Central Heating Only Coping With Heating 3 or 4 radiators

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, if the arrow is pointing down with the head right way up will means at least that that pump was installed correctly as the head would have had to be rotated through 180 deg.
the rotation of the head means absolutely nothing, only the body can determine the direction of the flow, the head always rotates one way, the only reason to rotate the head is for either wiring or aesthetic purposes, it can only turn one way
 
It means quite alot in the above context, all pumps are supplied on the assumption that they will pump upwards so the head is attached "right way up", with the wiring entering from the bottom and also, with A rated pumps makes configurating them relatively easy, if installed pumping downwards then most but not all installers take the time to swing the head around to reflect all this as was done in the above case. I would think that most if not all plumbers are quite aware that the pump arrow shows the direction of flow. The installer above (Grundfos) did swing the head around but did install it properly, ie pumping downwards.
 
all pumps are supplied on the assumption that they will pump upwards
Well you obviously know a lot more than me , I have never heard of a pump as you call it ( it is a circulator) and they pump upwards ? so if the boiler is the highest part of the circuit say in a loft , so where does the "pump" pump upwards to ?
 
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I am quite sure that 99% of people reading this know what I am talking about, but just for information, a "circulator" is first and foremost a Pump that is used to circulate water or some other liquid.
 
I am quite sure that 99% of people reading this know what I am talking about, but just for information, a "circulator" is first and foremost a Pump that is used to circulate water or some other liquid.
I will not deviate from the post as the OP is genuinely asking for advice, but if you want to start your own post about what is a circulator v a pump, then I am more than happy to educate you , and the other 99% that you seem to know
 
so if the boiler is the highest part of the circuit say in a loft , so where does the "pump" pump upwards to ?
Upwards is just a direction, not a location. With the boiler in the loft, the pump can be in a pipe pumping upwards towards the boiler.
 
Seems obvious it's circulation:

Boiler stat is ok, boiler doesn't kettle and the pipes at the pump are too hot to hold so boiler is neither too hot or not hot enough.

If the plumber used the pump valves to change the pump and they operated alright it's not the gate stuck in a semi closed position.

Take a picture of the pipework before the pump, the other side of where the valves are and the arrangement, could be blocked at the cf/vent connection.

Do you know if the system is piped in plastic?

If it's a home you plan to live in for the next 20 years re-pipe or be prepared for ongoing tinkering which will be more costly in labour, parts and fuel because as excellent as the existing boiler is it is standard efficiency. Ok when gas was 3.5p/kW even if the system wasn't working well but now it's 3 times that.

The discussion about pump and circulator: for me the clue is in the word circulate, something leaves and returns, part of a circuit. A pump moves something, usually upward though not always but whatever it moves doesn't return to be moved again (fountains are a special case I decided) I was always taught to use the terms correctly but am as loose with terminology as everybody else

A there's no vacuum in a vacuum cleaner, it's just another missused term.
 
I can see two valves like the 2 port one you posted, near the HW cylinder and pump.
I think thats called an 's' type system. I have that setup and I used to have a Potterton Profile 60e boiler. With that setup (as opposed to a 'Y' type system with a three way valve) you must have an automatic bypass valve. If that is set incorrectly or is faulty, heated water from the boiler will go back to the boiler, get too hot resulting in the boiler shutting down with the pump running on until the water cools down and the boiler fires up again. You need to locate your ABV and see whether it is letting heated water back to the boiler from cold. Mine only opens when the heating or hot water is satisfied and allows the system to keep pumping for around 5 minutes with the boiler not running to cool down before shutting down.
 
The discussion about pump and circulator: for me the clue is in the word circulate, something leaves and returns, part of a circuit. A pump moves something, usually upward though not always but whatever it moves doesn't return to be moved again
It's tempting to quote the bard on this subject! Another difference is in circulation there is zero static head differential, in other circumstances there often is. But these differences are to do with the system, the pump doesn't know. The pump suppliers don't seem to insist on the distinction. And why use a word of 4 syllables when 1 will do?
 
Take a picture of the pipework before the pump
As follows, although you can't see the pump itself here - that you can view in an earlier upload I made
IMG_2157 Medium.jpeg

Do you know if the system is piped in plastic?
It isn't piped in plastic
If it's a home you plan to live in for the next 20 years re-pipe
It isn't - probably looking at another 5 years. But we need the heating to be working during that time.
With that setup (as opposed to a 'Y' type system with a three way valve) you must have an automatic bypass valve.
Apparently not, according to my plumber. I asked him an hour ago, and he said 'no'. I asked him a 2nd time just to be sure. He also checked that the pump installed by the Powerflush plumber was installed correctly and working, and it was. Also confirmed the boiler thermostat working ok.

His suggestion is to leave the Sentinel x400 in for another 2 weeks and see if there's any improvement. If not, floorboards up and pipe replacement.
 
Apparently not, according to my plumber. I asked him an hour ago, and he said 'no'.
Maybe you have a manual bypass valve? I know with a three port valve you don't need a bypass but when I had my system converted to a sealed one with unvented hot water, they removed the three port and fitted two 2 port valves and a automatic bypass. When your heating or hot water reaches its set point, does the boiler just switch off and the pump stop running? I'm not a heating engineer but that doesn't seem right to me.

Do you have a sealed system - looks like a fill hose hanging there in that picture?
 
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When your heating or hot water reaches its set point, does the boiler just switch off and the pump stop running?
Yes and no - boiler switches off, but pump is constantly running
Do you have a sealed system - looks like a fill hose hanging there in that picture?
The hose is loose and not part of the system. I haven't yet established if I'm sealed or not.
 
If a sealed system, you will have a red expansion vessel somewhere, if so, you could have a semi sealed system where the feed & expansion tank (small tank) is retained with a non return valve in the cold feed and the addition of the expansion vessel.
 

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