Radiators heat up even when programmer's setting is off

[LoneWolf]

Hello,

I have a conventional heater with a water tank, an old programmer and no room thermostat. I have been trying to heat only the water and keep the radiators cold, but the radiators still heat up even if I turn off the 'Heating' setting on the programmer and only leave the 'Hot Water' setting on. Is there usually a way to turn off the radiators completely with a valve?

Does turning every individual radiator off increase the rate at which the water heats up?

Thank you.

 

[Mike Jackson]

Is this a new problem or has it always happened?

 

[LoneWolf]

Is this a new problem or has it always happened?

No, it's not new, it has always happened since I moved in.

 

[LPC]

Almost certainly you have a 3-port valve and it is broken. It's likely that it has been put in the manual position at some point because of that.

You'll probably need to get a plumber out to change it but it won't be too costly.

 

[LoneWolf]

Almost certainly you have a 3-port valve and it is broken. It's likely that it has been put in the manual position at some point because of that.

You'll probably need to get a plumber out to change it but it won't be too costly.

I do have a 3-port valve now that I Googled how it looks, and it acts weird.

There is a lever, the valve looks exactly like this, with one side named 'MAN OPEN' and the other 'AUTO'. When I turn on the hot water, it moves to 'AUTO' and when heating is on, it moves to 'MAN OPEN' and it's more complicated when both are on.

Isn't the lever supposed to be controlled by a person and always set to 'AUTO'?

Can someone explain what the two settings mean and if it's broken or outdated. Thank you.

 

[LPC]

Nigh-on impossible to say on a forum. Likely the body is letting by when on water; so you're heating is heating up. Microswitch might have had it.

It's very likely broken, they break a lot. I would get the body and head changed; preferably for an ACL/Drayton style one where the heads can be changed easily in future.

Like I said, it isn't a massively costly repair. I will PM you roughly what you would pay a plumber to change it.