Is it a 3-way valve fault?

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The light on my Potterton Suprima 60 (don't laugh) boiler occasionally goes red and stays red i.e it is a lock-out and I understand that this is a common fault! Then it frees itself and frees up and the little green light comes on and all is well. However when the green light comes on, I turn the switch for the heaters to fire up - but they don't, irrespective of whether it's a red light or a green one ..... so does this lock-out stop the radiators coming on by messing up the three way valve or have I got a a red/green light fault AND a 3-way valve fault?
 
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phil1963 said:
The light on my Potterton Suprima 60 (don't laugh) boiler occasionally goes red and stays red i.e it is a lock-out and I understand that this is a common fault! Then it frees itself and frees up and the little green light comes on and all is well. However when the green light comes on, I turn the switch for the heaters to fire up - but they don't, irrespective of whether it's a red light or a green one ..... so does this lock-out stop the radiators coming on by messing up the three way valve or have I got a a red/green light fault AND a 3-way valve fault?

A constant red LED tends (not the word "tends") t indicate an external to pcb fault, flashing tends to indicate pcb fault,

Are you saying that it comes out of lockout without you pressing the reset button ? ... unusual to say the least
 
yes that is the case - it is sometimes red for two hours in the evening from about 7pm-9pm i.e it fires up, then locks out, then comes back to life. (I set it to come on at 5am-8am and again 6pm-10pm).
A few weeks ago when it locked out the red light flashed so I pushed the re-set button and it always came back to life. Now the sequence is that after a quick fire up the light goes red for two hours, then comes back to life all on its own. So I've gone from a flashing red light fault to a solid non-flashing red light fault. What's up???
If it is an external to pcb fault - is that an electricians job - or a plumbers???
 
phil1963 said:
yes that is the case - it is sometimes red for two hours in the evening from about 7pm-9pm i.e it fires up, then locks out, then comes back to life. (I set it to come on at 5am-8am and again 6pm-10pm).
A few weeks ago when it locked out the red light flashed so I pushed the re-set button and it always came back to life. Now the sequence is that after a quick fire up the light goes red for two hours, then comes back to life all on its own. So I've gone from a flashing red light fault to a solid non-flashing red light fault. What's up???
If it is an external to pcb fault - is that an electricians job - or a plumbers???

I have to say that I don't have an answer, other than to say that it's not a common fault. If it was going into lockout with a red flashing LED, and now there's a constant red LED which recovers after a couple of hours, I can only think that it's a processor fault

Al I can suggest is getting a CORGI fitter in - and he/she will first replace the pcb at great expnse and then keep changing things until it works
 
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Once again raden your wrong.

A constant red LED on the suprima means no demand for heat.

If the red light flashes (not continusly lit) boiler has gone to lock out and needs re-setting. AND if it does its never the pcb. hahahaha

David
 
not as a lockout condition it doesn't

and what's this once again ?

I think I have a bit more experience of Suprima pcbs than you
 
So assuming that (and I can't be aaaarsed to check) there is no demand for heat try turning up the hot water cylinder thermostat (and nothing else). If it suddenly springs into life then I would suspect the syncronous motor in the 3-port valve has indeed (as you suspected) gone kaputt. You can buy one for about £15, and a competant CORGI or sparky can fit it for you.
In the meantime if you use the manual lever on (some) the 3-port valve to keep the heating on until the DHW has heated.

PS: Don't forget to turn the cylinder 'stat down to normal :oops: [/i]
 
hmmmm still confused so where is the problem then please????
 
Dear Meldrew's Mate,
I have just popped upstairs and moved the temp guage from 50c to 60c and "Bingo" the green is back on we are firing up! Well done Sir. Does this mean that the syncronous thing in the 3-way valve is causing my boiler's red light to come on ?? and if so why?? Also I had a new 3-way valve installed last year by a CORGI registered chap.
 
Turn up the cylinder 'stat with the heating & hot water ON.
Does it light up?
If so follow my advice, if not, follow someone elses.
 
Once again raden your wrong.

A constant red LED on the suprima means no demand for heat.

If the red light flashes (not continusly lit) boiler has gone to lock out and needs re-setting. AND if it does its never the pcb. hahahaha

If there is a demand for heat then the boiler should go through the normal sequence of starting up (Soggy seems to have missed this)

At what pont is it failing to work?
 
phil1963 said:
Dear Meldrew's Mate,
I have just popped upstairs and moved the temp guage from 50c to 60c and "Bingo" the green is back on we are firing up! Well done Sir. Does this mean that the syncronous thing in the 3-way valve is causing my boiler's red light to come on ?? and if so why?? Also I had a new 3-way valve installed last year by a CORGI registered chap.

Stage one completed.....
Read the user instructions if you want to know what the lights mean, I can never remember and have more important things with which to fill my (limited) memory.

Stage two...events so far SEEM to indicate a failed sync motor, whether it's a year or a day old that's what it seems to be. If you think the original installer will replace under warranty then give him/her a call, otherwise get the sync motor changed.....on second thoughts confirm the diagnosis first by the following method:-
1. Turn the "heating only" on (Water off) and the room 'stat up high.
2. Does the heating come on and the boiler fire? I suspect not.
3. Does the manual lever on the 3-port valve go slack, or can you feel resistance as you move it? If you can feel resistance either the sync motor has failed, or the room 'stat has failed.....or it's something else :!:

Try posting the make/model of valve, 'stat, and cylinder 'stat as these may yield some info.
 
cheers for that Meldrew's Mate - one final q - if the sync thing is the problem would this cause the red light to come on continously??
 
phil1963 said:
cheers for that Meldrew's Mate - one final q - if the sync thing is the problem would this cause the red light to come on continously??

RtFI. :mad:
I refer you to my previous post. Please read it first, especially sentence two.
 
flashing red is lockout. constant red is 'no call for heat'
Best to start with HW only because the 3 port valve goes to the rest position. Turning cylinder stat up will cause boiler to flash up and turning it down will cause boiler to close down.
Next try CH only. Turning room stat up should cause boiler to flash up and turning it down should cause it to close down.
If you try HW and CH together you will get confused, because the valve spends some time in the middle positon and some time in the CH position according to which side is satisfied and which side is still calling for heat.
Generally the HW is satisfied first (unless you run a bath) and CH last because it loses heat through the radiators fairly quick.
For the boiler to flash up in the CH only state the valve must be moved against its spring to the correct position and also operate a microswitch to supply power to the boiler.
So the a valve problem may be either the motor or the microswitch, or it could be the valve spindle which has become too stiff.
You shoud be able to remove the actuator head and test the spindle for stiffness. You can also observe if the valve is moving the full amount if you get someone to try the various positions. I did this and found the head moved correctly but there was still no power coming from the orange wire thus indicating the problem was the microswitch.
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 

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