Motorised valve query

[ian.hutcherson]

After noticing that none of my radiators were getting hot last week, i tried many things to get them working before someone pointed my in direction of the motorised valve (very old, marked as being made by Pottertons).

If i switch the valve to "Manual" from automatic, my radiators spring to life. If i put it back on automatic, they stay cold.

Can i leave the valve on manual? or do i need to start looking at getting it replaced?

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks

 

[slippyr4]

Of course you need to replace it. (although quite possibly just the head)

On manual mode, you're not able to time and control the use of your heating and hot water- you're wasting money. Also, if it's a 3 port valve, whenever the heating is on you're going to be warming the HW cylinder, which would make for very very hot water, irrespective of the cylinder stat position.