Radiators hot, cylinder cold

[Mike53]

The wife went away yesterday to clear out her mothers house (70 miles away) who died about 6 months ago, the house has been unoccupied for this period. She (the wife) called me at 5 this morning to say there is no hot water.

She lived with her mother for 18 months prior to her mothers death so I have to assume she knows how to use the controls. I suggested she fired the boiler up yesterday while I was there but she declined - probably would not have made any difference.

It is a mains gas boiler installed more than 20 years ago and I am sure has fully pumped hot water and CH.

Situation is she turned both HW and CH on last night and radiators became hot very soon. When she came to use HW it was cold. She turned CH off and left only HW on but still cold. She was up bright and early this morning (long before 5am) to turn HW on but by 5am still no hot water. However with the boiler turned on and control to HW only the radiators get hot.

3 way valve problem?

At least she does have an immersion heater.

Look forward to replies

Thanks

Mike

 

[lightning]

Sorry for your lost , does sound like a motor valve issue .
But need more info

What boiler
Controls
Etc

 

[CBW]

Does sound like a 2 or 3 port valve issue. You might be able to gain hot water from the boiler if you can latch the lever over and fire up C.H.

 

[Mike53]

Thanks for replies. The immersion heater is providing hot water and CH is working fine so not such an issue. As soon as they sort the house contents the house will be sold. The system was installed about 25 years ago and might have been serviced once in that time, compared to the gas fires in the house the CH installation is very recent. I understand the gas fires in the Lounge and Dining Room are 90 years old (old family heirlooms). I did ask my wife to look for the 3 way valve which is alongside the hot water cylinder and is a Honeywell V4073A 1039-7.

Curious about what you mean by "latch the lever over". Does this suggest there is a manual option.

Mike

 

[HERTS P&D]

If your wife is staying in the house make sure a CO detector is fitted. eg like one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WSX4NCV?aaxitk=K5XS-MBZgXyu2TltBeQzGw&pd_rd_i=B07WSX4NCV&pf_rd_p=f5d6d4d9-368b-4922-ab40-a7c5424fea8f&hsa_cr_id=9555637290102&sb-ci-n=productDescription&sb-ci-v=Kidde 5CO Ten Year Life LED Carbon Monoxide Detector

Latching a 2 or 3 port valve:

Andy

 

[Mike53]

Thanks again.

Latching the valve does not seem to have worked.

The valve is mounted with port AB horizontal and port A and port B in a vertical line. Port A is below and is providing CH. Port B is above and reduces from 22 to 15 then tees off. A vertical 15mm goes to a bleed and the other 15mm goes into the hot water cylinder.

With the boiler ON the lower CH feed (port A) is very hot as are the rads but the upper feed (port B) quickly becomes cold as it bends towards the HW cylinder.

From the youtube video I guess the ports are the wrong way round. The default should be to provide HOT WATER?

Mike

 

[muggles]

Port B usually goes to the cylinder, so it sounds like yours is piped conventionally

 

[ianmcd]

Port B is HW have you tried bleeding the HW

 

[Mike53]

Port B is HW have you tried bleeding the HW

Thanks Ian,

I am 70 miles away from the problem but will open the bleed screw when I visit at the weekend. Will also check to see if ball valve seized/still operating in the loft.

Mike

 

[ianmcd]

Thanks Ian,

I am 70 miles away from the problem but will open the bleed screw when I visit at the weekend. Will also check to see if ball valve seized/still operating in the loft.

Mike

Hi Mike for an easy way to remember how a 3 port is plumbed B for bath A for aris when you sit on a radiator