Plumber has been, few questions - Help needed please

[pop80_uk]

Hi,
I have always found this site absolutely fantastic for honest professional help, and I need it again please! (Pictures below to help out advice)

Basically my fathers friends friend is a plumber and he has just been round to give us his opinion and a quote.

This is our problem:
Basically the Hot water needs to be on for the central heating to work, we have a very modern control panel which allows both to operate independently how ever when you select just the CH then nothing happens.

This moves on to the other problem, that when just hot water is selected the system is silent, when you add in the CH and turn it on, as soon as it comes on the airing cupboard makes a woooshing sound and sounds like a kettle boiling for about 30 seconds. Then stops and everything is silent.

The plumber has said the following:

1) We need a new 3 way control valve as this is causing the above problem and this will resolve it. He suggested this one:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/honeywell-v4073a-3-port-motorised-valve/31421

2) He also advised that we should fit a new pump as ours was over 15 years old and this would make the system more efficent, he suggested this one:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/wilo-4132507-smart-central-heating-pump-a-rated/53435

3) Then he suggested while the system was drained to also fit a Fernox TF1 in between the three way valve and the pump, like this:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/fernox-tf1-total-filter-22mm/84311

4) He suggested fitting Automatic bleed valves to one ground floor and a first floor radiator as he said they make old systems more efficient.

5) Finally he suggested we change our bathroom radiator as he had noticed some corrosion and that single panel radiators only last for around 15 years, and it could be rusting from the inside and could soon cause a leak.

My questions are:

1) Are all his recommendations correct / advisable ?

2) Does it sound like the 3 way valve will fix the problem we have?

3) Will items 2 and 3 improve our system and make it more efficient?

4) Anything else?

Thank you in advance!

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

Excuse me I never read all your post as I get bored easy

However if you have to have hot water on to get heating
It may be that your hot water off wire has not been wired in ( grey wire ) or a fault with your programmer.

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

What setting is your boiler stat on? And has this been turned up?!

 

[Armo74]

It does sound as though your valve is stuck in mid-position these can sometimes be freed without the need to change the valve.

Changing the radiator would be a good idea but if the corrosion is there then you might want to consider some cleaner like sentinel x400.

I wouldn't bother changing the pump, I also wouldn't bother with the bleed valves.

The noise maybe down to system sludge but using the x400 might sort that out.

 

[Armo74]

If 1 radiator is corroding system sludge could be affecting all of them.

 

[matt1e]

a new valve actuator may or may not solve your problem it may be a wiring issue or it may be a microswitch problem in the actuator, has he done any testing on it?
also your pump doesn't look 15yrs old, what is the model number on it or is there a 4 digit PC number? as you cant tell from the pic.

Matt

 

[scatmanjohn]

Sounds legit to me

 

[pop80_uk]

What setting is your boiler stat on? And has this been turned up?!

Never been touched, Its at 60

 

[pop80_uk]

It does sound as though your valve is stuck in mid-position these can sometimes be freed without the need to change the valve.

Changing the radiator would be a good idea but if the corrosion is there then you might want to consider some cleaner like sentinel x400.

I wouldn't bother changing the pump, I also wouldn't bother with the bleed valves.

The noise maybe down to system sludge but using the x400 might sort that out.

I will ask him to flush the system and put in some X400

 

[pop80_uk]

a new valve actuator may or may not solve your problem it may be a wiring issue or it may be a microswitch problem in the actuator, has he done any testing on it?
also your pump doesn't look 15yrs old, what is the model number on it or is there a 4 digit PC number? as you cant tell from the pic.

Matt

Where can I find this please?

 

[Agile]

The valve above the pump is pretty new and I would guess the pump was changed as well and not very long ago. Dont you remember when that was done?

This friendly plumber seems very keen to change a lot of bits, most of which I dont expect to provide any/much improvement.

Perhaps making a £190 job into a £500 job!

I would usually use x800 as a cleanser as its faster ( 2-4 hours ) and a lot stronger!

Tony

 

[hazetimesfive]

theres nothing wrong with what he is suggesting, just maybe not absolutely necessary..

its not necessary to service my van... but u know

 

[holty]

first thing i notice is that the 3 port looks to have been changed using the old nuts . hence pointing to first, looking at a wiring fault. have to say agiles point of the top pump valve being changed might be a clue also to new recent 3 port change?

 

[Dan Robinson]

The valve isn't the original but I would hardly say it was new.

And as for the pump.... 13/14 years I have been doing this, and I can't remember buying a new Grunny that looked like that.


Anyway - TF1 are crap.

Suggestion 4 is bullsh!t.

Suggestion 5 is also boolax - external corrosion on a rad in a bathroom has no bearing on what is going on inside. Especially if said rad is next to the bog.



How modern is this control panel?

You would possibly benefit from an AAV on the heating pipe just after the pump as your vent pipe (from what I can see) is on the negative side of the pump, air isn't likely to go up that naturally.

If the rads heat up nicely, then the pump is fine.

 

[hazetimesfive]

wait a sec, AAV's on a vented system, im not sure...