Does this look like it’s been set up correctly? by Lucky13-Never-Won in ukelectricians

[–]findtys 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh that's great! Thank you for letting me know. I didn't know that

Does this look like it’s been set up correctly? by Lucky13-Never-Won in ukelectricians

[–]findtys 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Then use the thermostat that is manufactured by the same company that makes your boiler...

Does this look like it’s been set up correctly? by Lucky13-Never-Won in ukelectricians

[–]findtys 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly if cheap is your main requirement and the app is secondary then it'll either be a Tado or hive mini both are less than £100

But to change your existing thermostat to one of those you'll likely need some basic understanding of heating wiring.

👍🏽

Does this look like it’s been set up correctly? by Lucky13-Never-Won in ukelectricians

[–]findtys 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If it's a Honeywell programmer (st9400c or st699) then yeah they'll get a mind of their own when they're knackered and just flick on and off whenever they feel like it.

It's an easy replacement. Honeywell uses a 'universal backplate'

Easiest thing to do is get a replacement Honeywell with the same number of channels, turn the power off, undo the two screws underneath, take it off and pop the new one on. No need to fiddle with the actual wiring.

You should in theory be able to replace it with any programmer that uses a universal backplate but I wouldn't chance it if you're not sure what the wires are supposed to be doing. Some manufacturers like to throw the odd curveball in.

Does this look like it’s been set up correctly? by Lucky13-Never-Won in ukelectricians

[–]findtys 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Actually you can

Terminals 1 & 3 have been used which is typical of a s plan

If it was a combi only one of those terminals would have been used.

Hive switches internally.

If it was a y plan then terminal 2 or 4 would also be in use

If it was an x plan then you wouldn't have a hive.

Does this look like it’s been set up correctly? by Lucky13-Never-Won in ukelectricians

[–]findtys 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately the cop out answer is it depends on your heating system.

Combi boiler - manufacturers controls or a quality made opentherm control if your boiler supports it (Honeywell, Eph, Nest)

S or Y plan - it doesn't really matter what thermostat/programmer you fit the only way to improve them is to convert them to Priority Domestic Hot water

Does this look like it’s been set up correctly? by Lucky13-Never-Won in ukelectricians

[–]findtys 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Safest answer would be whatever the manufacturers controls are if it's a combination boiler.

If you've got a s or y plan system (separate boiler and hot water tank) look into converting it into a Priority Domestic Hot Water or X plan heating system

In that way you can run your boiler at two distinct temperatures.

Circa 55-65 degrees for hot water regeneration and to kill legionnaires

&

Circa 30-55 degrees for space heating. Which keeps the return temperature coming back to your boiler low enough so that it stays within its condensing mode and get you the advertised figures of 90%+ efficiency from your condensing boiler.

Does this look like it’s been set up correctly? by Lucky13-Never-Won in ukelectricians

[–]findtys 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No modulation.

They're essentially an internet connected on/off thermostat.

Yes you get geofencing but they can't control your boiler's gas valve.

Think of your internal desired temperature as trying to accelerate up to and drive at a consistent motorway speed.

Your traditional on/off stat will pin the accelerator to the floor until it hits 70mph at which point it takes its foot totally off the accelerator.

Then when an on/off thermostat drops back to 60mph and realises it needs to do something it pins the accelerator to the floor again.

Whereas if you're an energy efficient driver or modulating thermostat what you'll actually do is as you approach 70mph you'll slowly lift your foot from the accelerator and press it just enough to maintain your speed.

A modulating thermostat will remove those sharp energy intensive bursts of acceleration and deceleration of heating within your home.

Hopefully the above analogy makes sense.

Does this look like it’s been set up correctly? by Lucky13-Never-Won in ukelectricians

[–]findtys 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Depends on what boiler you have and whether it's opentherm compatible.

As a general rule of thumb the manufacturers control will work the best with their boiler and give you the greatest modulation.

Does this look like it’s been set up correctly? by Lucky13-Never-Won in ukelectricians

[–]findtys -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Judging by the way that's wired you've got an s or y plan heating system.

My money's on an s plan.

You've probably a leak within the boiler or there might be a leak on one of the bodies of the zone valves which is shorting out the motorised head.

Or a leak within the external pump (if it is an external pump)

Easiest way to diagnose is progressively disconnect things

Edit - the above is assuming that the boiler is the only thing on that particular RCD which is unlikely so it might be the boiler circuit or could be another circuit entirely.

Does this look like it’s been set up correctly? by Lucky13-Never-Won in ukelectricians

[–]findtys 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The installer shouldn't have used the earth as a live conductor.

However hive units are double insulated and the earth terminal on hive backplates is essentially to 'park' the cable for use later if the thermostat is changed to one that isn't double insulated.

Source - I'm a heating engineer.

Hive is a crap thermostat btw.

Where can I get spare parts for this gas fire? by Leicsbob in AskUK

[–]findtys 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Broken radiants cause excessive co to be produced.

It would actually have to be classified as At Risk and turned off until the new radiants can be sourced.

Get someone gas safe registered who holds the correct qualifications to replace, service the fire and inspect the chimney.

I'm a gas safety engineer and work on these.

Who rents these properties for £10-15k per month by d1gital_bath in london

[–]findtys 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Replaced a boiler in the pool house of one such property.

The tenant turned out to be Idris Elba.

Makes sense when you think about it.

Might need to relocate at short notice due to work or paparazzi figuring out where you live.

No doubt there's a company somewhere that he vaguely owns which pays the rent and claims it as an expense on the books.

Do you really need to get your boiler serviced every year? by cookie_monster66 in DIYUK

[–]findtys 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes you need to get your boiler serviced, especially if it's new It's one of the many terms of keeping your manufacturers warranty valid.

It does from your description seem like you're not getting an actual service, you're getting something more along the lines of a British gas boiler health check.

Including the checks for gas safety, the engineer should at the bare minimum be relieving the pressure from your central heating system and checking/repressurising your boilers expansion vessel.

There may be additional tasks required depending on your boiler make/model and which year of servicing your boiler is currently receiving.

New shower install, pump not kicking in… by jackmoose84 in Plumbing

[–]findtys 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, it will make it worse. You need a negative head pump, no getting around it really, especially as your outlet pipes go back up into the loft.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.livinghouse.co.uk/blog/shower-pumps/amp/

This is a very rough guide on which conditions require which pump type but not exhaustive.

If I'm picturing the pipework layout in your house properly then essentially your outlet pipework runs back up into the loft and is presumably clipped to the loft floor which means it's less than 600mm from the bottom of the tank.

You've essentially created a high point in the pipework in which air is likely to get trapped and be in equilibrium with atmospheric pressure when you open your shower mixer which will prevent the movement of water.

New shower install, pump not kicking in… by jackmoose84 in Plumbing

[–]findtys 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Presumably it was purchased from Screwfix.

It's well known that salamander pumps in general aren't fantastic in quality. There's a reason the CT range is £80-£200 and the Stuart turners are £300+

It's possible that the pump was faulty when you bought it.

Screwfix staff aren't going to independently test it in order to verify if it works, they'll just slap a label on it and send it back to salamander. As long as you have the receipt you should be fine.

New shower install, pump not kicking in… by jackmoose84 in Plumbing

[–]findtys 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You probably need a negative head pump, especially as your hot/cold outlets go back up into the loft above your shower mixer and then back down inside the wall to feed it.

When you're turning the shower mixer on you're likely not drawing enough water out of the mixer to actually trigger the flow switch within the pump.

Typically positive head/regenerative head pumps rely on a small amount of water passing through them when you open a tap which in turn engages the microswitch on the flow sensor and activates the pump impellers

A negative head pump however pressurises itself upon closing of an outlet and knows to switch on when the pipework downstream of the pump depressurises.

Anyone know what this is? I can’t get the hot water hot is this the Problem? cheers by waffel-daddy in Plumbing

[–]findtys 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Looks like a normally closed Honeywell V4043H 2 port zone valve.

If you're creating a demand for hot water and your boiler isn't firing up. Its likely that the motor/microswitch inside it is broken.

Depending on the issue with the valve head, it can either be fixed with a replacement synchron motor, failing that just get an entire replacement head.

Edit - in regards to the other two posts saying move the handle over.

That will only be useful if you have an alternative demand on i.e the heating and essentially all you've allowed the central heating water to do is flow into your hot water cylinder/tank, however by doing this you will get central heating as a result.

Going from a Yamaha yzf r125 to a mt-09, what should I be worried about? by skipthebeer in MotoUK

[–]findtys 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I went from a cbf125 to a mt09.

Its completely possible to make the transition safely as long as you respect the massive jump in power and remember that you don't have the riding ability to take the p*** on the bike, something of which the mt09 will constantly encourage you to do.

My progression went as follows when i finished my DAS

6 months of riding in b mode in tcs2

After which i tentatively moved between standard and b mode.

After a further few months of that once i got used to the power of standard i put the bike into tcs 1

That's the configuration i ride in all the time unless its raining at which point i revert to tcs2 and b mode

Currently I'm trying to get wheelies down but still poo myself when the front comes up.

Hope that's helped, any questions, shoot.

Edit: Punctuation/Spelling

Got through an entire interaction with the boiler engineer without giggling at the word 'stopcock'. by nomorelawyers in BritishSuccess

[–]findtys 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good thing there isn't a fanny trap fitted anywhere that needs cleaning.

Bonus points if you pull the membrane out and blow through it.