Sunvic Actuator playing up

[pmcg911]

Hi,
I keep having to replace my Sunvic actuator. I am inept when it comes to plumbing so I have always got a plumber in to do the job, but after a few months it starts making a grating noise that keeps me awake at night, so I have to switch the whole heating system off to shut it down. Now I think it's finally packed up altogether. The symptoms are: Boiler still comes on sporadically (seems to be working only enough to heat the water). Water is hot. Bathroom radiator is hot. No other radiators are working. Do I need to change the actuator? Can someone incompetent do it themselves so as to save yet another plumbers bill? Why does it keep breaking (about once a year)? Is it necessary to change the whole actuator or can I just get a new motor for it?
Thanks

 

[hi-spec plumbing heating]

it's not upside down is it ?

 

[nickso]

they fail for two reasons usually.


1)water drips into the head from the spindle, probably what hispec was asking

2) they are rubbish

 

[pmcg911]

Well I don't really know if it's upside down. The electrical wire goes into the top, the way it is at the moment. Is that correct?

 

[hi-spec plumbing heating]

is the plastic cover on the top or bottom

 

[pannierstan]

Word of warning. They also always fail because everybody and I mean everybody always tightens the screws fully that hold them on to the top of the valve.
Tighten them then back em off half a turn.

Stan

 

[pmcg911]

hi-spec: it's on the side...

Ok I will ensure I don't tighten the screws too much. BTW why are plumbers merchants so deeply unpleasant to people who don't understand plumbing?! Is it a personal vendetta? I wanted to part with my £40-£90 for a new one but I got the impression they cheered when I left without buying one. Very odd bunch. Any present company is of course excepted.

 

[gas4you]

Because most of the herbets on the counter don't know anything either

 

[pmcg911]

Ha - thanks Dave, that answers it!

 

[simond]

I wanted to part with my £40-£90 for a new one but I got the impression they cheered when I left without buying one. Very odd bunch.

Don't take this personally but most merchants are very wary of making a sale to an obvious member of the public asking for advice.

Products sold in this way tend to come back, in knurled packaging accompanied by an irate customer looking for someone to blame for his mistake. Plumbers Merchants make nothing out of it, just get a broken box back on the shelf and a load of grief.