No H/W

[badri]

I have moved in new flat and noticed that H/w not working when its called from electronic thermostat however immersion is fine and i was trying to find out how system designed. I see the pupmp(Danfoss) and one 2 port valve(ACL lif style) and Ravi danfoss(Thermostat). No matter what i do i do not get h/w does not work but central heating working fine. please see the image i have doubt that its not designed for H/w.

Boiler: Gas fired Back boiler potterton 35/51
Electrnic Ther: Potterton Ep2001
Pump: Danfoss
2 port valve: 1 * ACL lifestyle 2 port motorised valve
There is thermostat near cylinder which is danfoss Ravi

 

[45yearsagasman]

That looks like a Danfoss tapstat and they are similar to a thermostatic rad valve in operation. There should be a capillary tube from it which is attached to the hot water cylinder. These valves suffer from seized pins as do TRV's.
Remove the sensor head and try to ease the pin so that it springs out slightly.Do not pull on it as you may get a bit wet.

 

[badri]

Thanks 45year gas man. I did manage to open the thermostat and adjusted the pin and put some D-40 however i notice that i can not turn this thermostat to any tem. Do you think it needs replacement. could you please advice what kind of system(fully pumper or gravity) i have and how this system work. I have also noticed that when i call h/w from electronic programmer, radiators getting hot. please see the new image where thermostatic valve is stuck and please help me

 

[45yearsagasman]

You have a fully pumped system and that is a drain point. I would recommend that you don't replace the Danfoss stat, but uograde the system and have a valve like the ch fitted to the hot water and a cylinder stat fitted.
Simple work but really not for a novice.
Get a recommended heating firm to survey your system and make some suggestions. A site visit is really a must.
You don't mention a room stat, so that can also be fitted into your system.
Bear in mind that your back boiler is getting on a bit and therefore you should also consider upgrading that.

 

[badri]

Thanks for all your help. Is ther any quick fix if you suggest me without upgrading it? If it is essential to upgrade which boiler do you suggest? Combi or system? I have had several engineers coming before and they simply suggested to replace it to combi boiler(2500 was the cheapest quote) I have asked them many time to fix the current one but they failed do so. however one engineer came with quote of days work and quoted me 700 pounds. Here is my question if i am putting new 2 port h/w valve with roomstat how much correct price to pay?

 

[badri]

Sorry i forgot to mention its 2 bedroom flat not to big and Combi was expensive because of re running the pipe to kitchen and ducting!

 

[45yearsagasman]

Without seeing your whole installation, I would think £700 would be a fair price to modernise your system and its controls. Worth it or not, is another question, because of the age of your boiler.

 

[Agile]

£700 for a days work?

You Scottish are expensive!

If it was in London, then I would charge about £240 plus about £90 to fit a tapstat style cylinder control. I would expect it to take about five hours if upstairs and a bit longer if downstairs.

Of course others on this forum would do it in an hour. But they dont work in the real world where stuck drain cocks, seized up joints, inaccessible unlit lofts, refilling airlocks and unbalanced rads abound. They would still charge the same price though.

However, you already seem to have one but I cannot guess from what you have said whats wrong with yours.

Incidently, last week I removed one of those cylinder temperature controls which incorporated an electrical solenoid. First time I had seem one like that.

Tony

 

[badri]

Thanks tony, I have to admit aberdeen is one of the expensive place to leave and ppl does not want to take dirty job. I have called several engineers to fix this only answer I get every time is replace to combi boiler. Its a flat and there is no upstairs and airing cupboard is easily accissible. I do not have any other problem than h/w through gas fired heating it works perfectly through immersion heater. Can you please advice how is easy is to replace the tapstat? whole system has to be drained out?

 

[Agile]

On the other hand to fit a new fully controlled system with an additional two port valve, programmer and wired thermostats then that would be about £440.

However, that price would be on the basis that the floorboards were uncovered and ideally the important ones already loose.

There is considerable work usually needed to add the appropriate wiring between the two thermostats.

On a BBU like yours there is often no where thats ideal for the pump and motor valves and I always consider putting them under the floor a bodge. The owner or next owner usually lays dreadful floor covering over the boards to make the controls inaccessible.

I went to one house where the pump had failed. It was in the middle of the room and under a new laminate floor. I really dont know how the home owner expected me to replace it !

Tony

 

[badri]

I certainly say its easily accessable. can you not connect the new port connections to existing c/h wiring connection which is just beside the c/h port? or how difficult is to replace the topstat do we have to drain down the whole system? I thought 700 is expensive i would happily spend if it is under 250 and for new port valve and room stat can easily spend up to 450 as u suggested.

 

[Agile]

Without seeing your installation I dont know how easy or difficult it would be. Floor coverings are usualy the hardest problem.

I like to quote reasonable price but without seeing the job I can only assume there are no difficult problems.

Even so many people will do jobs for less than I have quoted. Sometimes I am called to rectify other's work. In that case I charge about 20% more than usual because they have had it done on the cheap by substandard people. Even with my corrections its usually still cheaper for them than my quotation.

 

[45yearsagasman]

Leave it to you then Tony.