Honeywell Thermostat Help Please

[ruggief]

Hi I have just moved house and can't make sense of the system. Before I go to the expense of an engineer fallout on a weekend thought I'd try here.

I have a wireless relay in the hall and a thermostat. All radiators bar one have tvrs set to 4 or 5. Boiler is working firing on but radiators won't turn on. I've whacked thermostat right up over 20 as it's currently showing 13.5 degrees (yes I'm cold) but nothing will work. I've tried repairing and rebinding devices per troubleshooting tips and they are paired.

Any advice please?

[Ryzen]

No water????

[The Builder]

To bhg.....

is it at all possible that the DV is stuck sort of "halfway"?

Just dribbling enough to warm the non-TRV, but not the other rads?

(that sound you hear is the scraping of the bottom of a barrel)

[The Builder]

Ruggi...

Your DV should be somewhere near your immersion cylinder.

[ruggief]

Am still trying to get someone out so luck until Wednesday so far.

I can't locate a divertor valve. I've watched so many YouTube videos and searched Google images and I can't see anything like the images or videos.

[The Builder]

Ok, one last stab, Ruggi...

Around a quarter of the way up your immersion cylinder, there should be a 22mm pipe going to the cylinder, with another one coming out at about three quarters of the way up.

That should be your heat exchanger coil. See if you can trace either of these pipes. it should lead to the DV.

[ruggief]

I can see a box that doesn't like like any image I've seen only switch is auto or man open and it's on auto also found a thermometer on the water tank set to 60. Neither very easy to locate

[bhg481]

I've just made a reply which disappeared; perhaps it arrived at AB at exactly the same time as The Builder's.
I was admitting that I'm only an amateur plumber, so have no experience of other people's systems. My only qualifications are that I designed and installed the CH in my first house and have maintained and modified the system in my current house. I have never had my diverter valve in an intermediate position.
I am convinced that the problem lies with the diverter valve.

[The Builder]

OK, try fiddling with the switch (lever) on the DV.

Or... the crude solution is to tap the metal box with a hammer. That often frees up a stuck valve.

Or... the metal box should be detachable from the valve body.
If you can get this off, you should be able to manually turn the valve to either HW or Heating.

[ruggief]

I've found an engineer to gone tonight, a rather eye watering £198 + vat an hour plus parts. Alternative is a hotel for a couple of nights which will be as much. Will update later

[The Builder]

Please do update us, Ruggi.

We'd love to know.

Good lick.

[bhg481]

I'll second the plea from The Builder.

I appreciate it's a typo but "Good lick" sounds like it's the policeman-who-thinks-he-can-speak-French" from Allo Allo.

[The Builder]

Haha... Ah zeem to 'av lust mah Fronch Phrose Berk...............

[ruggief]

Just a quick update, so emergency plumber came out diagnosed a faulty three port valve. Tried to fix it and broke it in the process so now I have no heating or hot water. None of the radiators have a drain down, so it's now a much bigger job which can't be done until later this week. Need to install a drain on one of the ground floor radiators to empty system before installing the new valve.

[bhg481]

You shouldn't need to drain the system completely to replace the valve; you only need the water level below that of the valve. If your boiler is below the valve and has its own drain tap you could remove enough water from the system that way to be able to change the valve.

[Togo]

Most installations have a valve either side of pumps or 3 port valves to isolate them and negate the need for drain down when replacement is required. May be worth checking if your system has.

[teacake44]

^^ Or just crack open one of the feed joints on the down stairs radiator, you would catch enough in a dish to lower the level.

[The Builder]

Thanks for the update, Ruggi.

First off, I agree that there should be a way of draining enough water from the system to be able to change the valve.

Secondly, I doubt very much that the actual valve has been damaged. It's simply a three way valve with a lug in the middle that can be turned manually to either HW or CH. All that's needed is to remove the "head" (the metal box on top of the valve with the electrical gubbins inside.

Is it just the box on top that has been damaged?

If so, then they are available to buy separately. Just stick a new one on top of the valve.

If the valve is damaged, then I take it all back. If not damaged, then you can manually select until replacement.

[Togo]

Seems I was right at 10.01 Sat. I have been there.

[ruggief]

Thanks all. I simply don't know all I can do is take advice from the engineer. He says he has to drain the whole system to change the valve. Boiler is ground floor valve is on water cylinder upstairs.

Valve is broken beyond repair.

Can't get anyone until Wednesday don't think I'll get much change from £1000. Call out was £186 + vat. Quote to replace valve is £280 including parts and labour. Plus cost of draining system installing drain T-pump on one of the radiators which I haven't had a quote for yet.

[teacake44]

Just a heads up here, if you are paying that sort of money out, just make sure you are getting a new valve. These valves can get very stiff to turn over time,and what breaks more often than not is the keyway just inside the electrical box that fits over the valve. ( as builder as mentioned) the plastic/ nylon keyway cracks. If this electrical box is just replaced, and not the valve as well, the same thing will happen again, unless the valve is freed up, so as to turn smoothly, or replaced with a new one, along with anew electrical box.