Central heating problem, with hot water

[jpkilo]

I'm a newbie here so bear with me. I have a Baxi Bermuda back boiler. I have hot water but no heating to radiators. I have a room thermostat in the lounge and a tank on the airing cupboard. This system have been working without any problems for the last 5 years. I think the problem is the Lifestyle mid position valve (based on what I have read here in the forum).

The valve does not move when heating is needed, stays on W position. The back boiler does not kick in. When I manually move the switch to M or H position I can get hot radiators so at the moment its on that position. If I let go, it will go back to W position (with or without power). When water heating is needed, boiler kicks in.

My questions are.

1. Am I right to say that the mid position valve is at fault?
2. If it is, is there any fuses or just part that is potentially the problem?
3. if i need to replace the whole valve, do i have to bleed the whole system? How to do it?
4. if I need to buy the valve, is it just a straight swap with the latest model? Can't find old model. I have the Lifestyle 679H340-3OLO (£55 + Vat)

Hope someone can help. thanks

 

[plumbplumb]

It's possible a valve fault.

Other things to check is even though timer is displaying heating on it may not be switching actual power through to the heating or the room thermostat likewise.

If these are both sending power then more than likely the valve is to blame.

With central heating on you should get 240v on the white wire to the valve

 

[plumbplumb]

Pretty much all mid positions are the same with the same wiring.

Blue and earth live and neutral
Brown HW off
White CH on
Orange pump and boiler

-------------------
Depends how confident you are. You either drain or bung your system. Draining is for wimps but if you don't know what your doing that is the safe option.

Although if your asking these questions it may be more advisable to get someone in

I use tower valves because they come with a 3 year guarantee and 10m tape !!!!!!

 

[seco services]

Sounds like you have a faulty Synchron Motor.
As plumbplumb said check you have 230v on the white wire when heating called for from programmer/stat..

 

[jpkilo]

ok thanks guys. ill find my multimeter and let you know

 

[jpkilo]

white wire has 237 volts, heating on but boiler not clicking

 

[jpkilo]

is it this one Seco Services?

http://www.screwfix.com/p/drayton-synchronous-motor/28670?_requestid=2169520#

 

[plumbplumb]

Thats good enough for the E.U

Either valve or motor inside then.

Motors are about £12. you could just change the head not the full valve.

It is demountable by the button on the side. Whip it off and check the spindle moves freely and is not jammed.

Turn the power off before messing inside

 

[plumbplumb]

is it this one Seco Services?

Yes they are universal

 

[seco services]

You got it.

 

[jpkilo]

will go and buy stuff then. thanks to you all. will post back how it go

 

[jpkilo]

I would like to thank both of you Seco Services and Plumbplumb for the marvelous advice. My central heating is now working the way it should do. I have save at least £300 from the engineer who came to see my CH.

He told me that I need my pump, immersion heater and possibly either Timer or thermostat replacing. He came and look at it for 5 minutes, then charged me £69 for coming out to my house. He will charge me again for the labour and materials once I agree to have it done.

I told him that both my immersion heater and pump are working. He can even hear it himself. He said because I have an old boiler, they need to be changed at the same time and hopefully sort my CH. I disagreed to his diagnosis so that is the reason I came to this forum. I SHOULD HAVE CAME HERE FIRST!!!

I am not in this trade but I am good with DIY. I know my limits but have never done any central heating before. I would have paid for the job if he was just honest enough to tell me what the real problem was and how to sort it. He was polite and looks sincere but it just shows the saying "do not judge a book by its cover".

I am very happy at the moment so well done guys! Keep up the good work!

 

[seco services]

Was it the Synchron Motor ?

 

[jpkilo]

Yes Yes I went to screwfix after my last post. Got the motor for less than £14. I thought it was difficult to take it out but done it in less than 10 minutes.

 

[seco services]