Heating \ Hot Water problem

BC2K3

Hi all!

I've just moved in to new flat as a first time buyer and am having a little trouble with my heating and hot water.

The flat has been vacent for the past 5 months (its 2 yrs old).

I have a Gledhill SysteMate 2000 (Thermal Storage?) stored in a cupboard and a Potterton Suprima boiler in the kitchen.


On moving in, I have noticed two things:

1. When running a tap \ having a shower the water goes from very hot, to cold, to hot again and does this throughout the time I'm using hot water. Also, while the hot water is running the boiler appears to light and kick in often.

2. When the central heating is on the radiators get very hot at the top of each rad, but the bottom remains warm \ not as hot.

I dont really want to call out an engineer if this is a simple problem that being a first time buyer I haven't come across before.

The boiler in the kitchen is set to 'max' and the notice on the front of the SysteMate says hot water should be available even if the heating is off (I've tried both with it on and off; still it goes hot\cold).
Also, there is a pressure guage on the top of the SysteMate that doesn't move from 1 bar.

Each Rad has an independant thermostat, but all are set to high.

Apparently the SysteMate doesn't require normal yearly servicing, but I read that a 'hot at top, cold at bottom' rad indicates a blockage...!

Any help or advice is appreciated!!

Thanks in advance!

bruce2110

hiya! right, short answer is the gledhill unit is faulty.

about 2-3 years ago, we fitted several of these units for george wimpeys, and every single unit had a fault that the company who made them knew about but still sent them out!:mad:

my best advice to you is to find the manf' instructions, find the customer service department number and phone them up and request an engineer to vist and rectify the "hot water thermostat switch" due to a manufacturing error.

basically, there is a wiring mistake that causes the thermostat not to work properly and only detects the tempreture of the thermal store, which is why the boiler cuts in and out alot when you have a bath or a shower as the gledhill unit and boiler acts like a large combi boiler of sorts but the supposed advantage of the gledhill unit, that it has a large store of hot water for you to draw off and use, while that store of hot water is being used, the boiler comes on and heats up the water you need but due to the error on the wiring, the gledhill gets to tempreture then cuts the boiler out. as you use more hot water the system cannot supply decent volumes of hot water as the boiler keeps cutting in the out.

just remeber to be firm with gledhill as they will say its out of warrenty and not there problem, just tell them its not worked right since it was installed and they should come out!

hth,

Bruce2110

bruce2110

oh sorry, regarding the radiators, that just sounds like the system just needs to balanced out!

i've written a comprehensive guide to balancing rads before on here but i can't seem to find that thread,

i'm sure if you search on here you should find a thread on how to balance radiators

check posts from robowen/plumb1/hugosp/moneysavingplumber etc and you should find a thread that can help you!

ps sorry to any regulars i've forgot to mention!!!!1


hth,

Bruce2110

BC2K3

FAULTY UNIT!?!?! :eek:

Hey Bruce, thanks for your reply!

Is there anyway I can 'prove' its the actual unit? Was it certain models or serial numbers?

I can give them a call for sure; but as it 2 years old (therefore 12 months out of warranty) I can guess their reply...

Your diagnostic does sound about right; while in the shower (or even washing up) the boiler is on, then off, then on again....

I'm not having much luck with this new home!!

Thanks

bruce2110

i can assure you that without even looking at it, if its the exact problem as you describe, the fault will be with the unit.

just contact them, have the serial number of the unit to hand, explain the problem and they should come and sort it out.

they may ask you to pay a call out fee, but lay it on thick about the unit not working properly for the last home owner and they tried to get it fixed but no one seemed to be able to sort it ect ect! But providing they send a proper gledhill engineer, they will rectify the fault in about ten mins!

if you contact them and you get no joy, just post back on here and i will try to find the contact we used at gledhill to get these repairs sorted out when we had problems.

hth,

Bruce2110

BC2K3

Hi Bruce,
Been on to Gledhill, but they claim to deal with builders and trade only - and NOT with householders directly! Waited on hold to be told just that.

Do you have a contact number or another way of getting support?
I tried both the 01253 474 4444 (then asked for customer services)
and the technical support number - but that never gets picked up.

Thanks again

bruce2110

hiya!

right, i've read your post, and i've sent you a private message on what we can do next!

Bruce2110

BC2K3

Just to finally tie-up this post....

Bruce2110's diagnostic was exactly right, it was faulty sensors!
After replacing the DHW sensor the water is now hot and I can shower! ;o)

Thanks very much Bruce for all your help and advice - a pure star!

cam101

I know this post is quite old, but i've dug it up as I have the EXACT same problem. We have only been in the house 4 weeks and it seems to be pot luck whether we get hot water!

Basically, I was wondering what info Bruce sent in the private message that helped the OP to get Gledhill to act. PLEASE help us anybody that thinks they can... we are currently decorating and cannot even wash the paint off ourselves!!

Any help much much appreciated
Cam

paintpot

I can't help you alot but I know there was a recent thread on Potterton boilers and on the same thread Gledhill were mentioned so maybe something on there. I posted on the thread because I have a buy to let house that had similar problems. I had to have a circuit board replaced on the Gledhill system after wrongly thinking it was the boiler. I asked a poster who their house builder was but they didn't respond but notice this thread mentioned Geoge Wimpey - mine was too. I have also heard many problems on my development where the Gledhill tank has corroded and simply burst on the homeowner as something that should have been wasn't added to the system (inhibitor? perhaps) That's as much help as I can give as I didn't contact Gledhill directly for my repair. Probably as much use as chocolate fireguard Sorry

cam101

Like the fireguard image!

Thanks for that, any information helps! Our house is a 2004 built Persimmon property, so it would figure... I'll work at it and keep this forum posted with any developments.

Advice still warmly received!
Cam