Motorised three - way valve problem.

[dannynolan]

Central heating works but hot water doesn't. When we switch everything off, and then put the hot water on alone - the radiators warm up but the hot water remains off.

We have a three-way motorised valve (Tower mid-position valve) and have tried moving the lever to manual position. However the lever is floppy and won't stay hooked in the notch.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

 

[CountryFan]

Providing you've not had any wiring changes, Get it replaced at your earliest opportunity. Do you have an immersion heater for the meantime?

 

[dannynolan]

Providing you've not had any wiring changes, Get it replaced at your earliest opportunity. Do you have an immersion heater for the meantime?

Thanks for that, no wiring changes - we have replaced the Corgi synchronous motor in the past. Do you think it might be worth changing that first? The immersion heater is on the blink - one for another thread.

 

[terryplumb]

Remove the actuator head, the problem isn't the motor, and see if the spindle turns freely in the valve body. If it doesn't replace the complete valve.

 

[dannynolan]

Just a follow up for any readers. The spindle did turn freely so as a quick fix we replaced the motor. It was a quick and cheap fix for about fifteen quid, the electrics fairly simple, just a little bit of crimping required. Not a complete fix, as if the central heating is on it will not flip to hot water automatically, we have to do it manually. Will sort it properly eventually, probably by replacing the actuator.

Again thanks for all the help.

 

[ericmark]

The default is hot water, the diagram here shows how the tank thermostat connects direct to the boiler, not via the three port valve, so seems unlikely the three port valve at fault, the internals shown here

John Ward explains, so step one turn off all power, and see if the lever on valve goes stiff again. Then try again hot water only.