New home owner, old boiler system (Potterton Netaheat Electric) - Photos inside.

[needalittletime]

Hi all,

We've just moved into our new home last weekend and I was getting to the grips with the boiler system. Having used the digital timer before, I was familar with setting it up etc and got the hot water to turn on regularly.

It seems the hot water and central heating works fine (yay!) but the latter only turns on when the hot water is on too. Is this normal? Do they not work separately?

I've included photos of the boiler (downstairs kitchen) and our hot water tank (upstairs).












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Regarding the 4th picture showing the water tank, when we were doing some light work in the house, I asked my builder about the black cap/thingy at the top of the boiler. It's connected to the mains and was off; he said I didn't need to turn it on so I have left it off and indicated it was some emergency switch in case the tank stopped working (lol something like that).

Does this need to be on?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[ScottishGasMan]

Older systems like this it is very common to need to turn the clock on for hot water heating to get the central heating to come on as well.

The Black cap thingy is an electrical immersion heater, an element like in a kettle to heat you rhot water should the system stop working, leave it off unless its required.

As for the boiler, they are very good reliable old workhorses (the netaheat) however they are very dangerous if not regularly and correctly checked for saftey, so if you havent already, get someone in to service it and make sure its all in order.,

 

[SteveP86]

The black cap is the cover for the immersion heater. Basically a heating element to heat the water using electric incase the boiler goes on the blink so just leave it off as advised - unless the boiler breaks of course.

 

[needalittletime]

Thanks for the replies ScottishGasMan and Stevep86!

So I'll assume I'll have to have the hot water on for the central heating to work?! That's well...inconvenient, means I'll have to turn on the switch every time manually :/

Is there a way for me to check this and see if I can get them to work independently of each other?

 

[DP]

Cannot tell from pictures bit what does the label on the silver box say?

If that is a diverter valve, then replacing the programmer will let you run heating and hot water at different times. Another option is to fit a programmable room thermostat and let the existing programmer run hot water

 

[stardanny]

In those day, hot water get priority at the same time heating is on. Heating will continue to run even hot water is satisfied and the motorised valve turn to heating only, this is normal.
If you want to run independently of each other, a change in the wiring center is all need doing. Depend if your programmer work independently and that the hot water slider switch does not move to on when heating slide to on.

Amazing that boiler still work, must be as least 30 / 35 years old

Daniel.

 

[jackthom]

Hard to find much info on the EP2000 but I don't think that programmer will do the fully independent control of heating and DHW.

However there is a 3-port valve fitted in the system so you could either get a newer 2 channel programmer wired in or alternatively just get a programmable thermostat to control the heating.

 

[ScottishGasMan]

Just leave hot water on all day and use heating as you want, cylinder thermostat will turn hot water off once cylinder is heated any way, and since you have s netaheat efficiency is out the window anyway, may as well be comfy

 

[needalittletime]

I've managed to contact the previous owner and yes the hot water has to be on at the same time as the central heating.

They added though that they would turn the round/knob thing thermostat (by the stairs hallway) to 15 whenever they didn't need the central heating to be on.

Does this mean 15 is an 'off' switch for the radiators or too low for the central heating to kick in?

Cannot tell from pictures bit what does the label on the silver box say?

If that is a diverter valve, then replacing the programmer will let you run heating and hot water at different times. Another option is to fit a programmable room thermostat and let the existing programmer run hot water

Hard to find much info on the EP2000 but I don't think that programmer will do the fully independent control of heating and DHW.

However there is a 3-port valve fitted in the system so you could either get a newer 2 channel programmer wired in or alternatively just get a programmable thermostat to control the heating.

Hi it says Honeywell, F4 - 9837. There is a switch type thing along the bottom. It's currently positioned to the left on Auto (right is Manual). What does this mean and how much work/cost would it be for me to get someone to do it? Cheers! I've used this type of programmer before and having had a look again, I'm pretty sure you can't programme them separately so yes I would have to look into getting a new thermostat.

In those day, hot water get priority at the same time heating is on. Heating will continue to run even hot water is satisfied and the motorised valve turn to heating only, this is normal.
If you want to run independently of each other, a change in the wiring center is all need doing. Depend if your programmer work independently and that the hot water slider switch does not move to on when heating slide to on.

Amazing that boiler still work, must be as least 30 / 35 years old

Daniel.

Just leave hot water on all day and use heating as you want, cylinder thermostat will turn hot water off once cylinder is heated any way, and since you have s netaheat efficiency is out the window anyway, may as well be comfy

I believe it's still the original boiler from when the house was built...in 1986! So almost 30 years !

What do you mean by efficiency? Obviously I want to save on unneccesary costs if possible if I don't have to leave things on for sheer convenience (e.g I want to turn on hot water only in morning and both in evening).

The previous owners mentioned they would turn on both at 530am-8am and then from 5pm-11pm! That seems a bit excessive to me and am wondering how high was their gas bill. Or maybe it's not so bad because of the way the system runs?

 

[DP]

Hall thermostat replaced by a programmable room thermostat will allow heating to come on at six settings on some ( settings being frost protection when you are asleep or not at home, background heat when active around the house and comfort level when getting up in the morning or resting). This thermostat will then maintain independent control of heating

Hot water run time could then be shortened on the existing timer, reset to come on before heating even, so you have hot water well before get out of bed.

 

[needalittletime]

Hall thermostat replaced by a programmable room thermostat will allow heating to come on at six settings on some ( settings being frost protection when you are asleep or not at home, background heat when active around the house and comfort level when getting up in the morning or resting). This thermostat will then maintain independent control of heating

Hot water run time could then be shortened on the existing timer, reset to come on before heating even, so you have hot water well before get out of bed.

Oh thanks, that's great news. I'll speak to my builder and see if he could that.

How much should I be looking at for that?

 

[PullerGas]

From memory the EP2000 is a two channel programmer & the chances are it's just switch to 'Gravity' & not 'Pumped'.

From the photo it looks like the motorised valve has been replaced recently & it may well be a mid position valve(for a Y Plan). I can't get that number up on Google or find it on any Honeywell web sites & they normally start with a 'V'. If you are unlucky it's a Honeywell divertor valve you have, but it looks unlikely??

You may need to run an additional cable between the programmer & the cylinder cupboard to convert it to a Y plan. But any Plumber/Heating Engineer worth his salt will check your existing control & know quickly if it can be done. Certainly would be cheap to do & give you much better control over your system.
HTH