Plumber / Plumbers / Plumbing - Show us your pipes

They really aren't three ways valves. They are two way valves.

I know this in (haha) two ways: 1) they have two pipes going in/out of them, 2) googling the model numbers and noting that they are 2 port zone valves.

The immersion heater is ONLY there for when the system is broken. I know this because 1) I was told it by the last heating engineer I had out and 2) it is TURNED OFF all of the time. With the off switch. That I keep turned off and only turn on when the system is broken.

When you're done with me, I think Grandma needs some egg sucking tips!

I'm not purely a mechanical engineer but I am a qualified Sparks. I've done enough gas engineering work to know how systems work.

I'm always glad to help but don't tell me to 'suck eggs'. It's insulting when you ask for help on a forum.

If you Google "immersion as backup for combi system" you get this.

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Let's calm down a bit shall we? Don't want to end up in popcorn!

Right.

Back to basics.

I know fuck all about this.

So, it is possible I don't know what combi means!

What I mean is that my hot water is heated by the gas flame, not immersion coil. When everything is working fine. Maybe that is not what "combi" means.

Happy to be corrected.

Fine.

Get a engineer to check it and don't ask for advice on a forum then.

I think I have probably been shouting at cross purposes.

Apologies.

It is def true that those two motorised valves are two port. But there are two of them, so it is possible that they work in tandem as some kind of y plan.

Presumably the boiler (which is not combi?) usually works by filling that tank with hot water.

I think it seems to be more likely to be S plan, as I have two X 2 port valves.

But what is twisting my melon is why the valve being stuck OPEN would prevent me from getting hot water. In my feeble understanding it would be open for hot water, closed for no hot water. Which is why I wonder if the valve being broken is a red herring.

BTW. PM with apologies sent to @Mr_Sworld.

Well, this boiled over quickly. :)

Hope you get it sorted, Matt.

I think I've been a double (maybe triple) dickhead.

The system doesn't provide hot water on demand (isn't a combi, now I know (maybe) what that term means).

So, the fact that I didn't get hot water immediately after repressurising it, is in fact expected behaviour.

It's the thermostat on the tank that operates the two port valve in my s plan system.

I just needed to wait for the tank to refill with hot water. Which takes a while (big fucking tank innit?).

The valve is not broken.

I am a twat who has succeeded in wasting his day and annoying a lovely forumenger who was trying to help.

Sorry again @Mr_Sworld.

Heh...

If it's S Plan then it's still likely that you have a failed valve. They are cheap to replace if on compression joints. If they have been brazed/soldered you will need a plumber unless you are confident with gas torches.

Either way you will need to drain the system if you don't have isolators nearby.

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I just checked the valve by turning the tank thermostat way down low.

The valve closed.

Twat status confirmed.

Sweet. Glad you sorted it out. Apology accepted. You are a good bloke. 😊

Pure POPCORN Shit Fixie Skidderez say

Seen the size of my tank. Gotta be golf clubzzzz

Maybe that is not what "combi" means

Where your boiler has three pipes plumbed in for gas and heating flow and heating return, as a closed loop system exchanging the heat to radiators or a heating coil. A combi(nation) boiler would also have cold water feed and hot water out as directly heated water. Probably plus condensate and overflow pipes too.

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Thanks!

I've learned a lot today. Mainly about myself.

I just typed up an idiot's guide to my system and taped it to the side of the boiler. Should help with next year's onset of winter.

You could perhaps teach Mr_Sworld how to boss a Rubik's cube in atonement. :)

On the plus side, you'll actually know how your boiler works from now, and in case of any further problems will work it out more easily, so that's all useful.

Meh. I had a Rubik Cube by 1980. Sussed it by 1982.

We are not all Millennials.

@Oliver Schick you need to reply rather than put add random posts on other people's stuff.

And finally, a picture of the underneath of the boiler.

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That's a Vaillant Ecotec plus and it'll be the diverter valve.
They are a service item and really cheap to have replaced.
Call Mark Ray and he'll fix it for a fixed price.
https://www.vaillantservicing.co.uk/services

Heh, you might want to catch up on the rest of the thread.

Thanks for the recommendation though!

Right, isolation valve under my sink (hot pipe) is leaking from the tap when open enough to get a decent flow. Guessing that means it needs replacing (or fixing?)
In any case, can someone advise where I'd need to turn the hot water tap off so I can remove the offender and replace?
I don't have a combi boiler so I'm guessing that water might come from the hot water tank?

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With the tap closed, try to loosen and retighten the gland nut, if that does not work, remove the gland nut and add some thread tape around the spindle so that the gland nut compresses it into the gland packing housing.
Do not overtighten, tighten just enough to stop the leak.