Timer broken on Thorn Olympic Boiler - How to replace / fix?

[Cluffstarr]

Hi,

I have a Thorn Olympic Boiler in a house I have recently bought. It is quite old but it still seems capable of running the heating system very well. The problem is, the timer on the front does not work (it is seized and it looks like someone has tried to fix it behind and pulled out the switch in/out wires). The front of the boiler looks like this:

Boiler Front

• Cluffstarr
• 21 Jan 2013
• 1

Thorn Olympic

I have a 7 day programmer bought in error for a different house which should be used for lighting circuits (it is fused to 3Amp at present) just like this one:
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Ele...ic+Wall+Switch+Timer+7+Day/d190/sd2660/p16578
I wonder if I use a 5 Amp fuse, would it be possible to put the switch wires into it in order to use it for timing the On/Off of the boiler?

If not, what are my other options. There is a thermostat in the living room which also seems to be broken(!) so would it be possible to replace this with a thermostat with built in 7 day timer (examples of which are numerous) and leave the boiler on constant to be controlled by the 'stat?

I am a novice at these things so any advice is grately received and my apologies of my ideas are a tad simplistic or quite simply wont work!!

Cheers, Cluffstarr

 

[onecog]

That is an old boiler.
I remember these from 20 years ago ?
Just fit an external timer.

 

[Netdragon]

Sadly most parts on this boiler are obsolete, think the timer is one I believe.

You can wire a clock in but there will be a mess of wires, if you miss a wire or not wire correctly it can be hell to trace.
As this needs the lower case removed and controls I suggest you get a rgi in to ensure all is well.
Due mainly to the type and age and parts inside of the boiler I'd strongly suggest you get it checked out, they don't when selling homes other then visual.

Allways had fun ripping these out for a system boiler and converting to a timer, but annoying when called in after another installer cut all the wires and forgot to label, and can not wire it up.

 

[Cluffstarr]

Just fit an external timer.

Hi, sorry, could you elaborate on how to do that? Do you mean set a timer on the power to the boiler?

 

[Cluffstarr]

I've had the boiler serviced and like I say, the heating system is running very well. I will be changing all of the heating and plumbing at some point in the coming couple of years but for the moment I need money for other things...

 

[Burnerman]

I get a few of these up here - old Trianco's, Thorns etc.
Only interfere with the wiring if you've plenty of time, and its in the summer
On the incoming boiler electric lead, fit a simple switch timer from the likes of Tesco's, and set your boiler switches to continuous.
Sometimes I need to put a plug on the boiler lead, and fit a socket where it goes into the wall.
John

 

[Cluffstarr]

On the incoming boiler electric lead, fit a simple switch timer from the likes of Tesco's, and set your boiler switches to continuous.
Sometimes I need to put a plug on the boiler lead, and fit a socket where it goes into the wall.
John

That is definitely the easiest solution, I was just a bit wary as I'd read somewhere not to do it? However, since moving in, the boiler's been on a low constant setting but I've had the power on and off many many times for other unrelated electrical jobs and it seems all OK?!

 

[Cluffstarr]

Hi again,

I tried with a friend to install the switch yesterday with no success... Timer Switch has a Live, Load and 2 Way connection. I have Live, Neutral and Earth from the Fuse Box and Live, Neutral and Earth out to the Boiler.

I initally wired it as a 1 way switch so Live from fuse box to 'Live' and live to boiler to 'Load'. I connected up the earths and neutrals into a connector block, but the switch did not come on. The setup is shown below:

First Wiring attempt

• Cluffstarr
• 28 Jan 2013
• 1

I wonder if anyone could suggest other possible ways I should be wiring up this timer switch? We did try bringing the neutrals into the loop (as we thought that there should be an electrical loop running to keep the switch powered in parallel to the boiler) but at that point it was getting late in the day with light running out with the main house power off...

Any suggestions for if I get time to try again later today?

Thanks in advance, Cluffstarr

 

[Burnerman]

Maybe its a good idea to post a pic of the timer / switch connections......if indeed it is a timer, then you'll definitely need the neutral in there somewhere.
John

 

[Cluffstarr]

I'll try and get a pic - the connections are as shown on the diagram though, just 'Live', 'Load' and '2-Way'.

 

[flameport]

Live Load and 2way means it's probably a light switch timer, and therefore not suitable.

Fit a plug on the boiler lead and get a plug in timer as suggested earlier.
It's by far the easiest method, and allows for proper isolation when the boiler is serviced.