Hello group!

I know absolutely nothing about anything, so please forgive me if this
is a stupid question,

But we have a very old (don't know how old) central heating system
which only warms up if I switch on the electrical override switch. (the
one for the emergency hot water?)

Without this switched on, nothing happens, but with it, the house gets
nice and toasty. The trouble is, isn't this a much more expensive way
of doing things?

Does anyone know what might be wrong and how I could get it fixed?

Many Thanks

Newbie

Iknownothing wrote:
Hello group!

I know absolutely nothing about anything, so please forgive me if this
is a stupid question,

But we have a very old (don't know how old) central heating system
which only warms up if I switch on the electrical override switch. (the
one for the emergency hot water?)

Without this switched on, nothing happens, but with it, the house gets
nice and toasty. The trouble is, isn't this a much more expensive way
of doing things?

Does anyone know what might be wrong and how I could get it fixed?


Maybe its the main boiler switch nit the electrical override switch.

With all due respect, you haven't told us ANYTHING useful at all, like
what sort of boiler you have, and the age of the installation.


Many Thanks

Newbie

Iknownothing wrote:
Hello group!

I know absolutely nothing about anything, so please forgive me if this
is a stupid question,

But we have a very old (don't know how old) central heating system
which only warms up if I switch on the electrical override switch. (the
one for the emergency hot water?)

Without this switched on, nothing happens, but with it, the house gets
nice and toasty. The trouble is, isn't this a much more expensive way
of doing things?

Does anyone know what might be wrong and how I could get it fixed?

Many Thanks

Newbie

Do you have a room thermostat somewhere? It sounds like that could be
broken meaning that the boiler is never "switched" on - apart from via
the override switch .

On Oct 5, 10:53 am, "thankyousam" wrote:
Iknownothing wrote:

NewbieDo you have a room thermostat somewhere? It sounds like that could be
broken meaning that the boiler is never "switched" on - apart from via
the override switch .

The override switch overrides the timer, not the thermostat. If the
thermostat isn't calling for heat then the you will get no heat even
with the override. It's more likely a problem with the timer.

MBQ

The message .com
from "Iknownothing" contains these words:

Without this switched on, nothing happens, but with it, the house gets
nice and toasty. The trouble is, isn't this a much more expensive way
of doing things?

Sounds like the timer's either knackered or mis-set. No, it won't cost
you more /provided/ you don't forget it's on and leave it running when
the timer would previously have turned it off.

First - find the timer and make sure it's set to auto not off and that
it's set up properly. If that doesn't work, check it's running and
finally take it apart to see where the contacts have failed.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

wrote:

On Oct 5, 10:53 am, "thankyousam" wrote:
Iknownothing wrote:

NewbieDo you have a room thermostat somewhere? It sounds like that could be
broken meaning that the boiler is never "switched" on - apart from via
the override switch .

The override switch overrides the timer, not the thermostat. If the
thermostat isn't calling for heat then the you will get no heat even
with the override. It's more likely a problem with the timer.


He never said he had a timer...

MBQ

The message
from The Natural Philosopher contains these words:

He never said he had a timer...

He didn't say much at all, really.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

On Oct 5, 11:21 am, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
wrote:

On Oct 5, 10:53 am, "thankyousam" wrote:
Iknownothing wrote:

NewbieDo you have a room thermostat somewhere? It sounds like that could be
broken meaning that the boiler is never "switched" on - apart from via
the override switch .

The override switch overrides the timer, not the thermostat. If the
thermostat isn't calling for heat then the you will get no heat even
with the override. It's more likely a problem with the timer.

He never said he had a timer...

An overrride function implies something to override, ie a timer. Unless
you can tell me where else you find them in a heating system.

MBQ

Iknownothing wrote:

But we have a very old (don't know how old) central heating system
which only warms up if I switch on the electrical override switch. (the
one for the emergency hot water?)

Without this switched on, nothing happens, but with it, the house gets
nice and toasty. The trouble is, isn't this a much more expensive way
of doing things?

Could it be that he's just turning on the electric immersion heater -
ie the boiler (gas maybe?) is not working at all? ie, would the
immersion heater possibly heat the house, if the pump was running?

David

Hello,

there is a timer downstairs and it clicks when I turn it round. The
boiler does heat the hot water but it doesn't make the house warm.
I do think that it is an immersion heater in there somewhere which
heats up and does something. When it is just set to heat water, then we
do get nice piping hot water, but when it is set to hot water and
heating then only hot water, no heat.

Wow, what an amazing group!!

Thanks

Newbie






Lobster wrote:
Iknownothing wrote:

But we have a very old (don't know how old) central heating system
which only warms up if I switch on the electrical override switch. (the
one for the emergency hot water?)

Without this switched on, nothing happens, but with it, the house gets
nice and toasty. The trouble is, isn't this a much more expensive way
of doing things?

Could it be that he's just turning on the electric immersion heater -
ie the boiler (gas maybe?) is not working at all? ie, would the
immersion heater possibly heat the house, if the pump was running?

David

Iknownothing wrote:
Hello,

there is a timer downstairs and it clicks when I turn it round. The
boiler does heat the hot water but it doesn't make the house warm.
I do think that it is an immersion heater in there somewhere which
heats up and does something. When it is just set to heat water, then we
do get nice piping hot water, but when it is set to hot water and
heating then only hot water, no heat.


OK kiddo,. we are getting warm (as it were).


Cam you confirm that the radiators get hot when you 'override' or is it
just the hot water.

It does sound like you have a twin motorised valve setup, and as per
normal, after the summer, the heating one is bloody stuck shut.

If so then you wouldn't get heating on ANY setting.

If so, its a relatively simple fix if you are relatively handy. If not
say so and we will yell at you to get a plumber in :-)


Wow, what an amazing group!!

Thanks

Newbie






Lobster wrote:
Iknownothing wrote:

But we have a very old (don't know how old) central heating system
which only warms up if I switch on the electrical override switch. (the
one for the emergency hot water?)

Without this switched on, nothing happens, but with it, the house gets
nice and toasty. The trouble is, isn't this a much more expensive way
of doing things?
Could it be that he's just turning on the electric immersion heater -
ie the boiler (gas maybe?) is not working at all? ie, would the
immersion heater possibly heat the house, if the pump was running?

David

Hi Natural Philosopher,

Well, today, there is no heat at all. I have had it all switched on all
day and the house is freezing! But there is extremely hot water!

I hope that there is a quick fix for this.

Thanks


The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Iknownothing wrote:
Hello,

there is a timer downstairs and it clicks when I turn it round. The
boiler does heat the hot water but it doesn't make the house warm.
I do think that it is an immersion heater in there somewhere which
heats up and does something. When it is just set to heat water, then we
do get nice piping hot water, but when it is set to hot water and
heating then only hot water, no heat.


OK kiddo,. we are getting warm (as it were).


Cam you confirm that the radiators get hot when you 'override' or is it
just the hot water.

It does sound like you have a twin motorised valve setup, and as per
normal, after the summer, the heating one is bloody stuck shut.

If so then you wouldn't get heating on ANY setting.

If so, its a relatively simple fix if you are relatively handy. If not
say so and we will yell at you to get a plumber in :-)


Wow, what an amazing group!!

Thanks

Newbie






Lobster wrote:
Iknownothing wrote:

But we have a very old (don't know how old) central heating system
which only warms up if I switch on the electrical override switch. (the
one for the emergency hot water?)

Without this switched on, nothing happens, but with it, the house gets
nice and toasty. The trouble is, isn't this a much more expensive way
of doing things?
Could it be that he's just turning on the electric immersion heater -
ie the boiler (gas maybe?) is not working at all? ie, would the
immersion heater possibly heat the house, if the pump was running?

David

The message . com
from "Iknownothing" contains these words:

When it is just set to heat water, then we
do get nice piping hot water, but when it is set to hot water and
heating then only hot water, no heat.

Find the pump. Somewhere near that should be a thing that looks like this...

http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/images/pwhv0012s.jpg

This is your three-port valve which allows the controls to send hot
water from the boiler from the stem of the tee to either or both of the
side ports. One will be the CH, the other the HW.

There's a tell-tale lever on the side. Check that it's moving when you
move the switches on the timer.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.