Thermostaticaly controlled mixer shower + angry wife!

[bengasman]

bottom gatevalve might need opening further.

 

[sooey]

Can I have a go too Chris, with all that ptfe on the gatevalve threads, are you sure that you haven't partially closed off one of the pipe ends.

 

[Last Triumph]

All the gate valves are checked and fully open, except the by-pass gate that forces water though the cylinder coil. If I open that one, all goes quiet, but then the pump just circulates water to and from the boiler by-passing the honeywell valve, coil, rads etc, so that is closed.

I'm not sure what you mean about a proper hot water supply flange to the shower? I took the hot water feed directly from the vertiacal pipe that come from the top of the cylinder using a T piece adaptor and mae sure the gaps and disstances were all within desired specs as per plumbers advice and shower instructions.

I know it's amess in there - most of it is thanks to the 'artists' who built the house. I only added the shower. It needed to be on the far wall to allow space and pipe access from the header tank.

I'm no expert so I guess how pretty it looks isn't the cause of my problems?

I guess I need to find out why I can't run the 'water only' without the pump soundig like it's just been given maths homework!

Pump is set to the middle speed position if that's important?

 

[Last Triumph]

bottom gatevalve might need opening further.

Fully open I'm afraid.

 

[Last Triumph]

Can I have a go too Chris, with all that ptfe on the gatevalve threads, are you sure that you haven't partially closed off one of the pipe ends.

I was very careful about that - PTFE went on the threads only...

Plus, when the cyl water temp is piping hot, all works fine. It's the lack of piping hot water all the time that is causing me the probs I rekkon?

By the way - thanks very much guys for trying to help me.

Wife's in bed muttering about Mira eletric showers....
She'l get a Mira electric shock if she's not careful.

 

[chrishutt]

Thanks mod 5! It's taken a while but we got there in the end. Now I have to think of something else to go on my posts.

Last Triumph, I edited my previous post while you lot went onto page 3. You might want to check back on that. I suspect a blockage on the outlet from the coil. Close of the valves to isolate that section and open it up to check.

I'm off to bed now. I hope you sleep well on the sofa.

 

[Last Triumph]

Later.. the outlet connection from the cylinder coil is only 15mm. This will restrict the flow and the size reduction might be a point where a blockage could arise. You also have a by-pass pipe with a valve, the one that joins the return from the coil just after the gate valve. The gate valve on the by-pass should be almost shut since it is only likely to be required when all the heating circuit TRVs are shutting down.

I don't have TRV's - just standard rad valves everywhere. I keep all the rads all over the house switched on.

If I leave that bypass gate valve just slightly open - is this to reduce back pressure on the pump whenthe rads (heating) is switched off to allow me to run 'water only'?

I'd have thought this would make my problem worse as it will further reduce the amount of water going through the coil. Or will it be fine as there should be enough pressure with the rads closed to keep pumping it through.

How do I know it is open enough - open it until the pup stops making the noise? But won't the be too little pressure when the rads are open?

I'm confused. Sorry to be so thick?

As for the 15mm pipe from the bottom of the cyl - why would a builder do that?

 

[sooey]

You shouldn't need a bypass on your system, the the 3port valve will always allow a flow one way or the other. I would just shut that off, if your pump struggles to get the water through the cyl then as Chrishut said, it's blocked somewhere, you need to investigate that. If you ever get a combi conversion can I do it, what a weigh in.

 

[chrishutt]

The house is fairly new

And no TRVs (no apostrophe!) on the rads? I think it's 1970s or thereabouts. That means the cylinder could have a minimally sized coil in it. But you need to check that coil return connection for a blockage.

It's quite easy really. You close off the three gate valves (one above pump, one on heating outlet of motorised valve and one on botom outlet of cylinder coil) and place a tray or something to catch water under say the cylinder side gate valve joint at the bottom. Then assuming all the gate valves shut properly (very unlikely!) you can dismantle that bottom section of pipe and start scraping out black gunge.

 

[Last Triumph]

Thanks guys.

The house was built in 1990.

Last new house I ever buy. Total joke from start to finish.

A lottery win would see me getting proper architects in working to contracted, penalty claused tolerances.

Meanwhile in the real world....

I'll have a poke around for blockages - assuming I can 'ease' the pipe out of the way.

 

[Last Triumph]

Just a quick thought....

Is it possible that the honywell valve is not opening fully?

How could I check this?

Might be an easier one to check before I start pulling pipework?

 

[Richard C]

Exactly my thoughts when reading through this thread. I had one continually play up during the first 6 years in a new house, finally took it apart to find a huge chunk of swarf skewered through the rubber ball restricting the flow & holding the valve partially open. Replaced valve, no more problems.

 

[Last Triumph]

IS there a way of checking it without 'opening' the system?

Correct me if I'm wrong - but all I need to achieve to solve my 'water not hot enough' is the ability to run my progammable system in the evening on 'Water Only' (so the rads don't get hot) without the pump groaning like a kenwood food mixer.

I'm still a little confused as to what the 15mm bypass loop and gate is for and what position it should be?

Whenever I've opened it in the past, the pump goes quiet - hooray - but the water in the cylinder doesn't heat up....

I've heard that it should only be open a bit?

Firstly the pump only goes acceptably quiet when it is nearly fully open.

If I open it say 1 or 2 turns, the pump is still very noisy.

The more I think about it, there must be a severe restriction in the boiler/cylinder coil loop....

Please educate an ignoramus.

 

[IJWS15]

There should be a manual operation lever on the three way valve, try moving that either way and see if it helps the pump.

 

[Balenza]

Last Triumph wrote

except the by-pass gate that forces water though the cylinder coil.

Which valve are you referring to ?