Pipe between 3 way valve feed and hot water heating return - what does it do??

[hiltonsteve]

Been lurking round here for a while now, not posted anything but found the answers to most of my questions, so thanks for that! Now I do have a question that I hope someone can shed some light on.

Installed a new Glow Worm Flexicom boiler a couple of weeks back together with smart wiring system and climapro2, had a few issues which I think I have nailed down to the 3 port valve.

The valve was the original one which was installed when the house was built about 11 years ago, an ACL Lifestyle which was leaking slightly. Swapped this for a honeywell and everything now seems to be working fine.

I just have one question which I can not find an answer for, I have a pipe and a gate valve in the system and I can not figure out what it does.

I have a 22mm feed into the pump, 22mm feed out of the pump to the 3 port valve, in this run after the pump is a T which a 15mm pipe comes off goes to a gate valve and then out of the gate valve and Tee'd into the hot water heating return pipe from the bottom of the cylinder. The 22mm hot water heating return then dissapears through the floor so not sure were it goes after that. (Hope that makes sense!)

What is this there for and what effect does the gate valve have on the system? I have closed it completely to force all the flow through the 3 port valve.

There is also a 22mm gate valve on the hot water heating return pipe as it leaves the cylinder, I take it this is to balance the system better and force the water round the radiators??

Thanks in advance.

 

[doitmyself]

I have a pipe and a gate valve in the system and I can not figure out what it does.

I have a 22mm feed into the pump, 22mm feed out of the pump to the 3 port valve, in this run after the pump is a T which a 15mm pipe comes off goes to a gate valve and then out of the gate valve and Tee'd into the hot water heating return pipe from the bottom of the cylinder. The 22mm hot water heating return then dissapears through the floor so not sure were it goes after that.

The pipe from the flow to the return is a bypass pipe. Which version of the Flexicom do you have - cx, hx or sx?

The pipe under the floor goes back to the boiler - it's the Return!

There is also a 22mm gate valve on the hot water heating return pipe as it leaves the cylinder, I take it this is to balance the system better and force the water round the radiators??

That's correct, thou it doesn't so much force the water round the rads as prevent the HW cylinder hogging the flow

 

[stevetheplumber]

the pipe between fow and return is where yu should have fitted the automatic bypass unless there is one in the boiler

 

[SafeGasInstall]

the question is why you did not get one fitted when the boiler was installed (auto by pass ) ,did you fit boiler your self ?

 

[hiltonsteve]

Boiler is a Flexicom 24HX.

The old boiler was a Glow Worm, cant remember what model, I put it in the skip last week and the local jippos took a liking to it so cant even go and have a look!

All the pipework has remained the same as when the original boiler was in, the bypass pipe has always been there just not sure if it should be open, closed or somewhere in between....! If it does need setting to a specific position then how do I go about finding the correct one?

Also when setting the hot water heating gate valve is there a temperature diffference I should be aiming for?

 

[hiltonsteve]

the question is why you did not get one fitted when the boiler was installed (auto by pass ) ,did you fit boiler your self ?

I drilled the flue hole and fixed the mounting bracket. Got a local plumber to pipe it in who is gas safe registered. Not mentioning any names but he did not give me a great deal of confidence as he got me to do the wiring when he could not understand it...!! He never looked at the pipework in the airing cupboard or set any valves, just checked the gas side of things packed up his tools and went!

Which is why I thought I would get this setup properly myself, I changed the 3 port valve last night, took me about 45 mins. If anything else needs fitting that you recommend then I am sure I will be able to sort it, just let me know.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

could help you if you call local engineer to sort out your airing cupboard for you

 

[hiltonsteve]

Is there any need for an auto bypass valve when only 3 of my 14 rads have TRV's on? Or am i barking up the wrong tree??

 

[SafeGasInstall]

i am out from this one

 

[dontknowitall]

From your description it sounds as if you have a by-pass. If you could take a piccy of the pipes to include the pump, zone valve and the tee'd pipe between these (and where it leads to) we could clear this up quite quickly. (If there is a pipe here and it has a gate valve on it then closing it is the wrong thing to do! It needs to be open a little (hence the gate valve)).

The idea of this is so that if all the radiators are satisfied the water can be sent back down to the boiler to satisfy the boiler and, therefore, stop continuing to heat the heating circuit.

 

[fuzzy]

bi pass should have a auto bi pass valve

 

[hiltonsteve]

Will take a photo and post it later to give you a better understanding of layout, fairly straightforward though.

Just to put you in the picture, I am a mechanical engineer and also have been doing plumbing work / electrical work / building work on and off for the last 20-25 years so I am not some back street bodger who is trying to save a few quid, I want it done correctly. And after my experience with the last plumber and trying to speak with glow worm I decided I could do a better job myself with a little bit of reading up and advice so I understand things better.

Hope this has not p****d anyone off......

I know all plumbers are not created equal, just finding a good one round here seems to be hard work!

 

[hiltonsteve]

bi pass should have a auto bi pass valve

Thanks fuzzy...

Any recomendations on good ones??

I visit screwfix most days and PTS is next door so one from either of them would be good.

 

[fuzzy]

sorry i dont do many installs now so cannot really recommend. its not a major component so i wouldnt worry about buying cheap. people used to just use lock shield valve and govern it down

 

[Gray0689]

Myson will do you

 

[hiltonsteve]

Thanks, will pick one up this afternoon and get it installed.

One other question.....

I flushed the 11 year old system out last year as I noticed enough black sludge in one of the radiators for me to be concerned, by flushing I mean removing each radiator and jet washing them out, then ran water through the system until it was clean, then put some fernox cleaner in for a week, flushed it out and put inhibitor in.

When changing 3 port valve still noticed that black sludge was building up, not a great deal but after fitting a new boiler and 3 port valve etc I would like to keep it as clean as possible.

Are the Magna clean kits any good? - ADEY - MagnaClean Professional

Look impressive on the website but all that glitters is not always gold. Waste of money or worth it?

 

[PlumbBobBob]

the magna clean is very good as indeed are the other ones that you can get. all down to personal preference as to which one you fit and space available