Hot water (and linked radiators) on when set to be off

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PLEASE - HELP NEEDED!

I have a problem with my heating and hot water. Our electrician blames the plumbing and the plumber blames the electrical system! Neither of them seem to know what the problem is despite having come to inspect the systems several times.


THE SYSTEM

Our house’s heating and hot water system is designed so that the radiators in the bathrooms are connected not to the central heating system for the rest of the house, but to the hot water system proper (so that towels stay warm when needed, or something like that). Therefore, when the hot water is on, these radiators will also be on, regardless of whether the other radiators in the house are off.

We have two gas boilers, both Potterton Netaheat ‘Profile 60e’. Both the heating and hot water are controlled by a Honeywell console which allows separate timings for the hot water and heating. There is also a thermostat in the hall and an immersion heater in a cupboard upstairs.

The whole system is approximately 15 years old.


THE PROBLEM

We have always set our hot water and heating to go on from 4am to 9am; then 3pm to 10pm.

Despite having set it this way on the Honeywell console, and the red lights next to each switch going on and off at the times we have set (apparently indicating the heating and hot water are also going on and off at the set times) the hot water (and thus bathroom radiators) come on during the off-periods. It does not come on during every off period, but often does. When it does go on during an off-period, it is on for the whole of that off-period. It has particularly been noticed being on at night (between 10pm and 4am) because one of us has to get up for an early shift.

The whole system also seems to be making odd whooshing sounds (audible through the walls) which it didn’t used to.


THE WORK DONE

The plumber has changed the motorized valve which sits on top of a pipe which emerges about a third of the way up the immersion heater (it is now a Honeywell motorized valve). This did not solve the problem. He later changed the pipe itself. This has not solved the problem. The plumber has said there should be some resistance when one touches the switch on the motorized valve but instead one can flick it from side to side easily.

The plumber suggests that there may be some kind of intermittent ‘electrical feedback’ problem.

The electrician changed the Honeywell control console almost a year ago now. That has not helped. He has also tested the thermostat in the hall. That was found to be fine.

Both have also been up in the loft to inspect the tanks and (presumably?) the pump and have found no problem.

Please can anyone help? I'm not sure how many more electricians and plumbers we can afford!

James Hayton
 
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Do you have any type of frost protection on the system ? Frost thermosat will override time control *
 
Hi, thanks for replying. No we don't have a frost thermostat. Could there be anything in the 'intermittent electrical feedback' theory?
 
This is Felix's territory. He should be able to help.
Bump it if no joy until he sees it. :D
 
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Time control - faulty :rolleyes: Honeywell time control ?
Is the system correctly wired .?here quick check :

Set dhw and ch to 24hrs ,


turn down dhw stat min -turn down ch stat min ,

Boiler-pump should now be off .

turn up ch stat max -boiler pump on *turn off stat boiler+pump off.

same procedure with dhw .
 

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