Mid position actuator newly installed issue

[Hlruk1]

Hi, I had a Drayton ma1 mid position actuator recently installed as central heating had stopped working. Now my heating and hot water will not come on at the same time (with timed settings) and I have been advised that my thermostat is not working which is causing the problem (from the emergency plumber that had come out). I’m slightly confused as surely if I manually turn my central heating on and the hot water is working then the ma1 should move to the mid position which it does not.. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[John.g]

Maybe he means the room stat?, have you tried turning this up?, if its the old rotary type then you should hear a click from it each time you turn it up/down past the actual room temperature.
Does the CH come on if selected only?.

 

[Hlruk1]

Hi the plumber did say the room stat and I am happy to replace. My confusion is more over the fact that if I turn the heating on manually my hot water and heating don’t work together as the actuator does not move to the mid position...and the actuator is new?

 

[John.g]

How do you turn the heating on manually?

 

[Hlruk1]

How do you turn the heating on manually?

On the control panel

 

[John.g]

Won't that still be controlled by the room stat?, manual to me means CH on 24/7 and not timed but still to the mid position valve via the room stat.

 

[Aquarius]

Wired up correctly?

 

[Hlruk1]

On

Won't that still be controlled by the room stat?, manual to me means CH on 24/7 and not timed but still to the mid position valve via the room stat.

So if the room stat is replaced this should fix the problem and the actuator should go to mid position? Sorry I know nothing about plumbing

 

[John.g]

Don't know, if the stat has a rotary selector turn it up and down then up again, if your hear a click each time it's unlikely to be the stat and probably a wiring fault. Can you put it in manual, turn up the stat, turn off the HW and see does the valve move fully across to the other side, port A I think. You might post a pic of the room stat.

 

[plumbingdoctor]

central heating had stopped working

Hi
Have you check the motor diverted valve or check the systems if not supplied with electricity? and also make sure that CH and HWS both turn on'

 

[king of pipes]

I suspect a wiring issue get this checked first before replacing other parts . Kop

 

[John.g]

Wonder why it was changed out in the first place? and if the emergency man detected no voltage on the white wire after he changed it out.

 

[Murdoch]

If neither heating or water come on when instructed to do so by the controller either the home is warm enough AND the hot water tank is full of hot water OR you have a wiring problem

its unlikely that both the room stat and the tank stat have both failed so getting somebody competent to check our the heating wiring it the next step forward imho

 

[John.g]

Hot water working I think.

 

[Murdoch]

Hot water working I think.

oops yes.

OP is your room stat programmable?

 

[Hlruk1]

oops yes.

OP is your room stat programmable?

No it’s an old one (pic below). Thanks for your help with this..

 

[Murdoch]

You need to get somebody competent with heating systems to check it out

Iirc that unit should “click” on and off - can you hear this

 

[Aquarius]

One thing that puzzles me slightly: who replaced the mid pos valve? If it was the emergency plumber - did you pay him directly or via a scheme? Either way, why not get them back? If you’re getting heating independently and hot water independently then I’d suspect the mid position valve wiring, not the room stat.

 

[Murdoch]

One thing that puzzles me slightly: who replaced the mid pos valve? If it was the emergency plumber - did you pay him directly or via a scheme? Either way, why not get them back?

hit, nail and head

maybe it’s a bit of DIY gone wrong

 

[Hlruk1]

hit, nail and head

maybe it’s a bit of DIY gone wrong

Thanks for your help it was an emergency plumber through a company and he did come back out and that is what they advised.. I will call them again and say I am not happy and want a second opinion from another plumber at their company

 

[Murdoch]

Thanks for your help it was an emergency plumber through a company and he did come back out and that is what they advised.. I will call them again and say I am not happy and want a second opinion from another plumber at their company

What did their invoice say and how did you pay them?

 

[John.g]

What about that CLICK??, is it clicking or not?.

 

[Ric2013]

To be short, if you can obtain water without heating and you can also obtain heating without water, but not the both together, then it would be really interesting to know how this can possibly be a thermostat fault. To be frank, the company could prove the fault is in the thermostat within 10 minutes if they know even basic electrics.

Please check the new valve says "mid position" and not "diverter" on it. A diverter valve will not stop in the middle and will give you heat OR hot water but not both at the same time, usually giving priority to hot water: have they fitted the wrong type?

Plus, as other have asked, can you get the room thermostat to click on and off? Without knowing that answer, it really isn't worth us speculating further.

 

[Aquarius]

Please check the new valve says "mid position" and not "diverter" on it. A diverter valve will not stop in the middle and will give you heat OR hot water but not both at the same time, usually giving priority to hot water: have they fitted the wrong type?

This is a goldmine point. Op has said it’s a MA1, that said it could be a ZA1 which is the diverter

 

[John.g]

And should (even though wrong) work if CH only selected?? not sure if this was stated above.

 

[Ric2013]

This is a goldmine point. Op has said it’s a MA1, that said it could be a ZA1 which is the diverter

I'm wondering whether the OP has looked at the old valve which was presumably replaced, or has looked at the box, or whether the OP will confirm that that is what is written on the new valve.