# Any plumbers / boiler engineers ??



## Dellboy (Oct 12, 2014)

Hi,
      Just wondering if we have any plumbers/boiler engineers here. Iâ€™m having a problem with our boiler. Itâ€™s a Worcester boiler (Greenstar 27cdi combi) and 3-4 years old, or so Iâ€™m told, only moved into the house 7 months ago.

Heating works fine, no problem with that; itâ€™s the hot water, which is playing up.

Trying to take a shower is almost impossible, it takes a while to come through hot (due to boiler is at the other end of house), but then we only get 2-3 minutes (max) of hot water before it runs cold. So you have to run it again for another 4-5 minutes to get your next short burst of hot water. 

It did work fine when we first moved it but has been getting worse. Had one chap round and told us we needed a new boiler, Â£1,100 + labor, a second chap said boiler was fine, must be the shower!! (Even though the same happens to the hot water in the kitchen)

I called Worcester; they said sounds like the Diverter valve and could send someone out to look but not for a while (not sure how long a while is?)
Now I did tell the last chap this info (diverter vave) but he said Combi boilers donâ€™t have one.

So does anyone here know if I do have a Diverter valve with this boiler? And if so, does it sound like it would cause this fault?

I know itâ€™s going to cost me, but so far I have not had much luck in sorting this and would just like an honest answer or advice.

Cheers

Dellboy


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## Beezerk (Oct 12, 2014)

Google is your friend mate, the 2nd hit showed this...

https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120107021108AAzewIx

Mentions the diverter valve as well, not sure what all that connecting the hose to the taps malarky is all about but I'd be giving it a shot, if nothing else then for comedy value


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## Pipetwister (Oct 12, 2014)

This brings back memories!! Yes there is a divertor valve in the boiler and yes if it is sticking it will work ok in heating mode but no hot water. All combi boilers, unless they have a twin primary heat exchanger (Worcester i Junior) default to heating .


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## williamalex1 (Oct 12, 2014)

I asked my heating engineer mate , he said first thing he would try is the hot water sensor, which is cheap and easy to replace .

 But remember to use someone thats gas safe registered.

PS , you do know that if another hot water tap is turned on while you're in the shower it will run cold for a while, maybe someones having a laugh.

 I've been known to turn the downstair hot water tap on when the wifes in the upstairs shower[ by mistake of course] , you should hear the screams.:rofl:


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## Fish (Oct 12, 2014)

I think Qwerty is a plumber, or some kind of "engineer" where pipes, water, gas and solder may all come together :smirk:


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## Hogieefc (Oct 12, 2014)

Dellboy, is there an ECO button on the front panel, if its switched on turn it off and see if that makes any difference.


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## Stuart_C (Oct 12, 2014)

Dellboy said:



			Hi,
      Just wondering if we have any plumbers/boiler engineers here. Iâ€™m having a problem with our boiler. Itâ€™s a Worcester boiler (Greenstar 27cdi combi) and 3-4 years old, or so Iâ€™m told, only moved into the house 7 months ago.

Heating works fine, no problem with that; itâ€™s the hot water, which is playing up.

Trying to take a shower is almost impossible, it takes a while to come through hot (due to boiler is at the other end of house), but then we only get 2-3 minutes (max) of hot water before it runs cold. So you have to run it again for another 4-5 minutes to get your next short burst of hot water. 

It did work fine when we first moved it but has been getting worse. Had one chap round and told us we needed a new boiler, Â£1,100 + labor, a second chap said boiler was fine, must be the shower!! (Even though the same happens to the hot water in the kitchen)

I called Worcester; they said sounds like the Diverter valve and could send someone out to look but not for a while (not sure how long a while is?)
Now I did tell the last chap this info (diverter vave) but he said Combi boilers donâ€™t have one.

So does anyone here know if I do have a Diverter valve with this boiler? And if so, does it sound like it would cause this fault?

I know itâ€™s going to cost me, but so far I have not had much luck in sorting this and would just like an honest answer or advice.

Cheers

Dellboy
		
Click to expand...

Dell, It does sound like the diverter, when you run the hot water does your boiler lockout and need resetting manually?


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## MadAdey (Oct 12, 2014)

Not sure if you have the servicing manual for your boiler, it looks like a very simple job to change the diverter valve. Here is a link to your boiler manuals if you don't have them 

http://www.plumbase.co.uk/documents/product/3550027

loook at page 49 of part 2 in the servicing manual and it tells you there how to change it.


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## Stuart_C (Oct 12, 2014)

MadAdey said:



			Not sure if you have the servicing manual for your boiler, it looks like a very simple job to change the diverter valve. Here is a link to your boiler manuals if you don't have them 

http://www.plumbase.co.uk/documents/product/3550027

loook at page 49 of part 2 in the servicing manual and it tells you there how to change it.
		
Click to expand...

Trust me, it isn't as simple as it looks. 

I've been to planty of repair jobs where people have tried to change parts on their boiler  because it looked easy enough only for them to call the expert because they've not done it properly.

Don't mess about with your boilers, get a expert in.


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## John_R7 (Oct 12, 2014)

Beezerk said:



			Google is your friend mate, the 2nd hit showed this...

https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120107021108AAzewIx

Mentions the diverter valve as well, not sure what all that connecting the hose to the taps malarky is all about but I'd be giving it a shot, if nothing else then for comedy value 

Click to expand...

Didn't read all the link and don't have a combi.
We occasionally get air lock in the hot water and it will run slow (low pressure/volume) causig issue at the shower.
Have a mixer tap in the kitchen, block tap tightly with hand, open hot fully (can hold pressure back easily), open cold (from mains in mine) and the cold presurised water forces back along the hot water pipes and back to the tank. Close cold then hot.
Open hot where you are having issue (NOT on a mix). I open the bathroom wash hand basin as it is only hot and furthest from the supply. A minute or so and all the spluttering will stop - pipe full of water and ready to rock n' roll on our thermostatic mixer shower.

PS - hold on TIGHT to the mixer tap or it can have comic / rage value :lol:


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## Dellboy (Oct 12, 2014)

Beezerk said:



			Google is your friend mate, the 2nd hit showed this...
https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120107021108AAzewIx
Mentions the diverter valve as well, not sure what all that connecting the hose to the taps malarky is all about but I'd be giving it a shot, if nothing else then for comedy value 

Click to expand...

Got a mixer tap so could be a wee problem, but cheers mate.



williamalex1 said:



			I asked my heating engineer mate , he said first thing he would try is the hot water sensor, which is cheap and easy to replace .
But remember to use someone thats gas safe registered.
PS , you do know that if another hot water tap is turned on while you're in the shower it will run cold for a while, maybe someones having a laugh.
I've been known to turn the downstair hot water tap on when the wifes in the upstairs shower[ by mistake of course] , you should hear the screams.:rofl:
		
Click to expand...

Hot water sensor, cheers, something else to check on, did run the hot once when wife was in the shower at my old house, she screamed as well, so did I when she got hold of me 



Hogieefc said:



			Dellboy, is there an ECO button on the front panel, if its switched on turn it off and see if that makes any difference.
		
Click to expand...

Gave the ECO button a try, didn't seem to make any difference, but cheers for that, I now know I have a ECO button  :thup:



Stuart_C said:



			Dell, It does sound like the diverter, when you run the hot water does your boiler lockout and need resetting manually?
		
Click to expand...

Never had the boiler lockout as of yet !



MadAdey said:



			Not sure if you have the servicing manual for your boiler, it looks like a very simple job to change the diverter valve. Here is a link to your boiler manuals if you don't have them 

http://www.plumbase.co.uk/documents/product/3550027

loook at page 49 of part 2 in the servicing manual and it tells you there how to change it.
		
Click to expand...

Will have a look through cheers. Not 100% sure about touching a gas boiler, I know I *could* do it but not sure if I *should* do it, its a bit like me and my electrical work, I tell people to leave to the experts so I might have to sit this one out, but still a handy manual to have, cheers for that. 



John_R7 said:



			Didn't read all the link and don't have a combi.
We occasionally get air lock in the hot water and it will run slow (low pressure/volume) causig issue at the shower.
Have a mixer tap in the kitchen, block tap tightly with hand, open hot fully (can hold pressure back easily), open cold (from mains in mine) and the cold presurised water forces back along the hot water pipes and back to the tank. Close cold then hot.
Open hot where you are having issue (NOT on a mix). I open the bathroom wash hand basin as it is only hot and furthest from the supply. A minute or so and all the spluttering will stop - pipe full of water and ready to rock n' roll on our thermostatic mixer shower.

PS - hold on TIGHT to the mixer tap or it can have comic / rage value :lol:
		
Click to expand...

Can see me getting a tad wet tiring that, not so sure its an air block more of a parts fail I'm thinking, but if the wife goes out I might give it a go  :lol:

Cheers to all for the help, still tiring to work out my next move ??


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## MadAdey (Oct 12, 2014)

Stuart_C said:



			Trust me, it isn't as simple as it looks. 

I've been to planty of repair jobs where people have tried to change parts on their boiler  because it looked easy enough only for them to call the expert because they've not done it properly.

Don't mess about with your boilers, get a expert in.
		
Click to expand...

I suppose it depends how competent you are whe it comes to DIY. I changed out the heat exchanger and diverter valve on my combi boiler, but then I am pretty handy when it comes to things like this. But I would never touch anything on the boiler that involved the gas supply, I would leave that to the experts.


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## Stuart_C (Oct 12, 2014)

Dellboy said:



			Got a mixer tap so could be a wee problem, but cheers mate.



Hot water sensor, cheers, something else to check on, did run the hot once when wife was in the shower at my old house, she screamed as well, so did I when she got hold of me 



Gave the ECO button a try, didn't seem to make any difference, but cheers for that, I now know I have a ECO button  :thup:



Never had the boiler lockout as of yet !



Will have a look through cheers. Not 100% sure about touching a gas boiler, I know I *could* do it but not sure if I *should* do it, its a bit like me and my electrical work, I tell people to leave to the experts so I might have to sit this one out, but still a handy manual to have, cheers for that. 



Can see me getting a tad wet tiring that, not so sure its an air block more of a parts fail I'm thinking, but if the wife goes out I might give it a go  :lol:

Cheers to all for the help, still tiring to work out my next move ??
		
Click to expand...

It's hard to diagnose without seeing it but I'd be looking at the DHW heat exchanger plate, that may be blocked rather than a faulty diverter.

Let us know if/when you get sorted.


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## Dellboy (Oct 13, 2014)

Stuart_C said:



			It's hard to diagnose without seeing it but I'd be looking at the DHW heat exchanger plate, that may be blocked rather than a faulty diverter.

Let us know if/when you get sorted.
		
Click to expand...

Will do, hopefully got someone to look at it Wednesday evening, so will report back what he said. :thup:


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## Dellboy (Oct 15, 2014)

Update...

I now have lots of lovely hot water :thup: chap came round and worked out it was the _*heat exchange unit*_ 

So new unit cost me Â£127:00 and he charged me Â£75 for labour, while he was doing it he also gave the old boiler a service (The gas boiler, not the wife )

Thanks for all your input chaps, Im off for a nice long shower.

Cheer

Dellboy


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## Stuart_C (Oct 15, 2014)

Dellboy said:



			Update...

I now have lots of lovely hot water :thup: chap came round and worked out it was the _*heat exchange unit*_ 

So new unit cost me Â£127:00 and he charged me Â£75 for labour, while he was doing it he also gave the old boiler a service (The gas boiler, not the wife )

Thanks for all your input chaps, Im off for a nice long shower.

Cheer

Dellboy
		
Click to expand...

As I suggested too :thup:.


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## Crazyface (Oct 16, 2014)

Stuart_C said:



			As I suggested too :thup:.
		
Click to expand...

I hope you've got his mobile number now in you phone / written down  / in a bank safety deposit box. He sounds a gud 'un. THEY ARE VERY HARD TO FIND !!!!!!!


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## Stuart_C (Oct 16, 2014)

Crazyface said:



			I hope you've got his mobile number now in you phone / written down  / in a bank safety deposit box. He sounds a gud 'un. THEY ARE VERY HARD TO FIND !!!!!!!
		
Click to expand...

I don't need to, I do it for a living!!


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