Actuator Valve nightmare!

[scapa]

Hi I have an old system where I have 2 x 2 port actuator valves honeywell, pump and baxi boiler. My HW valve head packed in a year ago so I just switched it off and jammed it open and it seems to heat the hot water cylnder when the heating kicks in (fine by me). The CH valve packed in the other day (checked with meter valve was getting power but not supplying power to boiler and pump). So ordered replacement head from toolstation £30 plus a spare motor £10 (tower make same spec volts etc). Wired the new head in (correctly) last night and hey presto it worked, however came home from work tonight and heating off again -aaarrrgghh! The Valve head feels hot but pipes cold, no power to boiler and pump again is it dead?. I did read somewhere the actual valve its self could be jamming but taking the head off it moves back and forward freely about 45 degrees. Anyone got any ideas, I feel like if I wire the spare motor in I am going to fry it. I have one seriously cold unhappy Australian wife ready to board a plane.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

is the spindle moving freely on the valve base?

 

[scapa]

you mean the bit the head sits on? yea as I said it rotates about 45 degrees with my finger and thumb no pliers req.

 

[scapa]

my old man suggested its maybe something in the system, gets jammed in valve, puts strain on motor which then packs in? I've lived there 5 years never had the system flushed if maybe I should do that? Fitted a towel rail without draining system recently, water appears clear.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

would recommend you fit a complete valve ,the new motor may be incompatible in some way for example if you replaced a silver honeywell head for a silver tower head they may fit but are not compatible

 

[scapa]

The thing is I done this last year, fitted a tower head on the Honeywell body it worked for a year, i also fitted a room stat at the same time. I assume it died after a year because the valve is working harder switching off and on with the room stat 20+ times a day rather than twice a day with the old timer. Might be good idea as you say 2 new complete valves I see sunvic, salus, grasslin all around £35 mark. Man this system has been nothing but unreliable. One web site suggested remove head jam valve open and wire it so the room stat switches the boiler off and on (if thats possible). Either that or I should cut my losses and buy a vaillant combi. Thanks for your help gas man will have to do some quick decision making.

 

[gasmarc]

you are spot on there Gas Man ,I rang honeywell on this one and they said the existing valve I had which was a honeywell would not swap over with out replacing the whole valve ,I managed to swap the head over without changing the whole valve and it is still working fine months later ,touch wood

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

The thing is I done this last year, fitted a tower head on the Honeywell body it worked for a year, i also fitted a room stat at the same time. I assume it died after a year because the valve is working harder switching off and on with the room stat 20+ times a day rather than twice a day with the old timer. Might be good idea as you say 2 new complete valves I see sunvic, salus, grasslin all around £35 mark. Man this system has been nothing but unreliable. One web site suggested remove head jam valve open and wire it so the room stat switches the boiler off and on (if thats possible). Either that or I should cut my losses and buy a vaillant combi. Thanks for your help gas man will have to do some quick decision making.

if you replace the valve honeywell or draytons a good make failing that anything but salus avoid salus like the plague

 

[kimbo]

Avoid tower they are interchangeable with Honeywell but I refuse to use them now I have had too many fail in the guarantee period.