Diverter valve

[paul kenneth BLYTHE]

Hi,

I have moved into an older house with a very old heating system that i will be upgrading in the next 2years.

my problem for now is that i have to have my hot water on when i put my heating on as well, which also then prioritises the hot water before the heating. i can have the hot water on with the heating so that's fine. i currently have a condenser boiler with a Horstmann 425 controller with a tank in the airing cupboard. i have one 2way.

is it possible for me to change the 2way valve for a 3way valve?

Thanks


Norway

 

[Deleted member 267285]

It sounds like you have a w plan, 3 port diverter (photo may help), if this is the case, you should be able to upgrade to a 3 port mid position valve.

 

[fixitflav]

It sounds like you have a w plan, 3 port diverter (photo may help), if this is the case, you should be able to upgrade to a 3 port mid position valve.

Sounds to me like he has a 2-port valve. If so, changing to a 3-port would involve some plumbing. I would go for a W-plan (not mid-position) 3-port. I don't think Y-plan gives much advantage, the valve is (probably) more expensive and less reliable, and if he goes for weather compensation it needs mods to eliminate the mid position.

 

[paul kenneth BLYTHE]

I will give you an update when i am home on Friday. Thanks for the information.

 

[paul kenneth BLYTHE]

So having looked further around the house turns out I don't any valves at all only a pump on my heating system. What would be my best and cheapest option to operate my central heating and hot water separately?

 

[fixitflav]

So having looked further around the house turns out I don't any valves at all only a pump on my heating system. What would be my best and cheapest option to operate my central heating and hot water separately?

Hard to be sure from the pic, but there's a good chance you have a gravity hot water, pumped heating system. Is there another boiler outlet as well as the one to the pump, going to the HW cylinder? If so, you could cap that and install a 3-port valve on the pump delivery, one outlet going to the rads (as it does currently), the other to the HW cylinder.

 

[paul kenneth BLYTHE]

Yes there is an outlet for both hot water and heating with separate returns as well. Would it just be the hot water outlet to cap?

 

[fixitflav]

Yes there is an outlet for both hot water and heating with separate returns as well. Would it just be the hot water outlet to cap?

Yes, that's right. If you haven't got a HW cylinder stat you need one of those. There's plenty of information out there about wiring up W- and Y-plan systems.