Heating.

[The Duke]

Anyone used their central heating yet? This morning was a bit chilly so went to put it on for the first time since March/april ish, and got nothing.

First I thought it was the remote thst turns it on, so checked the receiver and all is fine. I took it off and wired a a simple bulb circit up to test it, and it worked. So half my boiler is on fritz.

Plumber incoming Wednesday. Some how it was my fault! As usual.

[Ed P]

I generally check mine early September, as the plumbers normally get very busy during the first cold snap.

[The Duke]

I will from now on. first time this boiler has had issues. I think it was 11 this summer. So a decent run. May be time for a new one (sigh) but I suppose they are more efficient.

[Richard]

We had our boiler replaced at the start of 2016 after 24 years use. As it heats the water as well as doing the central heating it is never really off. Leaving things like the pumps and fans idle for months on end can cause them to stick, been there done that got the T shirts which the moths then ate!

It is wise to give them a precautionary five minutes ever few weeks when they are not in regular use, then you can call out the plumber before the rush if all is not well. Some times a well placed gentle knock on the various parts can unstick the offender. After 11 years some faults can be expected, the main question if how expensive they are compared with a new boiler. The cost, including an 8 year guarantee sounded reasonable at a fraction over £2,300 for a Worcester Bosch, time will tell if the choice was a wise one.

[Bob Williams]

Out here on the chilly East Coast, the North winds mean that our heating has been off and on over the last few days. SWMBO believes that turning down the thermostat saves money: all that does is supply insufficient heat whilst still using energy. She also turns down valves on radiators. Why cannot women understand logic?

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Tippon]

Steve, have you done the usual checks? Boiler’s plugged in and the gas is on? Water pressure is ok? I’ve got loads of boiler manuals here if you want a copy of yours. My uncle’s a plumber, so I’ve backed up copies of hundreds of the bloody things 😀

 

[Dave Rice]

Ours is OK but I realised the insurance cover had run out two years ago. We had a controller and a radiator pump out of the old one as well as annual services. The boiler is now 17 years old but it’s a dead simple one, still just taken out a policy with SSE.

[Ed P]

“She also turns down valves on radiators.”

Depending on your house this can make sense. People do not normally sleep well if too hot. Setting the bedroom radiator valve to halfway (permanently), often saves energy and maximises comfort. The same applies for kitchens that get hot from the cooking. Whereas living rooms often need to be at max.

However if SWMBO is continually fiddling with them, you are correct in asking her to stop.

[Richard]

Ideally, systems should be balanced, whether using the so called thermostatic valves  or not. Those with active room stats that can open or close, preferably restricting flow rather than totally closing it off can be discounted from this as they have their own rules for system design and configuration. The flow balancing can, perhaps should also be achieved via the tool operated valve at the other end of the radiator.

I once knew someone who balanced the system in a power station in Malaysia. He considered that was the pinnacle of his heating, ventilation and air-conditioning carer wish list and never wanted the achievement masked by a subsequent defeat somewhere else. So he declined all knowledge of the process when he worked elsewhere. I suspect he felt users should only be admitted to his balanced spaces after the removal of their ability to meddle with the controls. Dummy controls are a useful accessory. If a room is too hot or too cold a setting somewhere has been messed up, or the user(s) are wrongly dressed. Health issues can greatly change the heat dynamics of people and as for rooms, using doors and knowing the effects of the heat contributed by people, – it can be surprisingly generous amounts, are both important.

If a system has been in use for several years, the effects of sludge build up along with air and airlocks can really mess up the running of the system.

[Jukebox]

Richard wrote:

Leaving things like the pumps and fans idle for months on end can cause them to stick,

A bit off topic but it’s worth remembering that the same applies to the air conditioning in a motor vehicle which should be run for a few minutes at intervals throughout the winter.

[The Duke]

Tippon wrote:

Steve, have you done the usual checks? Boiler’s plugged in and the gas is on? Water pressure is ok? I’ve got loads of boiler manuals here if you want a copy of yours. My uncle’s a plumber, so I’ve backed up copies of hundreds of the bloody things ?

Thanks for the offer, but I don’t the checks, presher is where it should be, and it’s give out hot water, so there is gas and power.

By reading the manual it seems the two wires that went into the heating on off switch, is a 24v high and low wire. Touching the two together should start the heating. That’s what my plummer said when I was speaking to him over the phone. There is a seperate wire that gave supplies 240w to the switch too, but that is just to power the switch as it’s a remote transmitter.

Touching the wires together give nothing, and Testing the wires with a multimeter, it they seem dead, put I could be testing that bit wrong. Anyhow today I need to dismantle the kitchen wall cupboard that hides the boiler perfectly. Which is open top and bottom for air flow. I did a good job on that. About the only thing mind. Lol

 

[Ed P]

Boilers are interlocked to high-heaven to protect you from yourself! The thing that was forever going wrong on my old boiler was the electrically operated valve that switches the flow between hot water and heating. A sharp (not too hard) wrap with a wooden mallet sometimes unstuck it.

[Bob Williams]

Today we have had temp’s of 13°C (morning) to 22°C now. (I kid you not: it is a gorgeous day.) Came back from shopping, having ensured heating was off, to find it on, but set to 17°C. Apparently switched on by darling wife, set to 17° “So it doesn’t get too hot: well it’s a nice day, isn’t it?” Our huge lounge window is almost due South-facing and I leave all doors open when it’s like that. Heats the whole bungalow, excepting the kitchen at the rear, which is always cold. Between front and rear of the bungalow, there is a temp difference often of 8 to 10°C. The rear garden gets sun from sunrise to about 11am, then that’s it, it goes cold. I can defreeze stuff by placing it on the settee top in front of the window.

Bungalow was boiling when we returned. Women and logical explanations, no comprehension.??

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[The Duke]

My plummer came, not our usual guy, and he was a right arse. Blamed me for my pcb blowing.

Cos I took off the thermometer (on/off) reciver to check it was or want that. He wouldn’t have it that I hadnt tried to wire it in my lself and blown it. I then explained to him I knew the what wires was what (it’d only two, (an up/down 24v) and a power. And said, I haven’t even plumbed it back in all I did wad remove it, cos it want working. And the old fart just said, I’ve heard that a million times!

Anyhow,he said he could fix the board and hell have it back tomorrow! Hasn’t half annoyed me.

[The Duke]

My plummer came, not our usual guy, and he was a right arse. Blamed me for my pcb blowing.

Cos I took off the thermometer (on/off) reciver to check it was or want that. He wouldn’t have it that I hadnt tried to wire it in my lself and blown it. I then explained to him I knew the what wires was what (it’d only two, (an up/down 24v) and a power. And said, I haven’t even plumbed it back in all I did wad remove it, cos it want working. And the old fart just said, I’ve heard that a million times!

Anyhow,he said he could fix the board and hell have it back tomorrow! Hasn’t half annoyed me.

[The Duke]

Oh and then at the end, he took the fuse out of the isolator switch and said, I don’t know why you have a 13amp fuse in that. I said that’s the one thats been on it since it was plumbed in. He just when hmmmm…

Super annoyed.

[JayCeeDee]

You’ll always get a know-it-all who’ll blame anyone to justify whatever he does to solve the problem. It’s a classic power play – if that’s his bag. Put the customer down and then you’re in charge.

Check the cost of the pcb independently, he could be setting you up for a big bill.:(

 

Good luck.

[The Duke]

I will do, don’t you worry about that. I can get one of the lads from the pub to chuck in a new pcb for the price of a pint.

[JayCeeDee]

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