PLEASE HELP - No hot water or central heating

Hi all
I think it would be best to start off by saying that my 8 months pregnant wife has had no access to hot water for three days now.
Over the weekend I took out 2 radiators and blanked off the flow and return. (I am going to be putting in underfloor heating). Everything went well until we discovered that the hot water is not working. I bled the radiator upstairs and that seems fine. I turned on the heating too. I then crawled into the loft space and found that the flow pipe from the boiler downstairs to the pump is hot, beyond the pump is hot too. The pump is running and the 3 different speed settings seem to be working fine. Just before the motorised valve (http://www.uk-plumbing.com/brochure/drayton/D42MotorValves.pdf) there is a branch in the pipe which has a valve (I think – it looks like a tap without a handle?). This pipe feeds the return back to the boiler downstairs. This pipe is hot all the way back to the boiler. The pipes to the radiators and the hot water tank are both cold beyond the motorized valve. I have taken the head? of the valve off just leaving the copper connection/valve. I can only rotate the spindle for the valve by about 15 degrees at most with my fingers. Is this correct? On closer examination of the motorized valve head I noticed that a small piece of the internal extension of the override black lever which moves the gear is broken off. I found the broken piece too. Does this suggest that there is something obstructing the valve and the motor drove against this obstruction until this black plastic lever broke?
I would appreciate any help with this. What should I do? Can’t be boiling water on the stove forever!

I have just ordered the following: Drayton 22mm Mid Position Valve 27101BQ Brass/White 22mm Compression. I plan to look at the new valve and compare the amount of rotation I can get on the current valve with the new one. Then I have the option to replace.

Also, what do you think if I close the valve on the branch from the flow pipe before the motorised valve. (The branch connects to the return pipe which is carrying hot water back to the boiler) Maybe this will allow the pump to force the water through the motorised valve and into either/both of the central heating and hot water tank lines. Thoughts?

Please could someone help with some insight to my posts above. PLEASE - pregnant wives are dangerous!

if you didn't alter the bypass in the first place it should still be ok.

you have a 3 port motorised valve. its rare for it to be blocked unless its blocked on the pipe from the pump to the mot valve.
this valve will always have one port open at least.
so can't see why your not getting heating or hw unless its airlocked or blocked.

where is the pump and valve in the loft ?

Thanks so much for the help.....

The pump and motorised valve are in the eaves space. The feed and expansion tanks are above the centre of the loft space just below the roof tiles. The hot water tank is in the eaves space too.

I did bleed the pump and there didn't seem to be too much air in it. As I said earlier, the pump seems to be fine.

The distance between the pump and motorised valve is around 500mm. Would bleeding the pump also clear any airlocks between the pump and motorised valve?

Perhaps the valve is stuck directing water to the central heating and the blanked off pipes are causing a problem. I would have thought that although I have disabled one part of the circuit (2 radiators downstairs), there would still be a complete loop through the remaining 4 downstairs radiators. There is also a loop in the loft involving 1 radiator which I am sure would be a complete loop.

Thoughts?

bradhawkins7 said:

Would bleeding the pump also clear any airlocks between the pump and motorised valve?

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not if the valve is higher than the pump.

Perhaps the valve is stuck directing water to the central heating and the blanked off pipes are causing a problem.

Click to expand...

depends where you blanked them off.
was it just the spurs off the flow/return you capped off ?

I would have thought that although I have disabled one part of the circuit (2 radiators downstairs), there would still be a complete loop through the remaining 4 downstairs radiators. There is also a loop in the loft involving 1 radiator which I am sure would be a complete loop.

Click to expand...

sounds ok. without knowing the layout.

have you any pics of the pump, valve etc in loft ?

have you any bleed valves at the pipeworks highest point in loft ?

is the small tank full of water ?

Thanks

Would bleeding the pump also clear any airlocks between the pump and motorised valve?

Click to expand...

not if the valve is higher than the pump.

Click to expand...

The valve is in line with the pump.

Perhaps the valve is stuck directing water to the central heating and the blanked off pipes are causing a problem.

Click to expand...

depends where you blanked them off.
was it just the spurs off the flow/return you capped off ?

Click to expand...

I will look into it, I think it is spur though.

I would have thought that although I have disabled one part of the circuit (2 radiators downstairs), there would still be a complete loop through the remaining 4 downstairs radiators. There is also a loop in the loft involving 1 radiator which I am sure would be a complete loop.

Click to expand...

sounds ok. without knowing the layout.
have you any pics of the pump, valve etc in loft ?

Click to expand...

I will get some tonight and post them.

have you any bleed valves at the pipeworks highest point in loft ?

Click to expand...

I have bled the radiator in the loft. Not sure if I can bleed the pipework except at the pump.
I mentioned earlier a thing that looks like a tap without handles in the bypass. Is that a valve or a bleed point?

is the small tank full of water ?

Click to expand...

Full

Do you know how many degrees the spindle of the motorised valve should turn? Is mine blocked or do they generally not have a big range of movement?

you say you have a radiator in the loft ? i take it its a converted loft not just a loft.
the spindles have very little turn either way.
i take it the spindle is moving freely.

as i said earlyer a mid position valve will always have at least one port open so you should get circulation to either hw/heating unless the inlet to the valve is blocked from the pump.

your tap as you say in the bypass pipework is just a valve not a bleed point.

you say you have a radiator in the loft ? i take it its a converted loft not just a loft.

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Converted loft

the spindles have very little turn either way.
i take it the spindle is moving freely.

Click to expand...

Yes it does move pretty freely so i think we can rule that out

as i said earlyer a mid position valve will always have at least one port open so you should get circulation to either hw/heating unless the inlet to the valve is blocked from the pump.

Click to expand...

I think I should drain the system, connect the two terminated pipes and see what happens.
Also, do you think there may be a blockage just before the valve and the water is taking the bypass route instead of through the valve? Maybe by blocking the bypass, the blockage may be blown through the valve? Thoughts?

your tap as you say in the bypass pipework is just a valve not a bleed point.

Click to expand...

Thanks for clarifying

try shutting the bypass.
but there is no reason why it shouldn't be circulating through the valve
unless AB port is blocked or airlocked.

Thanks for all the help. I reconnected the blanked off pipes and things seem to be working now. I am about to enjoy a much deserved bath.
Cheers
Brad