Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Sir Tigger KC on 27 January 2018, 16:26:08

Title: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 27 January 2018, 16:26:08
The boiler in question is a Glow Worm Betacom 24c and it's making a horrible grinding type noise when on hot water.  :o  Nice and quiet on central heating mode though.  :y

I had a plumber look at it a while back and he changed the diverter valve motor but that hasn't made a difference and he reckons it's something to do with the thermostatic bath/shower mixer tap, despite the noise occurring on all the hot taps.  ::)

Yesterday I had another look and the noise seems to be coming from the diverter valve itself.  I popped off the motor and the plunger seems to be a bit sticky. ie it dosn't go in and out smoothly.  I've found a service kit for the diverter valve, which hopefully will do the trick, but I can't find any 'How to' videos etc on how to service the valve.  :-\

It looks straight forward enough, but I'm wondering if any of you guys or girls have done this and have any advice!  ??? TIA!  :y

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Glowworm-Betacom-24c-30c-Diverter-Valve-Service-Repair-Kit/360883374566?epid=1088414023&hash=item54065349e6:g:OfgAAOxy3HJTJZq9
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: STEMO on 27 January 2018, 17:14:04
Have you tried hittin it wiv a nammer?
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 27 January 2018, 17:36:59
I tend to break things wiv gurt big nammers....  :-\
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: STEMO on 27 January 2018, 17:46:09
Ah well. That’s me out of ideas  ;D
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 27 January 2018, 18:02:22
No surprise there then....  ::)

Next up: Lord Opti telling us how he loves a noisy old boiler!  ;D
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: STEMO on 27 January 2018, 18:26:41
No surprise there then....  ::)

Next up: Lord Opti telling us how he loves a noisy old boiler!  ;D
Well....Opti and me have had plenty of practice commenting on your numerous kamikaze boilers.  ;D
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 27 January 2018, 18:37:29
No surprise there then....  ::)

Next up: Lord Opti telling us how he loves a noisy old boiler!  ;D
Well....Opti and me have had plenty of practice commenting on your numerous kamikaze bunny boilers.  ;D

 ::)  ;D
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: Shackeng on 27 January 2018, 18:54:40
I was about to point you to DIYnot Sir Tig, but it seems you have already been there. ::) :y
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 27 January 2018, 19:59:20
I was about to point you to DIYnot Sir Tig, but it seems you have already been there. ::) :y

It's a good site!  :y

In the plumbing section though, you tend to get a lot of plumbers whose advice usually is to get a plumber in!  ::)  ;D
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: Shackeng on 27 January 2018, 22:10:44
I was about to point you to DIYnot Sir Tig, but it seems you have already been there. ::) :y

It's a good site!  :y

In the plumbing section though, you tend to get a lot of plumbers whose advice usually is to get a plumber in!  ::)  ;D
Yes you have to tread carefully in there, they tend to have a high opinion of themselves, and many plumbers are clearly on there to show off. But the information is there if you can squeeze it out of them. :y
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: Kevin Wood on 28 January 2018, 11:39:49
I was about to point you to DIYnot Sir Tig, but it seems you have already been there. ::) :y

It's a good site!  :y

In the plumbing section though, you tend to get a lot of plumbers whose advice usually is to get a plumber in!  ::)  ;D
Yes you have to tread carefully in there, they tend to have a high opinion of themselves, and many plumbers are clearly on there to show off. But the information is there if you can squeeze it out of them. :y

Yes, fixing boilers is clearly somewhere between rocket science and quantum physics, or so you'd think, reading the responses on that site. ;D
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 28 January 2018, 13:32:18
Servicing a diverter valve must be part of the dark arts, as I've had no replies on Diynot.com despite 60 odd views and nothing serious from here.  :-\

Guess I'll have to be a 'Have a go hero'!  :)
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: TheBoy on 28 January 2018, 13:34:16
Boilers are stupidly simple devices, with stupidly simple wiring.  I suspect plumbers try to keep that simple.


That said, my Potterton locked out again overnight, that's twice in the last 3 months.  Heres hoping there is enough PCB to solder to, as I vaguely recall the last time - probably about 10yrs ago - I was having to rebuild tracks across burnt, disintegrated board.  I suspect it will be a new PCB this time :(
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: TheBoy on 28 January 2018, 13:35:55
Servicing a diverter valve must be part of the dark arts, as I've had no replies on Diynot.com despite 60 odd views and nothing serious from here.  :-\

Guess I'll have to be a 'Have a go hero'!  :)
Sorry, only used to external diverters.  In fact, had to replace one a couple of weeks back here, as the previous had started weeping. That's about the 5th one since the house was built in 2001.
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: TD on 28 January 2018, 14:21:58
Boilers are stupidly simple devices, with stupidly simple wiring.  I suspect plumbers try to keep that simple.


That said, my Potterton locked out again overnight, that's twice in the last 3 months.  Heres hoping there is enough PCB to solder to, as I vaguely recall the last time - probably about 10yrs ago - I was having to rebuild tracks across burnt, disintegrated board.  I suspect it will be a new PCB this time :(

Have you looked inside a new(ish) boiler  :-\

My Vaillant has a huge pcb with another pcb piggy backed onto it, with looms of cable running everywhere ......
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: TheBoy on 28 January 2018, 14:45:15
Boilers are stupidly simple devices, with stupidly simple wiring.  I suspect plumbers try to keep that simple.


That said, my Potterton locked out again overnight, that's twice in the last 3 months.  Heres hoping there is enough PCB to solder to, as I vaguely recall the last time - probably about 10yrs ago - I was having to rebuild tracks across burnt, disintegrated board.  I suspect it will be a new PCB this time :(

Have you looked inside a new(ish) boiler  :-\

My Vaillant has a huge pcb with another pcb piggy backed onto it, with looms of cable running everywhere ......
Its still simple, ultimately, no matter how they try to complicate it.
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: TD on 28 January 2018, 15:50:39
Boilers are stupidly simple devices, with stupidly simple wiring.  I suspect plumbers try to keep that simple.


That said, my Potterton locked out again overnight, that's twice in the last 3 months.  Heres hoping there is enough PCB to solder to, as I vaguely recall the last time - probably about 10yrs ago - I was having to rebuild tracks across burnt, disintegrated board.  I suspect it will be a new PCB this time :(

Have you looked inside a new(ish) boiler  :-\

My Vaillant has a huge pcb with another pcb piggy backed onto it, with looms of cable running everywhere ......
Its still simple, ultimately, no matter how they try to complicate it.

My old boiler was stupidly simple, thermostat, cast iron heat exchanger, ignitor and that was about it, no pcb.....but it used about four times the amount of gas  :o
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: TheBoy on 28 January 2018, 16:57:22
My old boiler was stupidly simple, thermostat, cast iron heat exchanger, ignitor and that was about it, no pcb.....but it used about four times the amount of gas  :o
I'd hazard a guess that the efficiency of any boiler (that isn't so old it has a pilot light) has nothing to do with the electronics around it.

I'd also hazard a guess that the boiler's reliability is inversely proportional to the amount of electronics fitted, given the poorly specced components all boiler manufacturers use  :'(. Potterton being a fine example. Guess what I have ;D
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: Rods2 on 28 January 2018, 17:04:13
And most plumbers IME have no idea how to fix new boilers beyond trying to use the fault codes along with the basic manufacturer's fault finding charts, followed by component swapping at the customer's expense. :( :( :(
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: STEMO on 28 January 2018, 17:55:33
My vaillant has been sitting in its cupboard for four years now. Never so much as coughed.
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: Shackeng on 28 January 2018, 18:02:44
My vaillant has been sitting in its cupboard for four years now. Never so much as coughed.

Tried switching it on? ::)
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: STEMO on 28 January 2018, 18:17:25
My vaillant has been sitting in its cupboard for four years now. Never so much as coughed.

Tried switching it on? ::)
You’re not funny and you’re not clever. Go and sit in the corner.  ;D
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: Kevin Wood on 28 January 2018, 18:42:58
And most plumbers IME have no idea how to fix new boilers beyond trying to use the fault codes along with the basic manufacturer's fault finding charts, followed by component swapping at the customer's expense. :( :( :(

Yep, just like cars, they have become too complex for a "registered engineer"<sic> to even begin to diagnose. Moreover, the rush for condensing boilers has resulted in the replacement of simple, reliable boilers with modern tat that lasts 10 years by which time it will be be "beyond economical repair" or "can't get the parts anymore". Anyone would think it was a deliberate ploy by the manufacturers. >:(

Most of my neighbours have replaced perfectly sound original now 20 year old Potterton boilers with condensing boilers but mine isn't going anywhere until it's comprehensively dead.

Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: STEMO on 28 January 2018, 20:04:31
10 years seems reasonable to me. I mean, you wouldn’t keep a car for more than ten years.
Title: Re: Combi Boiler Diverter Valve
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 29 January 2018, 09:38:20
And most plumbers IME have no idea how to fix new boilers beyond trying to use the fault codes along with the basic manufacturer's fault finding charts, followed by component swapping at the customer's expense. :( :( :(

Yep, just like cars, they have become too complex for a "registered engineer"<sic> to even begin to diagnose. Moreover, the rush for condensing boilers has resulted in the replacement of simple, reliable boilers with modern tat that lasts 10 years by which time it will be be "beyond economical repair" or "can't get the parts anymore". Anyone would think it was a deliberate ploy by the manufacturers. >:(

Most of my neighbours have replaced perfectly sound original now 20 year old Potterton boilers with condensing boilers but mine isn't going anywhere until it's comprehensively dead.

Snap

My Profile just works (all be it needing three electrolytics replacing every 10 years or so), has a nice phosphor bronze bearing fan, stonking (and great condition) cast iron heat exchanger and just works reliably, quietly and pretty efficiently.

It will be staying for the foreseeable!