boiler end switch/valve question
 

Just bought first house with hot water heat. Passed inspection fine,
but now that winter has hit, it's been problematic: randomly stops
working esp when it's cold! First service call replaced zone valve
(bad end switch) Two weeks later it stopped working again. Same
symptoms. I'm able to fire boiler by jumping end switch connections
and then just letting the boiler cycle off it's internal thermostat. I
assume the new end switch it faulty. New tech comes out and replaces
the actual valve (didn't really ask, kinda did it). When I question
him (more out of curiosity) he tells me the valve (small levered ball
on a plate) is bad and not opening fully, thus not allowing the
endswitch to connect and fire the boiler. In ANY system does the valve
actually TRIGGER the end switch? It seems unlikely and a moot point as
the system was working fine by jumping the end switch (which is
evidence that at least the valve was open enough to pass water) Did I
get snookered? P.S. do you pros out there all charge for travel time
(including part pickup and getting lost?) I was charged 2.25 hrs for
50 minutes of on site work (2nd visit!) Thanks for any insight, Chris

wrote in message
oups.com...
Just bought first house with hot water heat. Passed inspection fine,
but now that winter has hit, it's been problematic: randomly stops
working esp when it's cold! First service call replaced zone valve
(bad end switch) Two weeks later it stopped working again. Same
symptoms. I'm able to fire boiler by jumping end switch connections
and then just letting the boiler cycle off it's internal thermostat. I
assume the new end switch it faulty. New tech comes out and replaces
the actual valve (didn't really ask, kinda did it). When I question
him (more out of curiosity) he tells me the valve (small levered ball
on a plate) is bad and not opening fully, thus not allowing the
endswitch to connect and fire the boiler. In ANY system does the valve
actually TRIGGER the end switch? It seems unlikely and a moot point as
the system was working fine by jumping the end switch (which is
evidence that at least the valve was open enough to pass water) Did I
get snookered? P.S. do you pros out there all charge for travel time
(including part pickup and getting lost?) I was charged 2.25 hrs for
50 minutes of on site work (2nd visit!) Thanks for any insight, Chris

Jumpering safeties is not the best pratice. It is possible that the valve
needs to be fully open before the end switch completes the circuit. But I
sort of doubt that happens in residential systems. I have done central plant
systems where a valve must be open a certain % before any pumps could run.

I have not a clue what a end switch would be. t-stat?

Sounds to me like you need a pro to come out and teach you the operation of
the system.

Unfortunately charging of the customer is left up to the company called.
Sounds like the guy you called gets paid per call. I work on a minimum of 4
hours for my work with in 50 miles and 8 hours over that plus travel
expenses over 50 miles.

Typically the end switch of a zone valve closes a circuit on a relay which
turns on the circulator pump feeding the zone valve, which in turn may or
may not turn on the boiler, depending on how the boiler is wired to fire.
The zone valve must open past 100 % to activate the end switch. It sounds
like either there is an obstruction preventing the valve from opening
completely or the end switch is bad. There is no danger in jumping the
switch as long as the valve is open enough to pass water, if not eventually
you'll burn out the pump
wrote in message
oups.com...
Just bought first house with hot water heat. Passed inspection fine,
but now that winter has hit, it's been problematic: randomly stops
working esp when it's cold! First service call replaced zone valve
(bad end switch) Two weeks later it stopped working again. Same
symptoms. I'm able to fire boiler by jumping end switch connections
and then just letting the boiler cycle off it's internal thermostat. I
assume the new end switch it faulty. New tech comes out and replaces
the actual valve (didn't really ask, kinda did it). When I question
him (more out of curiosity) he tells me the valve (small levered ball
on a plate) is bad and not opening fully, thus not allowing the
endswitch to connect and fire the boiler. In ANY system does the valve
actually TRIGGER the end switch? It seems unlikely and a moot point as
the system was working fine by jumping the end switch (which is
evidence that at least the valve was open enough to pass water) Did I
get snookered? P.S. do you pros out there all charge for travel time
(including part pickup and getting lost?) I was charged 2.25 hrs for
50 minutes of on site work (2nd visit!) Thanks for any insight, Chris

wrote in message
oups.com...
Just bought first house with hot water heat. Passed inspection fine,
but now that winter has hit, it's been problematic: randomly stops
working esp when it's cold!

That's your first problem, trusting your 'inspector.' Most are inspecting
from a general list given to them at the class they took. Another possible
problem was that they ran the boiler for just long enough to see if it
worked. Now that it's cold, longer run times are the norm.




First service call replaced zone valve
(bad end switch) Two weeks later it stopped working again. Same
symptoms. I'm able to fire boiler by jumping end switch connections
and then just letting the boiler cycle off it's internal thermostat. I
assume the new end switch it faulty. New tech comes out and replaces
the actual valve (didn't really ask, kinda did it). When I question
him (more out of curiosity) he tells me the valve (small levered ball
on a plate) is bad and not opening fully, thus not allowing the
endswitch to connect and fire the boiler. In ANY system does the valve
actually TRIGGER the end switch? It seems unlikely and a moot point as
the system was working fine by jumping the end switch (which is
evidence that at least the valve was open enough to pass water) Did I
get snookered? P.S. do you pros out there all charge for travel time
(including part pickup and getting lost?) I was charged 2.25 hrs for
50 minutes of on site work (2nd visit!) Thanks for any insight, Chris


The prices charged are between you and the contractor.

As far as the rest, the other responders have it pretty close to correct.

RBM (remove this) wrote:
Typically the end switch of a zone valve closes a circuit on a relay
which
turns on the circulator pump feeding the zone valve, which in turn
may or
may not turn on the boiler, depending on how the boiler is wired to
fire.
The zone valve must open past 100 % to activate the end switch. It
sounds
like either there is an obstruction preventing the valve from opening

completely or the end switch is bad. There is no danger in jumping
the
switch as long as the valve is open enough to pass water, if not
eventually
you'll burn out the pump
wrote in message
oups.com...
Just bought first house with hot water heat. Passed inspection
fine,
but now that winter has hit, it's been problematic: randomly stops
working esp when it's cold! First service call replaced zone valve
(bad end switch) Two weeks later it stopped working again. Same
symptoms. I'm able to fire boiler by jumping end switch
connections
and then just letting the boiler cycle off it's internal
thermostat. I
assume the new end switch it faulty. New tech comes out and
replaces
the actual valve (didn't really ask, kinda did it). When I
question
him (more out of curiosity) he tells me the valve (small levered
ball
on a plate) is bad and not opening fully, thus not allowing the
endswitch to connect and fire the boiler. In ANY system does the
valve
actually TRIGGER the end switch? It seems unlikely and a moot
point as
the system was working fine by jumping the end switch (which is
evidence that at least the valve was open enough to pass water)
Did I
get snookered? P.S. do you pros out there all charge for travel
time
(including part pickup and getting lost?) I was charged 2.25 hrs
for
50 minutes of on site work (2nd visit!) Thanks for any insight,
Chris


Thanks for the detailed explanation. I appreciate your time (and all
others). Makes perfect sense and I understand why the tech replaced
the valve rather than just try to clear it,...It's just a drag that the
second tech had to come out. My big issue was that the first visit did
not include any off-site (travel, etc) labor charges, and at $90/hr I
expected them to catch it the first time (or at least cut me a break on
the 2nd call)