3 port - which manufacturer?

[someonelse]

Any thoughts / recomendations on which manufacturer to get for replcaement 3 port valve?

Cost Vs longevity Vs reliability?

cheers!

 

[SandyLyon]

I only fit Honeywell, you can buy cheaper but for me they have always performed very well.
Also the heads are easily replaceable (not all makes are)

 

[Agile]

I also like Honeywell but usually fit those which look like them and ( mostly ) are interchangeable with the head/body.

The copies are originally sold under the name Tower but seem to be also branded as "Corgi" and sold at Toolstation.

Many of the other brands are far cheaper but less reliable and many are almost impossible to just replace the motor on them. Some have plastic parts which snap after a few years.

Tony

 

[stem]

My mothers bungalow was built in 1980 and still has one original Honeywell valve. OK it's 2 port, not a 3 port so has less parts, but you get the idea.

 

[Agile]

In the trade we find that the Honeywell do strongly outlive most other brands!

Furthermore they motor can be easily changed if you don't drop the screws!

 

[RigidRaider]

My Honeywell 3 port valve was clonking on changeover so on advice from this forum I changed it and now the clonking has stopped. Out of interest I took it apart and found nothing wrong with the rubber ball at all so I rang Honeywell and spoke with a very grumpy man who told me my pump was running too fast. When I asked him: "so why do you sell a replacement ball and arm kit?" he replied that some people put too much Fernox in the system, which softens the ball.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Any Honeywell fitted to a properly maintained system will likely outlast any of the cheaper versions. One Honeywell (although more expensive in the first place) should work out cheaper than getting through 2 or 3 of the alternatives, (plus fitting costs), so long term should save money.

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

Drayton, IMO are a better valve than Honeywell.

 

[McCombi]

Drayton, IMO are a better valve than Honeywell.

Really? The blue or cream ones that bg use? I would say the exact opposite tbh.
Honeywell much more reliable imo.

 

[Gasguru]

IMHO Honeywell are better than anything else but as with all products today quality has declined. Apart from the easily replacable motor and head the ball and plate kit is cheap and saves a complete valve body replacement if ever necessary.

If possible go for two 2 ports rather than a 3 port. The extra cost of using two valves is easily outweighed by the simplicity in the wiring and any fault finding issues in the future.

 

[Agile]

Drayton, IMO are a better valve than Honeywell.

You probably think that Ideal boilers are better than Vaillant too!

 

[Agile]

Drayton, IMO are a better valve than Honeywell.

Apart from being almost impossible to replace the motor and with the plastic bits breaking, its also virtually impossible to separate the head from the body!

 

[holty]

strangely if you put a tower and honeywell valve together you wont notice the different. they even fit on to each others bodies. honeywell products dont seem to be like they used to though.

 

[Armo74]

Honeywell for me.

From all the faulty valves I've been called to not many have been honeywells and the ones that have the parts have been easier to get hold of.

 

[Armo74]

Just like with anything else if installed correctly and maintained things tend to last longer.

I try to encourage my Clients to fire up the heating occasionally through the summer to get the valve moving to try and avoid it seizing.