Urgent help if possible - honeywell Y plan 3 pos. diverter

[waveneygnome]

Can anyone help, as I'm worried about the electrical situation:

Wife mentioned a buzzing noise coming from airing cupboard. I checked and found source of buzzing coming from Y plan 3 pos. diverter. (We were still getting HW, but no CH).

I have tried pushing the manual/auto button on the bottom of the valve - it pushes across easily, no resistance, but will not lock into manual setting, (but when I hold it over the buzzing sound stops).

I took off the cover and noticed that inside the cover it was blackened/sooty. I isolated the power to the valve (or so I thought - from fuse box - no buzzing sound) and wiggled wires on diverter to see if something had come loose....wiggle wires, heard crackling sound...........managed to blow the main trip for the house.

I have left the fuse off for the diverter switch (I think) - there's certainly no power to the control panel (and no buzzing sound from diverter)

1) Will this be OK overnight until I can call a plumber? (I realise no HW or CH)

2) Any idea what sort of money I'll need to pay to get fixed? I assume it will be less if they can just replace the motor?

(The number inside the cover says 40003249-002)

Thanks WG

 

[powell30]

If it's isolated it's ok. You could change this yourself if you have a small amount of skill otherwise 30-40 quid for the part plus fitting......draindown and fit, refill......sounds easy but airlocks etc may occur......all in 80-100 quid is reasonable

 

[MANDATE]

The way this valve works is by a motor that is first driven to mid position then continues to the CH position, where it comes up against a stop.
It is kept up against this stop by the motor being continually energised,until such time that HW is required. The buzzing you hear is the motor.
In fact when CH becomes satisfied the room stat cuts power to boiler but the valve stays where it is cause the motor is energised.
Even when you switch CH off at night it stays the same.(energised)
It's only when HW is last to be turned off does the buzzing cease.
It sounds as though valve has moved to the correct position and if boiler has not flashed up it most likely due to a faulty microswitch within the valve head.
I think its better to replace the head, that way you get new motor and new microswitches.
It also appears you may have switched both CH and HW off at the programmer and not at the fused connection unit. But with these two off, there is another live wire feeding the grey wire of valve and you will have caused a short by wiggling the wires.
The purpose of the lever on the side has nothing to do with normal operation. It is there to move the valve and hold it in mid position when refilling a drained down system. In normal operation the motor moves the valve and leaves the lever behind and thats why its loose as it should be.
The lever can be used to establish if there is any resistance when there should not be any. (motor not moved when it should have done)

 

[Whitespirit66]

As mandate said, best to just change the actuator head if you can. Saves draining down, and the hassle of airlocks that often occur on refill.

Before you rush to your merchants with your hard-earned, you need to check the valve. Remove the actuator head from the valve. Check that the spindle on the valve rotates freely. It shouldn't turn more than half a turn. If it is stiff, seized, or you can keep turning it without it coming to a stop, the valve is knackered. You'll have to replace the whole unit.

 

[MANDATE]

It shouldn't turn more than half a turn.

I think that may depend what make of valve you have.
I have a potterton and the valve spindle can turn a full 360 degrees.

 

[waveneygnome]

Update.

Got motor head off (after isolating whole house to be sure!) and the valve spindle just kept rotating. The motor was definitely a gonna.

I phone round to get un-trade prices £128 + vat cheapest (cheaper on the net....but I ideally needed one today......).

Then got urgent call from my boss to get into work for an urgent order.....left wife & children exasperated with tools on floor and a cold house.....

Once got to work, told my boss the predicament, then carried on with my work to get the order out.

Return home this evening to find that my boss had contacted the original installer of our boiler (I paid it through the company to reclaim the VAT) who came out and fixed it. (Boss paid by credit card but plumber left receipt = £145 +vat)

Boss left message on answer phone and said I owe him one....too right.

Happy Boss
Happy Wife
Happy Worker

I might tell my boss all my troubles and see what turns up next!

 

[ajstoneservices]

I might tell my boss all my troubles and see what turns up next!

Flipping heck, don't let the wife tell him hers