Vaillant Turbomax VUW 242E question

[Louise21]

Hi

Our boiler needs a new diverter valve; in the past we've paid Vaillant to replace it but they are so expensive (about £300) that we thought we'd ask our regular plumber to do it.

He couldn't find the valve for less than £140 plus VAT, so he suggested I look online, and I found one for £84. It's arrived and it's a genuine, new Vaillant diverter valve, but it's come with only 2 white rings, and the plumber says he needs several more rings/seals before he can fit it.

He's gone to the local plumbers' outlet to try to order the missing rings/seals, but I said I would try to find out online exactly what's needed. Please can anyone help?

Thanks, Louise

P.S.
Our plumber is a fully-registered Gas Safe engineer.

 

[spraggo]

Hi

Our boiler needs a new diverter valve; in the past we've paid Vaillant to replace it but they are so expensive (about £300) that we thought we'd ask our regular plumber to do it.

He couldn't find the valve for less than £140 plus VAT, so he suggested I look online, and I found one for £84. It's arrived and it's a genuine, new Vaillant diverter valve, but it's come with only 2 white rings, and the plumber says he needs several more rings/seals before he can fit it.

He's gone to the local plumbers' outlet to try to order the missing rings/seals, but I said I would try to find out online exactly what's needed. Please can anyone help?

Thanks, Louise

P.S.
Our plumber is a fully-registered Gas Safe engineer.
View attachment 107781

www.amazon.co.uk/fibre washers

 

[muggles]

The white rings in the picture are just standard fibre washers. I've got a box of about 100 of each of the three most commin sizes, plus another smaller box of less common sizes, in my van - they're standard stock and used on a whole variety of plumbing connections. He might, if he's feeling very thorough, also want to replace part numbers 981151, 981165, and 981170, although these wouldn't normally be supplied with a diverter valve on this model AFAIK so you'd need to know to order them separately. Don't be surprised if he charges you extra for a return visit as you haven't got all the parts he wanted first time around.

 

[Louise21]

Many thanks to both of you.

Andrew: He's a decent bloke who we've used for years and wouldn't take any petrol money for the 'wasted' visit - just stopped for a coffee and a talk! And I do have confidence in his thoroughness, just not in his being able to obtain the precise Vaillant parts off-the-shelf, hence me wanting to find out what's needed. So your input is very helpful.

I see that the three part numbers you've given are all for rubber (neoprene?) O-rings. I have emailed the company I bought the valve from and was told that although it's normal for it to come supplied with only 2 fibre washers, there is a 'kit', part no:
0020101940, which he's now posted (free of charge).
Well, I've googled that number but cannot find it, so don't know if it will contain the right parts. Fingers crossed it will contain the O-rings you list, Andrew.

As you may have guessed, I'm a bit ocd-ish and fretting that if we don't have the right size new washers/rings the boiler will leak everywhere!
I'm sitting here at 3am staring at pages 5, 6 & 7 from here:
http://www.gasboilerforums.com/manuals/vaillant/Turbomax spare parts list.pdf
and ticking off parts that are included and trying to work out parts we still need.
And I'm also staring at the new valve itself, which by my reckoning has no fewer than eight connections!

1 to the top (fibre washer?)
4 to the front (one of them fibre washer, dunno what the other 3 require. One of them is tiny.)
2 to the left side (dunno what they need)
1 to the right side (I think it needs O-Ring 980149)

As a mere householder who only turns the heating on and off I know I should leave all this to the plumber. But I'm a worrier.

P.S.
I've now learnt that 980149 has changed number to one of the ones you've listed, ie 981165. Why do they change the numbers?!

 

[gas112]

It doesnt need anymore washers or o rings to fit it
The existing O ring just need a smear of silicone grease on them

 

[Bunnyman]

I think your fitting it yourself with the info your requesting mate? Thats fine there is nought gas to worry about, be honest and ask questions your much more likely to receive the help

 

[Steelmasons]

I think your fitting it yourself with the info your requesting mate? Thats fine there is nought gas to worry about, be honest and ask questions your much more likely to receive the help

I figured that as soon as I read the opening post......those washers are part of van stock FFS .......so the "plumber" turned up to fit DV but couldn't fit it due to washers missing????...yea right ....I hope "Louise" paid for his wasted time??..
You couldn't make it up FFS..

 

[Bunnyman]

There is one VERY important thing when fitting these valves hopefully he will know about it as if not you will get wet an then its very very expensive

 

[Steelmasons]

...G clamp Bunny...

 

[gas112]

you ever do it bunny ?

 

[Bunnyman]

Not the g clamp thats the turbo plus, yes ive done that, and also the one we know will happen with this one, i have done that 40miles from home on a friday, still remember the pain of the water going everywhere and 4 hours of work to put it right. That was a warranty call around 1998 lol it scarred me

 

[gas112]

unluuuuky

 

[Louise21]

Nope, I'm not fitting it myself; I swear that everything I've written is the truth. I'm a 56 year-old woman in York, with OCD.

Anyway, I spent well over £20 online last night/early hours ordering 10-packs of the three types of O-rings Andrew listed, cos I want to make sure that the plumber can replace any old rings he removes when he comes back. I am currently running a bath which I managed to do cos the plumber told me how to touch the microswitch with a screw driver.

 

[AGAS]

 

[muggles]

It doesnt need anymore washers or o rings to fit it
The existing O ring just need a smear of silicone grease on them

You've clearly never had an old o-ring fail to re-seal! Much easier to swap out at the time than have to do the whole job twice