uk/parts/part_id__2335

The leak is very slow and sometimes not leaking at all (when CH is ON). It leaks when the boiler is OFF or when using DHW, that too at 1 drop every 15 minutes.

And yes, BOILER IS LOSING WATER PRESSURE, so I believe its the CH water leaking, not mains through this valve. The water is leaving a white chemical type mark as well (inhibitor?) on the plate after it dries off..

I believe that my boiler iso valves are working, so that could be a bit of relief I hope when I turn them off to take the valve out..

Anything else that I need to take care of apart from draining the water from the boiler before taking the valve off?

Thanks once again..

 

[Terrywookfit]

Make sure you have new sealing washers for the valve!!

After using the iso valves you may find that you have more leaks than original problem!!

 

[psarinuk]

Terrywookfit,

I hope the new valve comes with washers.. Will check and buy some if necessary, should they be fibre washers or rubber?

There is a repair kit on ebay for £10 that includes O rings, diaphragm and washers... Not only the price is tempting, I would get to keep the original valve and not buy a pattern type part..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ravenheat-Div...eZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

Or should I just get the pattern part and replace which as Chris advises would be time saving... confused, aren't I?

 

[psarinuk]

Update on my boiler's leaky diverter valve. This exercise should help anyone who decides the replace the valve themselves.

I ordered a replacement part for £60 (incl VAT and delivery) from net and the part delivered was exactly similar to mine..

The valve is not easy to take off. One nut had to be taken off using a gas plier and one nut did not come off at all, so removed the nut along with its pipe from plate heat exchanger.

However, things are a bit tricky putting it back.. had to tighten the inaccessible nut with the pipe at same angle it came off so it could fit the plate heat exchanger on its place..

Its quite hard holding new washers for verticle pipes... as well as holding the rubber washer for the plate heat exchanger pipe..

My advice would be hand tight all of them in turns, with one turn at a time for every nut and then every other nut and so on..

Tighten them with spanners afterwars but work on the hardest ones first as they are most likely to go wrong.

Make sure you put the drain valve nut back and connect the mircoswitches, also tie them securely using circlip. I had also taken off some electrical connections for better access, so I labelled them and put them back in the end.

Now release iso valve for main water first and check leakage. Then release the iso valves for CH and check for leaks... tight as necessary..

Add mains water to get some pressure and bleed all rads (boiler ravenheat HE85T is self bleeding)..

Start boiler and check DWH and CH.. Mine is working good (touch wood) so far... I also had this intermittent issue of boiler not kicking in when the hot water tap is opened, and that too seams to have resolved now..

I am thinking of renewing my old diverter valve for future with a new diaphragm and cleaning it. Any ideas how to clean it?

Any comments or questions are welcome.