Sorry but I don't know. It depends upon how the cable is installed in your property, if it is clipped to the surface, buried in the plaster, run between floors etc. You might not be able to get it out along its entire length, but the important thing is to make sure any redundant cables are made safe by being completely disconnected and the loose ends not left hanging around where they could inadvertently come into contact with live wires.if I disconnect the thermostat downstairs will I be able to pull on the wire to get it out that way?
I wouldn't have expected to find a combi boiler, as stored hot water would be required for a home with 3 bathrooms, but for a property built in 1992 to have a gravity hot water system is very unusual. I would have expected to find a fully pumped system with motorised valve (or valves) to control the water flow from the boiler so that the pump also supplies the hot water cylinder (as per the diagram below) instead of it being heated by gravity circulation. Which is why I wanted you to check to be absolutely sure. If you compare the diagram below with the previous diagram sent you will see the difference between the two types of system. The wiring diagram I sent for installing the Hive is for a system with gravity fed hot water, it is not applicable to a fully pumped system.The house was built in 1992, I was surprised it didn't have a combi but a previous plumber said it may be because it has 3 bathrooms and 14 radiators and this system was best to deal with that. It all works fine so I won't replace until the boiler breaks.
FULLY PUMPED SYSTEM
That's not really something I can explain over a forum like this. But there are plenty of tutorials on line that will show you how to use it. The easiest and safest way would be to disconnect everything and then test each cable using the resistance settings to check the continuity of the wires in each cable allowing you to identify which is which. Check using the voltage function first to make sure that the cable you are testing is safe to work on.I've just gone out and bought a multimeter, which settings do I need to use to trace which wire is which?
To be sure, repeat the test with the far end disconnected and the reading will show a very high resistance.
Just make sure that they are completely disconnected and remove them where you can, so they aren't likely to pose a danger by coming into contact with something they shouldn't.When you say strip it all out, how would I start that as obviously the wires are in the wall and I wouldn't be able to go down further unless I made a hole in the wall?
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