Turning on hot water turns on heating too?

[777GE90]

Hi, I moved into a new property this year and am used to having a combi boiler at my previous property.

In my new property, the boiler is a British Gas 330+ and it's controlled by a British Gas UP2 programmer. The programmer has individual controls for turning the central heating on/off and hot water, however whenever I turn on the hot water, it also turns on the central heating.

I'm confused as if this is the normal behaviour or whether someone has wired / installed something wrong? Just looking for quick advise as it's far from ideal having to turn on the heating in the middle of summer just to get hot water.

I took the controller off and had a look at the switches and wiring, it seems both hot water and central heating are wired to the "ON" positions, but there is nothing in the "OFF" position. Not sure if this is normal or not either. The system is setup in "Pumped" mode from the switches on the back. See pictures.

 

[Deleted member 120897]

Does the programmer bring it on, or does the radiators just come on with the hot water selected? Can you post a photo of you hot water cylinder cupboard?

 

[777GE90]

Does the programmer bring it on, or does the radiators just come on with the hot water selected? Can you post a photo of you hot water cylinder cupboard?

So basically the programmer has hot water on the left and central heating on the right, so far I have only used it with the central heating always in the "OFF" position and then I just move the hot water to the "ON" position when I need it and back to "OFF" position when I don't.

It works fine and heats up the hot water, but it also turns on the central heating and I can't understand why.

I found a stock image of the front of the programmer for your reference.

 

[777GE90]

Also, I got a photo of the hot water cylinder, this is basically next to the programmer which are installed upstairs. The boiler itself is downstairs.

I don't think I have a better picture of the cuboard but will see if I can find one or take one tomorrow, I'm not at the property at the moment.

 

[Deleted member 120897]

Also, I got a photo of the hot water cylinder, this is basically next to the programmer which are installed upstairs. The boiler itself is downstairs.

I don't think I have a better picture of the cuboard but will see if I can find one or take one tomorrow, I'm not at the property at the moment.

Yep, going to need one of the cupboard and components, It’s possible that you have a failed 2 port valve (if the wiring is correct at programmer), whereby the valve is stuck open, so when heating water also circulating through radiator circuit. Otherwise it’s likely a failed 3 port mid position valve.

 

[777GE90]

Yep, going to need one of the cupboard and components, It’s possible that you have a failed 2 port valve (if the wiring is correct at programmer), whereby the valve is stuck open, so when heating water also circulating through radiator circuit. Otherwise it’s likely a failed 3 port mid position valve.

Aha ok, thank you. So this is not normal then, thought I was going crazy.

Ok cool, I will take a picture tomorrow, thanks.

 

[Deleted member 120897]

Aha ok, thank you. So this is not normal then

Only on gravity fed (afaik), but you’ve said it’s fully pumped.

 

[777GE90]

Only on gravity fed (afaik), but you’ve said it’s fully pumped.

Ye I am going by how the dipswitches have been set on the back of the programmer. They can either be set in "gravity" or "pumped" mode and they are currently in "pumped" mode.

 

[SJB060685]

Ye I am going by how the dipswitches have been set on the back of the programmer. They can either be set in "gravity" or "pumped" mode and they are currently in "pumped" mode.

If the programmer is set to pumped then your problem lies downstream. As above I suspect a faulty motorised valve. Had the programmer been set to gravity then your problem would be normal operation, that's how it worked in days gone by.

 

[777GE90]

Sorry, didn't manage to get a photo yesterday but have done today. See attached pictures.

Is this white box thing the 2 port valve? The little switch is put in the B direction, should this be in the middle or something? Or is that not realted?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Is it on b on the bottom valve like the one by the cylinder ?

 

[Deleted member 120897]

Yes the white box is your 2 port valve and there’s one below it, as per Shaun, is that on b as well?

 

[777GE90]

Is it on b on the bottom valve like the one by the cylinder ?

Yes the white box is your 2 port valve and there’s one below it, as per Shaun, is that on b as well?

Aha yes, sorry didn't even notice the one below it. What I did observe though, if I turn on the central heating it moves to the B setting and if I turn on hot water it moves to A and I think if both are on then it's in the middle.

Currently, I have the central heating on and it's on A and the second one underneath is on B.

I also realised that when the central heating is actually on, the heaters are significantly warmer than when just the hot water is on.

 

[777GE90]

I've given up on this as I think as you guys say, this is just normal operation and plus it's winter now so I don't mind the extra heat haha.

But it got me thinking, perhaps in the summer months I can just turn off the valves on all the radiators (or at least all the ones upstairs in the bedrooms)? That would stop them heating up, or would that cause me other issues?