boiler not firing up

[terryplumb]

If you turn off the electric supply to programmer for two minutes ,does the motorised valve return to domestic hot water position ,and if you then turn power back on and select hot water only,does boiler fire up to heat hot water cylinder ?

 

[Newby2]

Can I manually move the valve to the H position? It seems the boiler works ok when I turn on the hot water on the programmer, but not working when only heating is turned on.

 

[terryplumb]

If you set programmer for hot water only ,and it fires up the boiler ,you can manually latch the valve into mid position ,and should get central heating rads heating up.

 

[Newby2]

yes, If I set programmer for hot water only ,and it fires up the boiler. At the moment I only set hot water for 30min, while the heating is on for 8 hours a day. Do you mean I should set the programme with both hot water and heating ON for the same period of time? This valve is a Drayton one with W M H. How do I manually adjust it?

 

[terryplumb]

It appears from info available that your motorised valve isn't working as it should ,and you have no heating. Is that so ?
If it is this is a way to get SOME heating. Set programmer to constant for hot water ,boiler fires up. You then latch the motorised valve manually by using the lever on the side of the motorised valve. You slide it along as far as possible and there is a little notch that you catch the lever behind to keep it there.

 

[Newby2]

There is no lever on the side. I can see there is a small black "switch" sliding through 3 positions - w m h. I cannot manually move it. So I just set the programme for water and heating at the same time, so the switch is always at M, and it works for now. So for having hot water for 8 hours a day, I suppose it will use more energy and cost much more given the current prices

 

[terryplumb]

Not the little indicator with w m h on it. Look closely around the white actuator for the manual latching lever.
Are you now telling us that you do have central heating working if programmer is set for both heating and hot water on at the same time ??

 

[Newby2]

yes, I do do have central heating working if programmer is set for both heating and hot water on at the same time, but the boiler does not fire up when CH alone is ON.

 

[terryplumb]

it seems that somehow the valve gets stuck at M position, so the boiler does not fire up even though the heating is ON in the programmer. Any temporary fix? The BG engineer appointment is in 2 weeks. thanks.

This is what you posted at 8.51 today.
And now you tell us the boiler is firing up for both heating and hot water .
It appears that your Motorised valve needs replacing ,but if you already have an engineer booked then you might as well wait.

 

[JonathanM]

So for having hot water for 8 hours a day, I suppose it will use more energy and cost much more given the current prices

It depends how old and how well insulated your cylinder is?

 

[Newby2]

Sorry, in my 8:51 post, I mean the boiler did not fire up when the heating is ON and the water is OFF. I have to turn ON the water so that the boiler fires up. So now I have both CH and water set at the same time.