Homer Simpson

I need a good plumber, or advice.

My gas boiler is firing up ok, and it's heating up water with no issue.

I'm running the central heating at the same time, but all the radiators are cold.

They were working before (about two weeks ago) now all of them are cold!

Any advice, or the name and number of a reliable pumber in the Surrey/SW London area?

Cheers

RoShamBo

iTrader: (1)

I had exactly this....

check out

http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/thread.asp?threadid=86707

Good Luck !

Ro.

Chip

Sounds like the automatic valve for heating has stuck.

Chip.

David_Wallis

screwfix do the motors for the valves quite cheap..

David

Robyn

I also had this but in reverse. The valve for the hot water tank had stuck and blown the motor. I managed to free up the valve with a bit of oil and wiggling the valve.

the motor which moves the valve will be bolted on top of it and will be help with a few bolts. easy to take off and back on again.

If you replace this motor make sure for gods sake you write down which wire goes where. I did not got the new one then realised! went through all combinations before testing the new motor to find i had blown that one as well. Took sodding ages!

Its an easy job

If you live near woking I (or maybe Ro) can come and pass on collective wisdom....although you may be better off with out it!

scooby nutter

Robyn,
i dont understand? There are only two wires when replacing a syncron motor!Its held in place by two(or on some models 1)screw/s
chop the wires,connect new syncron to wires on zone vale using the enclosed connectors.The vires are polarity free so it doesn't matter which way round they go



Duncan.....Corgi reg. installer

Homer Simpson

Thanks for the advise guys! More complicated than I expected!

I don't trust myself, as I electricuted (Doh!) myself TWICE (Doh! Doh!) whilst changing the hallway light fitting!!!

British Gas are having look tomorrow morning!

Doc

Technically you can only electrocute yourself once as you would be dead

scooby nutter

Homer,
Are you on their service contract thing?(insurance type of thing?)
If not have a very,very big wad of cash available to pay the man

British Gas are very,very expensive!

Luke

Its a very easy and cheap thing to do youself. Takes about 15.mins tops.

scooby nutter

Luke,
dont know about 15mins if you have seen where some of them are located....head down hole,mirror in hand to see where the tiny screw is,unscrew but be careful...BU$$ER,dropped it!!

some are real BAS$£"!S to get to!

Duncan..Corgi reg installer

Homer Simpson

Well they just turned up and told me that they can't cover me as my boiler is too old! Even though I gave them the make over the phone!!

Anyway, the chap who came said he couldn't fix it as my contract would be void, but he did tell me I need a Syncron Motor for a Honeywell (midposition) valve!

British Gas are fine, they came quickly, told me what was wrong, didn't fix it, and told me I need an £8 part!!

Looks like I'll be electricuting myself later!!

Homer Simpson

Do I need to switch off the electricity when swapping the motor? Or is making sure the central heating/hot water is not running enough?

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Given your previous record I'd switch off EVERYTHING just as a precaution

Good luck, let us know how it goes

Sal

scooby nutter

Homer,
there should be a seperate fuse for boiler on main board or if you look near the boiler there might be one there.remove fuse(should be 3Amp!)your programmer should go off(or it may have battery backup).you could switch programmer to on or constant setting and see if pump runs and boiler fires.

If in doubt switch off the mains electricity

David_Wallis

scoobynutter.... I know what you mean about the mirror... hold the mirror, shine the torch onto the mirror.. and you can only get so many hands through that one floor board one joist hole..

David

Homer Simpson

Thanks to all for all your help!

I'm all toasty warm now. (hmmm..... toasty warm!)

I killed all the power (better safe than sorry!)

Two screws to take off the old one, two wires to join! Piece of whatsit!



All the wire on the old one had gone brittle and cracked! I except that the wires had shorted it out! Oh well!

Nice, £10 part and half an hour, rather than the £150!!

Thanks again, I'm dead chuffed at fixing it myself!

scooby nutter

Dave,
its a right bas£"!d sometimes isnt it!!
Another good one is fit the valve then run pipes right across the top of it,so then you can't get the top off!!!
the brains must be missing of some of these so called plumbers/heating engineers!Or is it a case of "I wont be coming back to it"??

Homer
Glad you got it sorted in the end,isn't scoobynet great!Think of that money you have saved by using my and a few others wisdom!!
Mines a pint of Stella!!

Duncan

Luke

Duncan

Good point... Most plumbers put them in stupid places!!! But it is a real easy job. And as for running other pipes over a valve etc.. See it all day long. What are they teaching the m at college???

Luke

David_Wallis

i wouldnt have thought not to do that... suppose its just lacking common sense.. cos i do..

David