Oil central heating playing up

[Jay79]

Hi everyone

I noticed last week that my central heating was not heating up my water, when my heating was switched on. Then, I noticed one morning that upstairs where I sleep, was not very warm in the morning when I woke, even with the heating being on timer. I noticed heat when I came downstairs.

Now what seems to be happening is that although the boiler is firing, the radiators never get past luke warm. The thermostat temperatures upstairs and down, are both set at 22.5. This morning when I turned the heating on, the boiler was going for about 5 minutes, slight heat in the rads, and then the thermostat light goes out, and the boiler shuts off. I have had the heating on all day today while I was out. Upstairs and down thermostats set to 22.5 and I manually opened the valve for the hot water. Hot water is at about 50 degrees some 7 hours later.

The hot water switch on the timer, is not calling the boiler. I suspect the hot water motorised valve is playing up and isn't able to fully shut after closing? When I close it manually, the whirring noise is very short compared to the heating valves when they close automatically.

Any ideas why the both upstairs and downstairs thermostats would be saying the room temperature is reached and shutting the boiler off when it is still coldish in the rooms, rads luke warm? If i turn the thermostats to 35, all rads are pumping hot in the house. All 3 motorised valves were just replaced one year ago (upstairs, downstairs and hot water).

Not a great explanation I know... Any help appreciated. I have added some pictures that may be of help.

 

[oilhead]

Problem with Pump? Doyou mean that the HALL rads are hot and nothing else, or ALL rads are hot in the house?

 

[Jay79]

Sorry, now edited to be understandable. If I turn upstairs and downstairs thermostats right up to 35, all the radiators, upstairs and down get very hot.

The boiler has just had a new fuel pump about a month ago, but I’m assuming you are talking about a water pump? I’ve very limited knowledge on this.


I had assumed that if it was a pump/boiler problem the thermostat lights would still be on and calling for heat? Like I say, I haven’t a clue and maybe that shows it ha! But it seems the thermostats lights are going out and shutting off the boiler.

 

[oilboffin]

Maybe the circulating pump.Bob

 

[oilhead]

I think it's time to call in an expert. Your controls are very old and could be breaking down.

 

[Jay79]

The house is only 13 years old, is that old?

I am now swaying or should that be guessing in my infinite stupidity towards the Grundfos circulating pump which is in the boiler tin cabinet outside. The pump is very hot to touch, which I understand is not a good thing. I can feel the pump “working” when the boiler is firing, but when the boiler is off/resting, the pump feels dead to the touch. Should the pump still be working when the boiler is “resting”?

 

[oilhead]

Pumps are hot and hot. Normally they are as hot as the water in the boiler. If they are seized, they are electric motor hot. The pump not working will not extinguish the lights of an 'in demand' thermostat. Whilst there is a demand for heating, the boiler will fire, and the pump will run. If the boiler reaches the set temperature, it will cut out, but the pump will continue to run. If the lights on your thermostat are going out, then the pump will also stop. It needs an experienced eye to see exactly what is happening.
The Tower QM2 is a programmer I've not seen in merchants for a good 20 years.

 

[Jay79]

Thank you for all your help, all very helpful information. As you say, it really does need an experienced eye.

I will come back and update when I find out what has happened. Thanks again.