Luke warm hot water - hole in HWC coil?

[Raj1976]

Hi guys and gals,

After a bit of advice please. We have a very odd ch system which was in the house when we moved in. Basically you cannot control the HW and CH separately, if you want one you have to have the other. In summer months we just turn of rads from the valves.

This morning the HW was only lukewarm (its usually very hot) but the rads were hot as normal, hence I don't think the issue is the boiler. My thinking is either a split in the coil in the HWC or perhaps an issue with the 3 way valve which is next to the HWC? We have a HWC in the airing cupboard in small bedroom, the CWS tank in the loft with the F&E tank next to it. The CWS tank and the F&E tank sit on the same platform, the bottom of both tanks are at the same height, however the CWS is a much bigger tank so the height of the water level is a lot higher than the water level in F&E tank which is small (hope that makes sense).

Is there a surefire way to test whether there is a split in the coil?

Appreciate any advice / knowledge - many thanks (I know the ideal scenario is to upgrade to either a combi or upgrade the current system but I hope to move house early next year so doesn't make sense financially).

 

[ALCPlumbing]

If it has split the water from both tanks will merge and as a result find it's own level which will cause the smaller tank, the F&E tank, to overflow. Keep an eye on it. This will definitely happen if the coil has split.

 

[ALCPlumbing]

It's seems a bit odd that you have a 3-port valve yet are unable to control heating and hot water separately. It may just be a case of replacing the programmer and changing the wiring. Is your programmer located near to the three port valve? Do you have a cylinder thermostat and a central heating thermostat?
What controls the temperature of you hot water? If heating is working ok then it is definitely a fault with something that only the hot water in which case I would be looking at the stat.

 

[Raj1976]

Hi ALCPlumbing - I am a total amateur so may have used the wrong terminology. Next to one of the pipes near the top of the HWC is what looks like a radiator valve, it has a pipe going into the left (from the cylinder) one coming out of the right and one going into the bottom. It is marked 0 - 9, currently set on number 8 (have found this setting gets the water coming out of the taps at around 60 - 65 degrees). There is also a metal wire that comes from this valve and sits on the HWC itself (I assume some sort of temperature measuring device), I always thought this is what controlled the temp in the HWC and tells the valve when to let water in to heat the stored hot water, and when to shut off - bypass the coil in the cylinder - when its up to temperature. The control panel is actually downstairs in the kitchen next to the boiler. I cant see any physical wires going to the valve next to the HWC. The rads are controlled individually by the stat / valve on the side, there is no central thermostat. Its really odd. One of the many reasons I want to move. I appreciate your feedback and advice

 

[Nige F]

Is it a Honeywell VT112R valve - have a google and see

 

[Raj1976]

Hi Nige F - thank you for the reply. Yes looks like it!