Central heating timer can't be turned off?

A

ailbhe

Registered User
Messages
481
Hi all. We ran out of home heating oil on christmas morning so tilted the tank to get us through to the 27th. Filled the tank and the heating came back on.
We have 3 timers (the manual kind - not digital). One is the main switch and also heats the water, One is for upstairs and one is for downstairs.
The main switch has been on (indicated by a small orange light) for the last 3 days, even when switched to the "constant off" position. The other two are working fine.
Any ideas what could be causing this? It is burning oil like there is no tomorrow. We have been switching it off at the fuse box which is awkward to say the least.
I'm not even sure if it is an electrical problem or a plumbing problem. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Is there no manual override on the faulty timer to avoid switching off via the fusebox!? What make/model is it?
 
The manual overide would be the constant off switch. It is a Flash Immermat. The 3 settings are constant on, constant off and timer. Even when we switch it to constant off it remains on.
 
Sounds to me like it may be a mechanical rather than electrical or plumbing problem and maybe totally coincidental with the tank emptying - i.e. the switch may simply be broken. If it was me I'd try isolating the circuit and then having a look in case it was just a spring gone or something that could be DIY repaired even temporarily. Or even install an additional switch between the timer and the system as a temporary manual override or whatever. But if you are not comfortable with that then perhaps getting a replacement timer unit might be an option if you can somehow confirm that the timer unit itself is faulty or the problem.
 
The timer unit doesn't seem too expensive so hopefully thats worse case scenario. Thanks for the advice. Now.....where's my tool belt?? :D
 
I just saw one listing of that unit for about €60. In case it's of any use you can get a digital one in Maplin for about €40 (and probably something similar even cheaper in an electrical parts wholesalers/suppliers - maybe try www.mastercare.ie). See this thread and possibly others about this and other possible alternatives.
 
Just buy a new flash timer & it should fit onto the base that is there already
 
A Select 107 from Sunvic (available in Ireland) would be a perfect replacement for your manual clock. See

[broken link removed]

A even better solution would be a 3 channel Horstmann Channelplus which would mean that you would only use one clock to control the heating on and off and the upstairs and downstairs zones in one. That messing with three different clocks must be a pain. You also get boost and advance with the horstmann. Horstmann clocks can be got in Heatmerchants that I know of.
 
davidoco said:
A Select 107 from Sunvic (available in Ireland) would be a perfect replacement for your manual clock. See

[broken link removed]

A even better solution would be a 3 channel Horstmann Channelplus which would mean that you would only use one clock to control the heating on and off and the upstairs and downstairs zones in one. That messing with three different clocks must be a pain. You also get boost and advance with the horstmann. Horstmann clocks can be got in Heatmerchants that I know of.
Click to expand...

Cheers, we used to have one in our old house. I loved that you could program it for each day of the week. Handy when nobody is there 5 days a week. I have a sparky calling over to make sure that it is just the switch as I had a look myself but there were a few too many wires for me!
Thanks again for all the advice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top