Hi - hoping someone can help me pinpoint the issue here!
I’ve got an Ideal Isar (yup, I’m aware they’re crap boilers). My radiators get warm even when I don’t have the central heating on.
I switched the boiler off to let everything cool down and then switched it on to document what happens. I had CH off at programmer and dial on boiler for CH right down:
So problem seems to be:
It’s one of those things I’ve been able to live with over the past year by turning the radiator valves off in summer so that the house doesn’t overheat when showering, and turning the boiler off when heating and hot water not needed to prevent near constant firing of the boiler and unnecessary energy consumption. I have a smart meter and noticed that on days when I’ve left the boiler on doing nothing it uses somewhere in the region of about 4p an hour. Doesn’t sound much but 24/7 that’s £30 a month extra! Problem is the cold weather is coming and if the boiler is switched off, I can’t use my programmer to get the house toasty for when I wake up or come home from work - so I have to get it sorted.
I took the cover off my boiler to watch the actuator, and the little switch in the side moves right back when the CH is on. When the CH is off, it moves forward but there is still some slack on it (i.e. I can pull it forwards). So wondering if that might be the fault? I don’t know how these parts are made up and whether you have to replace the value and actuator together, or if they are separate.
Any advice?
I’ve got an Ideal Isar (yup, I’m aware they’re crap boilers). My radiators get warm even when I don’t have the central heating on.
I switched the boiler off to let everything cool down and then switched it on to document what happens. I had CH off at programmer and dial on boiler for CH right down:
- Ignition sequence commenced - boiler displays “d” - manual says this is code for DHW. This sequence lasts about 1 min 20
- Felt radiators - not warm but can tell there’s some hot water being supplied to them. Pipe from valve is warm
- 2.5 mins later, boiler fires and displays “t” - manual says this is code for preheat to keep water at temperature, which I believe kicks in when the termistor detects certain level of temperature drop. This preheat lasts about 1.5 min
- Felt radiators - gotten a bit warmer
- 3.5 mins later, boiler fires and displays “t” again
- Radiators a bit warmer again
- Turn hot tap on - boiler fires and displays “d”. Have hot water, boiler continues for about 30 secs after closing tap and then stops
- Put CH on at programmer - boiler fires and displays “c” - manual says this is when central heating is on
- Turn hot tap on - displays changes to “d” and back to “c” when turned off
So problem seems to be:
- Preheat kicking in too frequently - manual says it will fire periodically and is depending on ambient temperature, but my kitchen isn’t cold so the water can’t have cooled that quick
- Hot water is going to my radiators when not required
It’s one of those things I’ve been able to live with over the past year by turning the radiator valves off in summer so that the house doesn’t overheat when showering, and turning the boiler off when heating and hot water not needed to prevent near constant firing of the boiler and unnecessary energy consumption. I have a smart meter and noticed that on days when I’ve left the boiler on doing nothing it uses somewhere in the region of about 4p an hour. Doesn’t sound much but 24/7 that’s £30 a month extra! Problem is the cold weather is coming and if the boiler is switched off, I can’t use my programmer to get the house toasty for when I wake up or come home from work - so I have to get it sorted.
I took the cover off my boiler to watch the actuator, and the little switch in the side moves right back when the CH is on. When the CH is off, it moves forward but there is still some slack on it (i.e. I can pull it forwards). So wondering if that might be the fault? I don’t know how these parts are made up and whether you have to replace the value and actuator together, or if they are separate.
Any advice?