Plumbing (central heating & domestic hot water) help

Norbert666 · 20 Feb 2006 at 08:12

We've just got back from holiday to find we have no hot water.

I left the boiler running the central heating, but turned off the hot water while we were away.

The central heating is working fine, but for some reason is not heating the water.

If I use the immersian heater in the tank cupboard, I can heat the water that way though.

It's a gas fired combi boiler, one where the hot water and heating are seperate (forget the proper name).

In the boiler cupboard there are two lights indicating heating and hot water. The heating light is on, but the other isn't.

Could this just be a fault in the boiler controler?

Any help would be much appreciated.

James

lordedmond · 20 Feb 2006 at 08:17

in your OP you said you turned off the hot water have you turned it back on ?

Mundu · 20 Feb 2006 at 08:17

Bah don't get me started on boilers and hot water

. Turn this on for that to work and the thermostat to click then watch out for my mum trying to turn the heating off every 3 seconds. I wish I had two buttons one for heating and the water and both with a digital display and control.

Sorry I'm of no help.

VIRII · 20 Feb 2006 at 08:24

How exactly did you turn off the hot water? Is it a boiler control?
I am wondering if the infamous 3 way vlave has struck again.

ACPCUP · 20 Feb 2006 at 08:28

Try turning the boiler off. Make sure the pressure gauge is showing the right pressure, Restart the boiler making sure the temp for the water is fully up. See if that works. If it doesn't there is probably a fault with the water controller.

Tesla · 20 Feb 2006 at 08:50

VIRII said:
the infamous 3 way vlave has struck again.

Yea I seem to be posting about this a lot recently. Maybe they are designed to break and wear out so replacements can be sold?

Norbert666 · 20 Feb 2006 at 09:53

VIRII said:
How exactly did you turn off the hot water? Is it a boiler control?
I am wondering if the infamous 3 way vlave has struck again.

We have a control doo-dah in the kitchen right by the boiler. It's the timer thing where you can set the hot water and heating separately.

I turned the timer off for the water, but left the CH on.

I seem to remember that 3-way valves can get stuck sometimes? How do you unstick them?

ACPCUP · 20 Feb 2006 at 10:08

Have you tried putting the water on constant instead of timed?

Norbert666 · 20 Feb 2006 at 10:42

ACPCUP said:
Have you tried putting the water on constant instead of timed?

No. But when it was on timed I tried it when it should work and the control box lit up indicating that it was on.

I'll try fiddling with the control box between timed and permanently on.

VIRII · 20 Feb 2006 at 12:25

Norbert666 said:
We have a control doo-dah in the kitchen right by the boiler. It's the timer thing where you can set the hot water and heating separately.

I turned the timer off for the water, but left the CH on.

I seem to remember that 3-way valves can get stuck sometimes? How do you unstick them?

They generally have a manual lever on the side. They aer electrically operated but you can over ride with the lever.

ACPCUP · 20 Feb 2006 at 12:27

VIRII said:
They generally have a manual lever on the side. They aer electrically operated but you can over ride with the lever.

Aren't they different with a Combi boiler? My old system used to have a 3 way valve with the lever but the Combi does not have that.

VIRII · 20 Feb 2006 at 12:40

ACPCUP said:
Aren't they different with a Combi boiler? My old system used to have a 3 way valve with the lever but the Combi does not have that.

Might be internal with your combi, I am not an expert - just familiar with the system we have at home. The good news is that there are a lot of people on here who know their boilers.