Can you short a flow sensor to fire a Glow Worm 30ci

Tony131 · 2 Jan 2010

Hi,
As per subject title, I have the symptoms of a faulty flow sensor:

Boiler's not firing when hot water tap is opened.

I removed the flow sensor and tested for continuity across the pins of the with a multimeter....whist running water through the sensor.

At first I got nothing, so I opened the flow sensor and cleaned sludge from the magnet. I then got a continuity reading from the sensor, so I refit the unit. Unfortunately the boiler still does not fire on demand from the hot tap.

Is it possible (im thinkng it is) to short across the connections from the plug to the flow sensor to fool the boiler into thinking the flow sensor is working? (obviously with the hot tap running too)

I have three wires connecting to the flow sensor. Grey, White and Pink.
thanks

adlplumbing · 2 Jan 2010

if it flexiecom they are nown for flowswtich problems give it a tap put back in otherwise buy new one on monday

mickyg · 2 Jan 2010

firstly ignore above ill informed advice.

if you have a multimeter you can check it works.

Set multimeter to measure DC voltage.

check pink wire only with TAP OFF and should be 0vdc OR 12vdc

with TAP ON it should be 5-6vdc and it will pulse on your meter.

Is it the grey one? this has been replaced by an updated black one which is more reliable.

Tony131 · 2 Jan 2010

Ok, I'll be able to test for DCV on the pink wire tomorrow. Gave up for the day now.

I just want to understand why the boiler didn't ignite when i shorted across the connections in the flow sensor's plug.

And yes, It is the Grey Flow sensor unit.

Thanks MickyG for the accurate help. My Sister and her soon to be 2yr old boy do appreciate it.

adlplumbing · 3 Jan 2010

mickyg";p="1458564 said:
firstly ignore above ill informed advice.
quote]
i fixed 4 flexicom doing that in scoial housing

mickyg · 3 Jan 2010

adlplumbing";p="1458822 said:
mickyg said:

firstly ignore above ill informed advice.
quote]
i fixed 4 flexicom doing that in scoial housing

Click to expand...

funny I've attended hundreds of flexicoms and only ever had 1 flowswitch failure. Maybe your special

mickyg · 3 Jan 2010

Tony131 said:
I just want to understand why the boiler didn't ignite when i shorted across the connections in the flow sensor's plug.

because its not a switch. You can't manually replicate the on voltage. You can try removing it and blowing through it to test.

Tony131 · 5 Jan 2010

ok great,
thanks for that...it was the flow sensor.
replaced the grey unit for the black one and it's working ok now.
all the best

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Can you short a flow sensor to fire a Glow Worm 30ci

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