Central heating pump

[garethp]

They have a motor to open the valve, a spring to close it and a separate switch to turn on the pump, when power is applied via the controller the motor will open the valve which presses the switch and turns the pump on. If the valve is jammed open or has a permanent live supply to the motor the switch will always be shut and the pump will always run. I think the motor head might come off easily (couple of screws) which gives you access to the valve spindle, you can try and turn it with a pair of pliers to see if its stuck. If the motor head is faulty you might be able to get a new one without swapping the whole valve, that saves draining the system.

If its been like this since the boiler was swapped it might be that its not wired properly, a house I used to rent had a new boiler fitted by British Gas a couple of years before I moved in and the boiler was wired to be permanently on...

 

[gaz1]

if you want to check your valves move the lever as it will move back into position

yours is this one



a 2 port system is this



it still is a y system but instead uses a 2 port valve system

 

[rikrobson]

It sound like the 3 port valve has failed. You can get the switch bit and swap it out .

 

[hunter27]

Look here for a 330 manual if you dont have the 330+ manual http://www.manualslib.com/manual/883916/British-Gas-330.html?page=21#manual

330 and 330+ made by Glowworm for BG I don't think there was much difference between them.

The pump gets its supply directly from the your boiler (so that it can control the "pump over-run" that cools the boiler down after use)
Boiler electrical connections are,
Permanent live = to supply power to pump after the boiler switches off. (only for a short period)
Pump live = supply to the pump
Pump neutral = neutral to pump
Switch live = to turn boiler on and off when required by timer and stats and supplied from the zone or mid position valves.
Neutral.
Earth.
Frost stat = connection may not be used.
Just check you don't have a frost stat that is set to a very high setting as that will override the clock and other stats.
If you don't have a frost stat, check at the boiler connections.
Is the switch live, live when the timer is off ? Check for faulty motorised valve head?
Is the pump live, live with the timer off and the system cool check boiler circuit board.
pete

 

[cardiffrob]

Delicate application of "Hammer, Mk1, Percussive" in the general region of the aforementioned valve seems to have reactivated a long lost desire to act properly. After adjusting the CH and HW to switch off I managed to get the pump to stop shortly after hearing the valve wind closed. It now shows the same sort of lever resistance as the other valve. Looks like the valve may be stiff so I'll climb into the cupboard and see what I can find.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

"Delicate application of "Hammer, Mk1, Percussive" in the general region of the aforementioned valve seems to have reactivated a long lost desire to act properly...."

"...........so I'll climb into the cupboard and see what I can find."

Be very careful in there.......

 

[hunter27]

Delicate application of "Hammer, Mk1, Percussive" in the general region of the aforementioned valve seems to have reactivated a long lost desire to act properly. After adjusting the CH and HW to switch off I managed to get the pump to stop shortly after hearing the valve wind closed. It now shows the same sort of lever resistance as the other valve. Looks like the valve may be stiff so I'll climb into the cupboard and see what I can find.

Depending on the valve make you can sometimes just replace the syncro motor or the complete valve head but if the spindle is tight in the body a new complete valve is the best option.
Pete

 

[rikrobson]

At lease your valve has stuck on, I've had 2 go over the years and they always went in the off position, so no HW and no CH

 

[the snooper]

Look here for a 330 manual if you dont have the 330+ manual http://www.manualslib.com/manual/883916/British-Gas-330.html?page=21#manual

330 and 330+ made by Glowworm for BG I don't think there was much difference between them.
pete

they were made by ideal boilers and here is the manual for it from ideal boilers site

 

[gaz1]

if you are having any trouble with valves change them as you dont want that water to over boil within the pipes due to a faulty sticking valve

 

[brightspark]

if u have the removable head and cover on the valves u can take the motor out of it seperate- and check make sure it runs if i-ts knacked there only about 12 quid from screwfix and can be replaced. thats all that ever goes on them unless they leak

 

[cardiffrob]

Valve is stiff so I'll have a crack at testing the servo motor tomorrow after the sprogs leave home. Too dark and spidery in there at the moment.

 

[hunter27]

they were made by ideal boilers and here is the manual for it from ideal boilers site

Sorry but I worked for BG 42 years and fitted loads of them and they are made by Glowworm not Ideal,the RD1 and 2 were made by Ideal though as in your link.
Pete

 

[brightspark]

here they all fit the diffrent--- models and makes

http://www.screwfix.com/p/drayton-synchronous-motor/28670?kpid=28670&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product Listing Ads-_-Sales Tracking-_-sales tracking url&cm_mmc=Google-_-Shopping - Heating and Cooling-_-Shopping - Heating and Cooling&gclid=CKW2j6uAvskCFde6Gwod7X0APA

 

[jordan1]

Well, mine runs continuously, day and night. I think it may have been doing so for the last 4 years since we bought the house. The noise from it, a gentle hum, has been part of normal life for so long that I only noticed the pump running at night when I accidentally knocked the electrics off in the airing cupboard. Is this a normal state of affairs? Seems unlikely, but I thought I'd ask. I looked around the pile of copper spaghetti but become lost. It is a Grundfoss crimson coloured pump with a 3-speed selector on the side.

Any suggestions or insights would be gratefully received.

Ta.

Should only run when a demand is made on it via a wall or cylinder thermostat I believe.

 

[the snooper]

Sorry but I worked for BG 42 years and fitted loads of them and they are made by Glowworm not Ideal,the RD1 and 2 were made by Ideal though. Have a better look on the net but don't believe all you read.
Pete

in that case its the rd1 ive seen

 

[cardiffrob]

I've tried winding the valve by hand and it doesn't seem to want to loosen off any further. The motor will open it but the spring/clockwork mechanism isn't powerful enough to overcome the friction. Changing units helps but isn't enough to make it work reliably. Looks like a "Valve Out" job involving draining down the system. Bu66er!

 

[cardiffrob]

Well, here is the offender. Question now is "What size is this?" Seems to be a 15mm pipe at each end but has a nut that is oversize to adapt the valve to fit a smaller bore pipe. Is there any rule of thumb with sizing valves and pipes? Should I measure the OD of the valve male thread to get the size?
Thanks
Rob

 

[gaz1]

15mm compression the pipe below is 22mm

measure to each end of the unit then size up a match to what you have


where the rd line is and to the same on the other side if not you can buy a smaller unit and if there isnt space of pipe you wont pull it closer

look for close of valves near them if your lucky you wont have to drain the system if you do stop the ball cock and drain down drain point near the valve if possible once near the point of much lower pressure and your quick you can swap them fast before full drain down sometimes you may have to cut the pipe a little further back different makes different internal connections so keep a small hacksaw ready

 

[brightspark]

buy a new 22mm valve 2 short pieces of 22mm pipe and use 2 compression 22 to 15mm reducers then fit, job done

http://www.screwfix.com/p/reducing-coupler-compression-fitting-15-22mm/68500?kpid=68500&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product Listing Ads-_-Sales Tracking-_-sales tracking url&cm_mmc=Google-_-Shopping - Plumbing-_-Shopping - Plumbing&gclid=CJyZj_3PwMkCFUi3GwodpMgHwg shop -round on ebay and the valves can be had a lot cheaper than merchants