Y-plan Issues - quick help needed please!

[Greg Taylor]

Did it work correctly before you made these changes?

Are you an electrician? Is this a job for a paying customer?

1 - very intermittently, timer wasn't working. Thermostat was from the 60's.

2 - no, not a qualified one.

3 - possibly, but I was seeking advice from Productive members... Not a game of 21 questions.

 

[davesparks]

1 - very intermittently, timer wasn't working. Thermostat was from the 60's.

2 - no, not a qualified one.

3 - possibly, but I was seeking advice from Productive members... Not a game of 21 questions.

1, Ok, did you test the whole system through before making any changes to confirm that diagnosis? Are you sure that all of the other parts of the system that you haven't changed are functioning correctly?

2, for the sake of not starting the usual riot I'm going to stay quiet on that one.

3, Who's playing a game? If you want advice then you need to provide all of the information, if you don't then people will ask for the information. If the system was originally fitted as early as the 60's then there is every possibility it started life as a gravity system which has been adapted into a fully pumped system and may not be following the standard y plan.

I have already advised you as to how to test the system to find the fault, you go through each point in the control system testing that it becomes either live or dead as expected when each control is operated.

 

[Geordie Spark]

1 - very intermittently, timer wasn't working. Thermostat was from the 60's.

2 - no, not a qualified one.

3 - possibly, but I was seeking advice from Productive members... Not a game of 21 questions.

Wind yer neck in bonny lad..

When you go to your GP with some ailment or other, do you just sit in the chair and expect him/her to diagnose the problem without asking or you replying to questions??

(s)he is not telepathic and neither are we!!

 

[Greg Taylor]

Wind yer neck in bonny lad..

When you go to your GP with some ailment or other, do you just sit in the chair and expect him/her to diagnose the problem without asking or you replying to questions??

(s)he is not telepathic and neither are we!!

After re-reading it I may have taken number 3 the wrong way!

Its for myself on my home!

Apologises!

 

[Greg Taylor]

1, Ok, did you test the whole system through before making any changes to confirm that diagnosis? Are you sure that all of the other parts of the system that you haven't changed are functioning correctly?

2, for the sake of not starting the usual riot I'm going to stay quiet on that one.

3, Who's playing a game? If you want advice then you need to provide all of the information, if you don't then people will ask for the information. If the system was originally fitted as early as the 60's then there is every possibility it started life as a gravity system which has been adapted into a fully pumped system and may not be following the standard y plan.

I have already advised you as to how to test the system to find the fault, you go through each point in the control system testing that it becomes either live or dead as expected when each control is operated.

1 - No, I diagnosed it as the thermostat to start with. Replaced that, and it was still very intermittent, so also changed the panel (also for cosmetic reasons as I had a hideous Dandfoss Randal!) yes, It is gravity fed... Is that where the problem lies?

2 - yeah your right, but I like to give things myself a go first and see myself as quite handy. Although I will never touch gas / mains electic.

3 - sorry I think I miss understood your initial post! It is a gravity fed system. So maybe I'm looking at a different plan?

Cheers

 

[davesparks]

It can't be a gravity system now if it's got a 3port mid position valve and a Worcester Ri boiler, at least not without something very unusual going on!
Don't get me started on Randall programmers, I can rant about them for hours!

You say you won't touch mains electrics, but here you are working on and asking about mains electrics?

I would suggest you are at a point where calling an electrician in to fix the system is probably the most sensible option. But try to make sure you get one who actually understands heating controls, there are many who pretend to be electricians but don't.

 

[Greg Taylor]

It can't be a gravity system now if it's got a 3port mid position valve and a Worcester Ri boiler, at least not without something very unusual going on!
Don't get me started on Randall programmers, I can rant about them for hours!

You say you won't touch mains electrics, but here you are working on and asking about mains electrics?

I would suggest you are at a point where calling an electrician in to fix the system is probably the most sensible option. But try to make sure you get one who actually understands heating controls, there are many who pretend to be electricians but don't.

That's the issue everything is set up like a Y Plan, but I have a tank in the loft which feeds the system. Any ideas? Or call in the 'experts'?

 

[davesparks]

That's the issue everything is set up like a Y Plan, but I have a tank in the loft which feeds the system. Any ideas? Or call in the 'experts'?

How many tanks in the loft, and are they big tanks or little tanks?

A small header tank would signify that you have an open vented heating system, and a large cold water storage tank(s) would suggest your hot water is from an open vented cylinder. Neither of which has anything to do with whether it is a gravity or fully pumped system.

If it all appears to be set up as per a Y plan then it'll be fully pumped. I only mentioned gravity as it is possible that with the age of the parts it may have been converted from one to a fully pumped system and so may not be following the 'wire by numbers' type of setup.

 

[123]

That's the issue everything is set up like a Y Plan, but I have a tank in the loft which feeds the system. Any ideas? Or call in the 'experts'?

Call the experts. A tank in the loft does not mean it's a gravity heating system, the HW and CH are more than likely pumped.

And as Dave said, get someone who understands heating. You'll end up replacing every part until you find the fault, penny wise pound foolish!

 

[telectrix]

grfeg, if you post your location, 1 of us may be close enough to help ( shut it , geordie! LOL.)

 

[Greg Taylor]

grfeg, if you post your location, 1 of us may be close enough to help ( shut it , geordie! LOL.)

Hi telectrix,

I'm from Barrow In Furness, Cumbria.

I've phoned all around today and earliest is Monday. Luckily it isn't too cold at the moment!

I managed to get the pump running earlier, but the boiler didn't kick in. Once I switched it off and on again it didn't come back on....

That maybe a clue for one of the genious's who could work out where the wiring fault is, or what I have wired up wrong!

Cheers

 

[Geordie Spark]

grfeg, if you post your location, 1 of us may be close enough to help ( shut it , geordie! LOL.)

NOW what am I getting blamed for??? :angelsad2::35:

 

[telectrix]

the comment was made in anticipation of your imminent sarcastic reference to my skills with heating systems.:ack2::49:

 

[Geordie Spark]

the comment was made in anticipation of your imminent sarcastic reference to my skills with heating systems.:ack2::49:

As if I would

 

[Greg Taylor]

Any ideas people?