Vaillant Ecotec Pro 28 Anti Cycling and Other Issues

[will562]

Hi

We recently moved into a refurbished property, don't know how old the boiler is but recently all the radiators were replaced. There is a new remote room thermostat added as well.

First problem is when the thermostat says it's not calling for heat, the boiler is constantly firing up and the radiators get warm, but not piping hot. It is not in comfort mode, I have checked. But the anti cycling symbol is showing. Only way to stop this is to turn on summer mode by putting radiator temp to zero.

Secondly the towel radiator doesn't get warm, but the pipe to it is warm. The valve was jammed when we moved in, although it is apparently new. I have released this and there was a wooshing sound, but still not flowing through. I have bled all the radiators and there was air in some of them, but not the towel radiator.

Also I've attached a picture, can someone tell me what the button on the front is. It is always showing red, but if I press it then it flashes amber.

I have read on a forum about the possibility of the wireless thermostat receiver being wired into the boiler incorrectly. Could this cause the problem of boiler coming on all the time even though it's supposed to be off, or the anti cycling mode always coming on?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Chuck]

Some thermostats have an air-conditioning mode, which inverts the normal 'heating' mode of operation. Make sure that this has not been unintentionally selected. Which model of thermostat do you have.

A wiring error is also possible but if that were the case the heating will never have worked correctly, which seems unlikely to me.

I'd wait until the thermostat/short-cycling issue is fixed before worrying about the towel rail. If there is a real problem here it may be that the towel rail needs bleeding but the bleed hole is blocked.

Central heating systems with TRVs on the radiators don't work well at this time of year. They short-cycle because the emitter system doesn't dissipate heat fast enough. For testing purposes, you need to go around and set all the TRVs to 'MAX' to work around this.

 

[Scott_D]

Looks like you have a vaillant wireless thermostat?

 

[will562]

Some thermostats have an air-conditioning mode, which inverts the normal 'heating' mode of operation. Make sure that this has not been unintentionally selected. Which model of thermostat do you have.

A wiring error is also possible but if that were the case the heating will never have worked correctly, which seems unlikely to me.

I'd wait until the thermostat/short-cycling issue is fixed before worrying about the towel rail. If there is a real problem here it may be that the towel rail needs bleeding but the bleed hole is blocked.

Central heating systems with TRVs on the radiators don't work well at this time of year. They short-cycle because the emitter system doesn't dissipate heat fast enough. For testing purposes, you need to go around and set all the TRVs to 'MAX' to work around this.

Hi

We are the first people to live in the house since it has been refurbished so it may not have been tested properly. Someone else has pointed out to me that the part with the button on I was referring to is a vaillant receiver. But there is also an instinct instrt520rf thermostat installed. I’m wondering if the fact the old vaillant receiver hasn’t been removed is causing some issues.

Re the towel radiator, i have bled it and water comes out, so strange that the hot water isn’t getting through.

Looks like you have a vaillant wireless thermostat?

Well I now know that what you are referring to is the vaillant receiver. As above, the vaillant thermostat isn’t present but there is a new thermostat and receiver wired in.

 

[will562]

Problem solved, was indeed incorrectly wired in the first place!

Thanks for everyone’s help.

Will tackle the towel radiator another time though!

 

[Scott_D]

The new room stat was wrong?

 

[will562]

The new room stat was wrong?

Yes, incorrectly wired into the boiler and also the back of the receiver!

 

[Harvest Fields]

Yes, incorrectly wired into the boiler and also the back of the receiver!

How did you find this out? Did you get a gas safe engineer out to have a look for you?

 

[will562]

Coincidentally we had a massive leak from one of the pipes under the floor yesterday (luckily to ground). The plumber that did the original install came to sort it. (well it was his workers but he came to sort it). An incorrectly push fit had popped off and water was flowing through the boiler and straight out to ground!! He had to remove kitchen cupboards, cut a hole in the floor and climb down through the smallest of holes and repair the pipe. Whilst he was there he rewired the thermostat. It was wrong in the receiver and the boiler! Now working and with the heating coming on this morning, it has cleared the blockage in the towel radiator and this is working too. So all sorted now! Luckily no damage apart from the hole in the floor, but this is underneath kitchen cupboards so you wouldn't know.

 

[Harvest Fields]

All good then mate ?

 

[will562]

All good then mate ?

All sorted thanks! Thank you for everyone's help also.