Vaillant Turbo Max VUW Upstairs Water Temperature

[siouxchief]

Hi,

I am having some trouble with my heating system which according to the manual is a Vaillant Turbo Max VUW 242/1e or 282/1e with instructions here:

http://www.acwilgar.co.uk/Boiler-Manual-PDF/Vaillant/Turbomax VUW 242E 282E.pdf

Trying to recollect the sequence of events I think what happened first is that the radiator on the 3rd floor started to feel cold. Then I realised that the pressure of the bolier had gone below 1bar while cold. I therefore increased the pressure to 1.5bar and bled the rads which seemed to fix that problem.

We then noticed that no matter how much we turned up the temperature on the shower or sink upstairs that it didnt get very hot anymore and is just about tolerable to have a shower in.

The temperature on the Combi is reading about 65 degrees when operational and the pressure is now over the 1 bar.

The only other thing that I did that may have been an issue is that I either opened or closed (cant remember) the pipe feeding the Combi which is pipe 4. on page 5 of the manual. This in the manual is called the Cold Water connection.

It is currently fully open so I dont know if I am just filling the boiler with cold water so maybe thats why it isnt heating the water and maybe should it be closed? I could have swore that when everything was fine that it was always open but I cant remember for sure.

Any tips on this would be great please?

Thanks

David

 

[Jordon]

Hi have you slowed the flow from the hot tap down? Ie opened it only about quater and tried the hop tap?? If not give it a go if it comes out hot then it may be going through the boiler to quick and may need a pressure reducing valve fitted to the cold water in to the boiler some installers just turn the cold water valve under the half open to get over the problem basically making the water stay in the boiler longer to heat and drop the flow rate, bit of a bodge. Also make sure its not passing heat into the heating circuit, when heating is off turn the hot tap on, if the far left big pipe gets hot and rads get Luke warm after 10 mins of running the boiler diverter may have gone. Good luck

 

[siouxchief]

Thanks for the info, I will give that a try tonight. Can you tell me if the Cold Water valve as I mentioned previously should be open fully or closed fully in normal operation?

Thanks

 

[Jordon]

Should be fully open but when fully open may be to much for the boiler to handle.

 

[siouxchief]

Thanks Jordon,

Just an update I notice that the sink upstairs can get quite hot then fades again to tepid even on small flow.

I tried your tip to run the hot tap downstairs with the heating off and then felt the pipes. The results where that the 1st pipe on the left seems to be roasting and untouchable and the 2nd pipe is hot and you can probably touch it for a few seconds before it gets uncomfortable.

Looks like now its primarily an upstairs issue as the kitchen sink does get quite hot and can maintain that.

Thanks

 

[Jordon]

Can you isolate the shower?? Or as a test shut the cold inlet to the boiler, and turn the hot on the tap to make sure the cold water isn't crossing over via the shower valve. Still maybe the diverter mind

 

[siouxchief]

Thanks for the reply. I cant isolate the shower unfortunately. I did shut off the cold water connection valve downstairs but it didnt make a difference as everything was still cold.

I did just notice now though that the tap downstairs is no longer piping hot (as it was at one point yesterday). The water used to be untouchable when washing up etc but now you can leave your hands under it without a problem. Seems to me that the water around the whole house may just be colder than it used to be and not just upstairs.

Any ideas on how to increase the temp of the water or what may be causing a decrease in temp?

One other possible thing I noticed is that the pressure from the shower may have increased slightly. I may be imagining this but thought i would mention it all the same.

Thanks for taking the time

 

[Jordon]

But when you shut it off did cold water come out of the hot? If it did then sounds like the cold is crossing. If you shut the cold going to the boiler only off then no wTer should come out of any hot tap.

 

[siouxchief]

Just so I make sure i am turning the correct thing this is my set up. The first pic are the pipes leading up into the boiler. The valve in that picture on pipe 4 I cant turn as it seems literally welded in position and I have never moved it.

This same pipe connection, pipe 4 for the cold water then goes off to the right and is in the second pic. It seems to be going outside!? This is the valve I was turning and the one I have been calling the cold water inlet pipe as it was pipe 4 on the manual. Is this the valve i am meant to be turning or the one welded in position?

Anyhow when i close it I still get water from the hot tap so it doesnt seem to do much! No hope in me turning the other valve too!

Thanks again

Pipes leading up into boiler

• siouxchief
• 24 Jan 2012
• 1

4th pipe

• siouxchief
• 24 Jan 2012
• 1

4th pipe from 1st pic continued and seems to be going outside. This is what i am turning

 

[Jordon]

The pipe in pick one leads to under the boiler st the top of that pipe as it connects to the boiler is a valve turn it off there. If water still comes out of the hot then it is crossing water.