Gas Boiler not heating water

R

rustbucket

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Hi

Looking for advice.

Have a gas boiler installed 2 years ago. Services central heating and also hot water tank.

The heating system is working fine. Boiler heats radiators no problem.

Over the last couple have weeks have noticed that the amount of hot water available was getting lower and lower. Its now gotten to a stage where there is none at all (even after heating has been on an hour or 2)

The hot water cylinder appears to be working fine separately (GF had immersion heater on for bath the other day).

Just appears that when the heating is on, its not heating the water tank.

Could it be an airlock somewhere? or something simple.

Its probably due a service anyway but just wondering if anyone had any ideas

Cheers
 
It sounds like a motorized valve problem. If it was a gradual decline in hot water, it sounds like the motorized valve was working fine but then began not opening fully, getting worse each day opening less and less until finally it does not open at all. The valve in question should be located close to the hw cylinder, but may not be depending on how it was plumbed.

Check the motorized valve, unscrew the heat of the valve (no need to disconnect wiring) and you will expose the brass turn head. Turn this so that it is in line with the pipe, (perpendicular to the pipe is off). Turn on the boiler and you should feel heat passing the valve and heating the cylinder. It could also be sludge in the system that is blocking the valve from opening fully but more likely a faulty valve. You will know if you get any resistance when turning the valve manually.

To replace, just purchase a new head of the valve from anywhere such as Heatmerchants or Chadwicks. It will need to be the same brand and type of valve that is there already, otherwise you will need to replace all of the valve.

If not that, get back to us.
 
Thanks Shane. Am not entirely sure what to look for but will give it a go. It is due a service anyway so might get someone out to look at it. Can you recommend anyone?
 
No worries. It should be a small box type valve sitting on a pipe leading to the hw cylinder. Depending on the brand, it maybe silver, white, yellow, etc.

What area are you located?
 
In Blackrock, Co. Dublin. I dont see any box type valves near the hot water cylinder. There is a yellow box in beside where the boiler unit is though.

The boiler brand is ICOS/IDEAL HE24
 
Wow! Yes, very similar.although it doesnt have the green/black cable. And it actually has a yellow sliding switch on the bottom.

Have just checked it and it is an EPH 22mm Compression 2 port. Model V222
 
Don't worry about the cable. Slide the switch over to manual position. This may need to put into a slot to keep in manual. Depending on how it is wired, this may fire the boiler. If it does, put it back to Auto and unscrew the head and do as I described before and fire the boiler as normal.
 
Thanks Shane

Followed your instructions. Not sure if its working now. Will leave the heat on for an hour and see if there is any hot water. If not will have to get a replacement valve.

Cheers
 
rustbucket said:
Have just checked it and it is an EPH 22mm Compression 2 port. Model V222
Click to expand...

It's a Sauter. Chadwicks stock those.

[broken link removed]

They can unfortunately be problematic ones.

You should have heat through it right away, especically with a gas boiler. Did you remove the head and turn the brass turn head in line with the pipe? There could also be a second one of these somewhere and that one could be to turn off the central heating circuit!
 
I took off a round cylindrical unit that had a cog on the back (like a wind up toy thing). I then took off a back plate and there looked to be a brass mechanism similar to the inside of a lock. I turned that. When back together and on manual the light came on on the unit and then clicked into automatic.

There was heat coming through the pipe coming from it that goes up to the water cylinder. Will turn it on later to see if it heats the water.

From memory when the plumber installed the system there is a second one but I fear it is now covered with a tiled board. The plumber who installed it put the unit on a recessed wall behind the sink (lack of space and bad planning made this unavoidable).

So in order to get to the second one I have to take the tiles off and unscrew the board covering the void where all this is located.
 
Is it working?

If not, I think the pipe that is heating going to the cylinder is the upstairs heating circuit and not the cylinder circuit and the second valve that is now covered is the one that is going to the cylinder.

Either that or the "wind up toy thing" is a wind up toy thing and not the motorized valve at all, LOL!
 
Had a guy out. Motorised valve is wrecked. Have to replace it. It wont stay in manual.

Rang EPH and its out of warranty but they have said that the new model can replace the one I have. Just a matter of switching the heads.

At the moment we have tied the manual in place so it will work. However, it means now that the heat will not turn off unless we switch it off at the boiler! Im told that once I replace it it will be fine. Good news is that the boiler is 97% efficient anyway.

Will get a new one in the next few days and replace.

Thanks for all the help Shane
 
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