Radiators not hot but boiler working

[mp129]

I just tried FAQ10 (thanks Chrisr) and it seems to be working.

However, knowing nothing about heating systems, I'm a bit concerned that something may blow up if I got anything wrong - I'm thinking particularly about the step with the 'hooky' thing set to manual. I can't see any hooky thing, but as I touched the plastic lever on one of the two 2 port valves, it slid gracefully into a different position and the system kicked in.

Does this sound right?

If so, can I safely leave it as is until I get an engineer in?

And do I now need to use the immersion heater to get hot water?

Thanks in advance for any help..

Mike

 

[Newboy]

If so, can I safely leave it as is until I get an engineer in?

Yes

And do I now need to use the immersion heater to get hot water?

Providing the two-port for the HW loop is ok (check by altering the cylinder stat and see the if valve opens/closes) then no

 

[mp129]

Thanks, Newboy.

We're getting heat now, although not quite as much as I'd like.

Altering the cylinder stat seems to have no effect though, so I've left it set to 70 as suggested by Chrisr. If the water goes cold I'll use the immersion.

How can I tell whether I 'adjusted' the correct 2 port valve though? I assume one is for CH and the other for HW, but I have no idea which is which.

 

[Newboy]

Photo of the valves/cylinder would help.

 

[mp129]

Hope these help..

 

[Newboy]

The higher of the two is HW

And it looks to be leaking through the gland/spindle

 

[mp129]

Thanks newboy.

Interesting. it was the lower one I adjusted.. Does that make a difference?

Also, does the leak explain the problem? Do I just need to replace the upper valve?

Your help is much appreciated, by the way.

 

[Newboy]

Interesting. it was the lower one I adjusted..

The lower one controls your central heating - by adjusting the zone valve it's likely that the microswitch closed and sent a demand signal to the boiler

does the leak explain the problem

No

Do I just need to replace the upper valve

Given that the DHW 2-port is apparently leaking and the CH 2-port would seem to be sticking I'd be inclined to get a decent heating engineer round to check them both out.

 

[mp129]

Definitely. There's no way I'm doing this myself.

I'm just trying to understand what's going on so I don't end up with a new boiler if all I need is a new valve..

Thanks for all your help.

 

[mp129]

Well, having contacted a local heating engineer and waited nearly three weeks for him to come and do the job, which he confirmed is to replace the CH valve, I was getting a bit fed up, although Chrisr's tweak was keeping us warm enough.

Then yesterday something changed. The tweak no longer works. Whether the valves are open or not, nothing seems to persuade the boiler to kick in anymore.

Has anyone any idea why?

The engineer is due here on Thursday. If he cancels again, he gets a negative review on Trustatrader and I find someone else, in what has now become more of an emergency situation so presumably will cost an arm and a leg as well as a new valve.

Any help appreciated. Thanks.