Heating tripping the circuit breaker

[shooter]

The hot water function of the heating in my daughter's 8yr old house was working fine until a couple of days ago although she had noticed a couple of months ago that the upstairs heating was not so good. With summer coming she stopped using the heating and only fired up the hot water a couple of times a day - with no problems. On Tuesday she flicked the hot water on (well she tried to) and the trip on the fuse board cut out. Resetting it and retrying to get the hot water function to work tripped it time after time.

Thinking it might have been a seized pump, I took it out cleaned it and tested it and it works fine.

The system has (some?) motorised valves and Honeywell controls.

I would be grateful for any suggestions as to what could be causing the problem.


It seems the timer has not been working correctly and in order to get the heating / hot water to come on it had to be manually advanced.

In addition, when only hot water was selected the radiators were getting warm - from reading other entries on this forum it appears that the motorised valve is likely to be the problem with this particular fault - so a little job to do there.

What I am struggling with is the cause of the tripping of the electricity - as soon as we try to advance (switch on) the hot water. Could it be the controller itself?

 

[ChrisR]

It could be absolutely anything. Disconnect all the possibles in sequence until it stops tripping. WHAT BOILER!!?

 

[shooter]

Potterton but I don't yet know the model.

There must come a point when disconnecting things in sequence for sure will allow the advance the hot water switching action to NOT cause the electric to trip out but this may still not clearly show the fault - can you suggest a little more that I should look out for?

Many thanks in advance.

Shooter

 

[nstreet]

Put your hands over yours ears, I think Breezer is about to explode, you used that 'little more' phrase in your post. I think he's having a bad day today

 

[ChrisR]

" for sure will allow the advance the hot water switching action to NOT cause the electric to trip"

I'm sorry I'm not sure I understand your "english" !

At this stage I don't care whether it works. I'm only interested in finding what causes the tripping. I have suggested a method which will tell you. You may need help with that if you don't understand how to go about it, but .... It sounds like you're telling me you know better.

"suggest a little more that I should look out for? "
How about the model of the BOILER, which you have been asked for and you would expect to be able to READ off a plate.

Terribly sorry that my trying to help you is putting you to such unreasonable trouble.

 

[oilman]

Shooter, fault diagnosis is easy, you just need years of practice an the right aptitude. With some people it is easy to give them enough information as they have an aptitude and understand the general principles.

There must come a point when disconnecting things in sequence for sure will allow the advance the hot water switching action to NOT cause the electric to trip out but this may still not clearly show the fault - can you suggest a little more that I should look out for?

This shows you have two problems.

1) forming the question in recognisable English

2) A level of knowledge and aptitude that indicates your best option is to get someone in to do it, while you go and do your job to earn the money to pay for the expert help.

 

[shooter]

The boiler is a Potterton Profile 50e.

The paperwork / owner's manual is available so I guess I just start isolating different bits one by one until advancing the hot water does not cause the electric to trip out.

Could it be anything to do with the controller - a Honywell ST1000 I think.

As before, all suggestions gratefully received.

Shooter

 

[oilman]

Disconnect all the possibles in sequence until it stops tripping.

Which is what ChrisR suggested.

There will some indications to guide those who can recognise them, but if you don't recognise them it is a matter of trying everything from left to right, and hoping you don't just fix the fault that is caused by another fault.

 

[namsag]

Check there is no water leaks near the motorised valves that have dripped into valve and shorted the microswitch. If you are going to try disconnecting components try the fan in the boiler first

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

I dont think we should be telling non proffesionals to be removing boiler covers ect for reasons I have mentioned on previous postings, possibility of electric shock or CO poisoning ect.

 

[oilman]

"Ring, ring!!"

"How can I help"

"My heating's broke. Can you tell me what's wrong?"

"It could be anything"

"Yeah, but you're a professional so should you not able be me to tell what's wrong, and all for free."

"Try everything from left to right and see which bit makes it work"

"Yeah, but how I sure be would the problem that was?"

"It's got a boiler, when will the magic answer appear?"

"You need to borrow some brain cells, learn some English, or get someone in."

"How about telling us what you have in your system?"

"It's got a Potty 123 boiler, could it be this grey box over here?"

"See if someone's been tipping water over the other box, if not, take the boiler apart completely, that will definitely fix it."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, he might get an electric shock."

HE CERTAINLY NEEDS SOMETHING!!!

 

[shooter]

Hello Namsag, well done and thank you - almost bob on with your suggestion to look for leaks from or around the motorised valve.

The MV was fine but the boiler mounted thermocouple and thermostat had been attacked so to speak by dripping water from the joint of a small cylinder above.

Fortunately the sleeve into the boiler came out quite easily although at first sight it did not look promising. Replacing the Honeywell stat sorted the problem.

Heating and hot water services back to normal.


Shooter.