new combi boiler and a washing machine

SkeeterUK

SkeeterUK

SkeeterUK

Soldato
Joined
24 Oct 2005
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16,465
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North East
Hey all.

Recently got a combi boiler put in by the council/gentoo. Some questions i am pondering due to using the boiler now.

1. When i use the hot water taps on full they dont get hot and only heat up decently when on medium running from the tap. This has me worried incase i want to use a thermostat controlled shower at some point in the future i.e will it be hot enough even tho the pressure is decent but the combi doesnt seem to heat it up fast enough when the hot water is going full blast? Will this cause a thermo shower from working properly?

2. The washing machine im using today for the first time since the combi installed. On a number 3 which is 50c coloreds wash. The combi never fired up like it does when i turn the hot water tap on. Is this normal? Because when i used a cupboard boiler i could feel the tray on the top of the washing machine get warm and near the top edge also and the side get warm but now with the combi it doesnt. This makes me worry that the hot water isnt going in the washing machine anymore.

Also im testing out the combi washing machine (dryer and washer in one). I think i broke the dryer part of it ages ago by over filling as its never worked but meh thought id give the combi ago with drying in it for a change. No part of the washing machine felt warm and the clothes after 20 min dry didnt feel any dryer or even warm. Also the combi didnt heat up either for hot water. Edit - The washing machine does make a bit of a high pitch sound when in use. Not sure what thats about tbh.

Is somit wrong, should i ring gentoo and get em to come out and look at the washing machine with the combi as not sure what to do tbh. Washer/dryer is mine so duno if they would care. But the combi is theirs.

Its a gloworm 30w combi btw.

http://www.tec-supplies.com/product...ers/glow-worm+flexicom+30cx+combi+boiler+only

This one looks like it is the one i got.
 
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Washing machines use a cold water feed, they've not had a hot feed for decades so i'd not expect the combi to fire when its in use.

As for the pressure/temp issue, turn up the water temp on the boiler, it'll have 2 dials, one for water temp and one for heating temp, adjust to suit.
 
How old is your washing machine? Most modern washers use cold feed only and the washer has its own internal heater - so shouldn't need the boiler. I'm struggling to see why you are surprised at a broken dryer not getting warm though?

When I lived in a rented house with a combi I plumbed in my washer myself. However, the hot and cold valves under the sink had been mixed up by the landlord! The red one was on the cold and the blue on the hot! We didn't notice for a month or so until I got a gas bill for £480! :p

As for water temps, have you tried turning the boiler up? They may have set it to fairly low?

As for the hot water, when we had a combi, it would be hot for a few seconds, then go cooler, then get hot again as the boiler fired and started heating the water - all in all it took a minute to get constant heated water. I was told that is normal for combi's.

Cheers
 
About the broken dryer part, i presume i broke it but tbh maybe i just forgot how to use it lol as i never used it much i hoped it might have worked with the combi for some reason dunno why lol.

When i turn the hot water tap on it shows 55c on the boiler, when the heating is on this jumps to about 75c or so. I think this is standard temps isnt it?

I was told not to touch the controls for the boiler and use the panel thing in living room for controlling heating. So not sure if i should be messing around with the controls for the boiler itself. Tbh i dont wana touch it.

The temp can get up quickly if its on medium running through a tap in about a min or so but as soon as u turn the tap on full it goes to medium temp and then not very hot at all. Which is a worry for a shower i plan to get later (thermo controlled bath taps with a shower).

The machine btw is a servis washer/dryer 900 rpm. Dunno how old it is as got it off my sister years ago. Pretty sure it uses a hot and cold connectors as i think most do as those are the only ones i have ever seen been used by me and family members.
 
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kitch9 said:
Sounds like you got a cheap and nasty underpowered combi fitted....
Click to expand...

A modern 30kW combi is plenty for 90+% of houses, actually. The OP linked to the boiler and it's fine.

Sounds more like to me that you have a really good water pressure is all. Don't confuse "pressure" with "flow" and you might realise it's not so bad when only running at "medium" speed. The shower should be fine, it will compensate automatically, you only need about 35 degrees C or so on a thermostatic shower for it to be hot enough.
 
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