Problem with honey well hot water?

Theboinkmaster

Hey guys.

I have gas central heating in my apartment, about 7 years old. There's a honeywell digital control pad and a volkera boiler (in the kitched).

Beside the boiler there are 2 boxes with switches on them, which seem to control the water going in and out of the tank (in the hot press). When I switch on the central heating/hot water at the control pad, the boiler fires up and in the hot press the levers on both of these boxes then automatically switch (from off to on).

Now the problem - suddenly the hot water switch is stuck and won't move. So when i switch on the hot water and heating on the control pad only the heating switch switches and automatically comes on. However i can manually push the hot water switch over and i then have hot water, for as long as the central heating is on.

However when i switch the gas off the heating switch switches off but the hot water switch (which i manually moved onto 'on'). when it's been switched off for an hour or two the pipe between the tank and the swtich is still hot - does this mean even though the boiler is off is it still generating hot water and im getting charged by bord gais? Do i need to manually stich off the hot water everytime or can i leave it permantly onto the 'on' position and it won't actually incur a charge until the gas boiler is fired up ie when i switch the heat on?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Red Alert

Sounds like they are automatic valves, and one of them is probably stuck. It depends on how your boiler is wired up: mostly automatic valves have end-switches that fire the boiler when they're open. Some other systems might use relays or more complicated controls. It's usually an easy enough job if just the valve head needs changing.

Theboinkmaster

Red Alert wrote: »

Sounds like they are automatic valves, and one of them is probably stuck. It depends on how your boiler is wired up: mostly automatic valves have end-switches that fire the boiler when they're open. Some other systems might use relays or more complicated controls. It's usually an easy enough job if just the valve head needs changing.

If this is the case, and the valve is stuck open - am in incurring any bord gais costs whilst it's open, even though boiler is off? Could i damage anything by leaving it as is?

So maybe i just leave it, and it's fine that the heating switch alone is working and the hot water one just stays on permantly?

Red Alert

It really would depend on the wiring - you could try and listen to the boiler and see if it's running when everything's turned off. If the valve has a switch in it and you move it manually to on/off then the switch should engage as well. Best to get it checked out by a heating guy, very quick job unless there's more wrong.

Theboinkmaster

Red Alert wrote: »

It really would depend on the wiring - you could try and listen to the boiler and see if it's running when everything's turned off. If the valve has a switch in it and you move it manually to on/off then the switch should engage as well. Best to get it checked out by a heating guy, very quick job unless there's more wrong.

The boiler is definitely off - no red light and there's no blue flame inside, and no noise?

I'd rather not get a plumber out if i can as awkward as it's a leased apartment

yoshytoshy

Make sure your cylinder stat is calling for heat ,someone may have lowered it by mistake.

Theboinkmaster

yoshytoshy wrote: »

Make sure your cylinder stat is calling for heat ,someone may have lowered it by mistake.

Sorry i don't understand?

yoshytoshy

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Sorry i don't understand?

There should be a dial on cylinder

Micky Dolenz

Sounds like your system is interlinked. Once the a motorise valve is turned on, it sends a switch live to boiler and "calls for heat". Since this by-passes the timeclock, even if you switch off time clock, the motorised valve is still calling for heat and will activate the boiler.

Bascially, close your motorised valve manually, take lever out of grove it's stuck in. This should solve your problem temporarily. Electriacl valve head will need to be replace.Bord Gais won't do this. An Indepentant plumber is your best bet.