Boiler and water pump problem/query

[ivrytwr3]

Hey all,

We are with EON central heating care and a few days ago our boiler recieved their annual service, around this time we also put the central heating onto our winter times (instead of a blast as and when needed throughout the summer). The boiler covers the central heating, but we have a immersion tank for hot water.

Now my queries are:

a. The radiators get very hot and you can also feel the heat from the pipes under the floor - is this normal? I have turned the radiators down (TRV), but it is worrying me about the pipes. The boiler is a Glow worm ultimate and when i turn the thermostat on the boiler it turns on and turns off the system.

b. With regards to the boiler, why is the water so hot?

c. My central heating pump is a Grundfos and gets very hot to the touch, again is this normal? (11 rads and set on speed 2, middle).

The house and boiler is 1999 and we have been in a year now and are still unsure of the system!!!

Thanks all!

 

[SimonG]

Turn the thermostat down on your boiler.

 

[ivrytwr3]

hee hee, simple as that?

 

[SimonG]

Good place to start. Sometimes it doesn't have to be complicated to be effective

 

[ivrytwr3]

right, this is similar to my boiler switch

The 0 sits at 9 'o' clock at that is the off position, i have tried it at just switching it on a little and also turning it the full way around - both ways gives me a hot to touch pump.

I am also confued as to where is min and where is max - you turn the switch on clockwise and straight away you are heading towards min as oppose to max! Sorry for being dense, but where should the optimal setting be?!

Why can't they have numbers and degrees on??!!!

 

[SimonG]

Why can't they have numbers and degrees on??!!!

That would be too easy

As for optimal setting, I can't say as everybody is different. I can sit in our living room in t shirt and shorts but the wife will have t shirt, sweatshirt and still want the fire on. It's a case of choosing a setting and see how you go. What I do find is that most people find two settings, one for deepest winter and one for the rest of the year.

As for your pump you may have a bit of air trapped in it, on top of the pump there should be a screw slot, if you undo this a little when the system is not running (with a bit of cloth underneath to catch any drips) you should be able to vent the pump.

Hope it helps.

 

[ivrytwr3]

I hear what you're saying!! HOwever, which is max? ie when i first turn it on all the way to its furthest point or is max as soon as i turn it on and min is the furthest away?

Anyway, i have undone the silver dial at the front of the pump (nothing on top) and got a little hiss; have turned heating on and will see if that has done anything!

 

[ivrytwr3]

Bah! Nope, pump still too hot to touch in minutes

Is it something to worry about? Is it worth a call to Eon tomorrow? (unlimited free callouts)

 

[SimonG]

If it's free get them out, should be able to put your mind at rest. Max should be your furthest point from turning on.

 

[ivrytwr3]

last question for the night i promise!

As there are no markings on the switch, where would be a good starting point to turn it on from? ie if you had just installed the system what would you turn the thermostat to for your customer? I don't want to go too high or too low and i am fricking clueless when it comes to this!

PS Thanks for your help!

 

[SimonG]

Question away, it's what the forum is here for.

Same as radiator valves, I tend to leave them set in the middle and advise if too cold turn up, too warm turn down.

No problem, if you get them out let us know how you get on.

 

[ivrytwr3]

Radiators are still hot to touch as is the motor pump, so Eon are coming out Now then, my HW and CH systems are seperate ie the Immersion Tank heats the house HW and the boiler is the house CH. The thermostat in the tank recently blew and the HW temperature was very hot, is there anyway the 2 systems are linked? Just curious, but i will let Eon have a look.

 

[SimonG]

So there's no feed from the boiler into a coil in your hot water cylinder?

 

[ivrytwr3]

not that i am aware of - 2 seperate systems.

 

[SimonG]

If it is 2 seperate systems then the problems won't be related. But the Eon engineer should be able to sort it for you.

 

[ivrytwr3]

Damn it! Put 2 new thermostats into the tank and within days it has blown again. What can blow a thermostat?

I have always used the same make and brand, any recommendations for a different one to try?

Backer BT7 Immersion Heater Rod Thermostat 15A 7 Inches IMM7ST: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home

 

[stevetheplumber]

fully clockwise is full on buou cant work out which way to turn a switch do you realy think fitting thermostats is within your capibilities

 

[ivrytwr3]

ouch, that reads harsh.

Usually when turning a switch on ie a tv volume button it goes from soft to loud and i assummed this was the case with the boiler thermostat, turn it from off and full rotation was on full - but the switch markings read that you are turning from max - min - hence my confusion and question.

As for the immersion thermostat, i ordered the same spec that was already fitted, turned off the power supply and refitted the new thermostats (2). It didn't seem too difficult? Just like re-wiring a plug, or have i done something wrong?

 

[ivrytwr3]

OK reporting back as EON have been out.

Boiler: Apparently it is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. The engineer explained to me how the boiler works with TRV's and apparently as the system has come on from cold, it keeps blasting heat until it reaches the TRV setting and then rinse and repeat in all rooms - make sense.

The pump: Apparently it is fine to be too hot to touch, that is just the hot water going through it.

WHat he did recommend was a room thermostat as we don't have one and recommended:

rf601 drayton thermostat

I am happy to get one, but does anyone advise against this model or can recommend a better one?

Ta!