Ravenheat Diverter Valve

[Happyunited]

Hi,

I hope someone can clarify a few things for me...

My central heating is working fine but my hot water isn't. I have always had to turn my HW taps/shower on gently in order to have HW (probably because the boiler is a bit crap) but recently when I have done this I have had no hot water. I have taken off the cover and I can see the little pin on diverter valve is sticking and it only comes out the full way if I put the taps/shower on full blast but this isn't much use because the water is flowing way too fast to heat up.

So this sounds like the DV has gone right? does the whole value need to be replaced or just the diaphragm

Is this a DIY job? I'm fairly handy but if it's not I'll have to get the professionals in.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

[ChrisR]

WHich Ravenheap?
If you can SEE the pin it must be one of the easy ones
If it's old it might be a good plan to change the whole DV but probably only the diaphragm is currently the problem.

 

[Happyunited]

WHich Ravenheap?
If you can SEE the pin it must be one of the easy ones
If it's old it might be a good plan to change the whole DV but probably only the diaphragm is currently the problem.

I can see the pin its right at the front when I take off the front cover. The sticker says it is 2004 and it's CSI 85(T).

I can see they are about £10.00 - Do I just remove the 8 or so screws and do a straight swap? Do I need to drain the system down?

Thanks for your quick reply.

 

[Happyunited]

The pin doesn't come out as far as it needs to (unless I put the HW on full blast) so until I get a new valve/diaphragm would it be Ok to stick something to the pin head so it triggers the switch like it's supposed to?

Also do you think I need to replace the whole valve or just the diaphragm?

Thanks

 

[Happyunited]

Anyone? please...

 

[NEALDEAN]

I doubt anyone is going to advise you to do that. That's up to you.
As for diverter or diaphragm, if your not experienced with working on boilers I would go for the complete valve. While its stripped down you may not see something that may cause another problem if left untouched. This means you will have strip down all over again and buy more parts.

 

[Happyunited]

I doubt anyone is going to advise you to do that. That's up to you.
As for diverter or diaphragm, if your not experienced with working on boilers I would go for the complete valve. While its stripped down you may not see something that may cause another problem if left untouched. This means you will have strip down all over again and buy more parts.

Only getting around to doing this now...

Thanks for your reply.

I'm going to buy the whole valve because as you say there could be something else gone inside which I wouldn't know about. The hot water only comes on when the heating is on and I can see the little pin isn't coming out as far as it should to trigger the little switch.

My question - Does the whole system need to be drained in order to fit this?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

 

[NEALDEAN]

You can drain the system totaly if you like as it will only do it good. Or if you dont want to Isolate the boiler with the little levers underneath and drain the boiler only. Also isolate the cold incoming to the boiler and open a hot tap lower than the boiler. This should help. As your are removing the valve there will still be some water in so protect all the electrical items with towels or similar especialy the circuit board.

Good luck.

 

[Happyunited]

You can drain the system totaly if you like as it will only do it good. Or if you dont want to Isolate the boiler with the little levers underneath and drain the boiler only. Also isolate the cold incoming to the boiler and open a hot tap lower than the boiler. This should help. As your are removing the valve there will still be some water in so protect all the electrical items with towels or similar especialy the circuit board.

Good luck.

Hello.

Job done

I drained down the boiler and switched it off and also the tap like you said. There was still some water but not much.

4 of the 5 nuts were easy but one at the back was impossible. I ended up having to split the valve in place to get at it and had to do the same with the new one. Everything works as it should and my hot taos have never been hotter My radiators also no longer come on when I put my hot taps on, something the replacement DV fixed. The Diaphragm had holes in it and was very dirty with grit.

Anyway, one final question. The is a little black square plastic nut at the top (see picture). I noticed when I hadn't got the DV fitted this seemed to open/close flow from that top pipe. Everything seems to be working as it should so I'm interested in to what that plastic nut does?

Thanks again for all the help received on this thread. I managed it all in about 3 hrs but took my time and I'm very happy with the outcome.

View media item 43179

 

[Agile]

Its a water flow adjustment.

Normally leave it in the least resistance position.

Tony

 

[bell824]

the balck nut is used for flow rate adjustement as tony say's!!

nice use of ptfe there no need for that if the washer's were changed at replacement time!!

 

[Happyunited]

I didn't know that re the washers and tape. The washers were replaced.

How do I know how to reduce the flow? When the water is flowing and I turn that nut the water seems to get quiet is that what I want?

Thanks to you both for your reply.

 

[NEALDEAN]

It's all to do with setting the boiler up correctly. Having the correct amount of litres per minute to a specific temperature.

Just get it to what's comfortable and leave it unless you want to take on the job of setting it up correctly.

Nice job !!!!