Problems with new Worcester Junior 28i installation

IanLee

I have no plumbing knowledge at all, my question(s) may be nonsense.
I have replaced the old conventional boiler system with the combi Worcester 28i, both CH and hot water for the kitchen sink and bathroom basin working OK, but still have some problems:
1. the shower hot water is not hot enough, it is OK right now, but I am afraid that it will be a problem in the winter, the question is the hot water from tub tap seems very well, the hot water is quite hot but not the shower hot water.
2. the boiler randomly starts itself, even no CH instruction (the room temperature is exceeded the temperature setting to start the CH) and no any water tap touched, it just starts to work a while (1 minute to 5 minutes) itself, I tested the radiator after it worked a while, not hot. If no use of hot water or CH, why does it work? What is it worked for?
3. When I use the cold water in the kitchen, I can hear the water running sound from the CH pipes to the first floor, is it common? I asked the installation engineer, he told me this is it is common, because all cold water pipes are joint together, my question is I used the same modal of the boiler three years ago for a year when I lived in another property, there was no such problem. Does that mean the installer missed a single direction valve somewhere?
4. I used my washing machine a few times after the installation, I just found out yesterday that the washing machine was using the hot water from the combi boiler. Is this related to the above problems?

Any answer or suggestion for the above questions are much appreciated.

Thanks

Ian

macman

Sounds like your washing machine has been reconnected to the wrong supply-all modern w/m's are cold fill only.

phoenix_w

Point 1: You should be able to adjust the hot water temperature on the boiler to make it hotter. If it's set high already and it's still too cold, you may need a gas engineer to check that the pressure from the gas meter is high enough. Also, you can make water hotter on a combi by reducing the flow rate - so try turning the hot water control on your shower a little bit.

Point 2: Some combi boilers have an optional feature to keep the heat exchanger plates warm so your hot water doesn't take a while to get to temperature. It's worth exploring to see if this is enabled.

cajef

Only the CH temperature on Worcester 28i combi boiler can be adjusted the hot water temperature is pre set and cannot be adjusted, the boiler firing up is the hot water pre-heat which you can stop by pushing the ECO button until it lights up green.

Turning the hot or cold water on in the kitchen should not cause water to circulate through the central heating pipes.

IanLee

@macman

Yes, you are right. I have contacted the installer and he confirmed he would come to reconnect it.
Sadly, I have washed clothes a few times without knowledge of the use of the hot water from combi boiler and hopefully it will not cost me too much.

IanLee

phoenix_w wrote: »

Point 1: You should be able to adjust the hot water temperature on the boiler to make it hotter. If it's set high already and it's still too cold, you may need a gas engineer to check that the pressure from the gas meter is high enough. Also, you can make water hotter on a combi by reducing the flow rate - so try turning the hot water control on your shower a little bit.

Point 2: Some combi boilers have an optional feature to keep the heat exchanger plates warm so your hot water doesn't take a while to get to temperature. It's worth exploring to see if this is enabled.

Many thanks for your reply. The hot water is already in the highest level, the bathroom basin hot water and the tub hot water are all hot enough, but only warm for the shower hot water even the mixer is adjusted to the highest level. The water pressure is high enough according to the installation engineer.

I will try to find out if the ECO mode works this evening.

Thanks again.

IanLee

cajef wrote: »

Only the CH temperature on Worcester 28i combi boiler can be adjusted the hot water temperature is pre set and cannot be adjusted, the boiler firing up is the hot water pre-heat which you can stop by pushing the ECO button until it lights up green.

Turning the hot or cold water on in the kitchen should not cause water to circulate through the central heating pipes.

Thanks for your reply.

My current situation is the installation is mostly completed, I have not paid the installation fee apart from the deposit. I asked the installation engineer about the sound from the pipes from boiler to the first floor, I guess which includes CH hot water pipe and returned water pipe(?) when I am using the cold water in the kitchen, he told me all the cold water pipes are joint together in my property, so it is common to have sound when I use the cold water anywhere in my property. He also mentioned a single direction valve in boiler or somewhere. I confirm that the boiler is not working when there is this sound.

I really do not understand. How can CH pipe(s) have noise sounding like water running within when I only use the kitchen cold water? Can I do some easy tests to prove anything wrong or the pipe system requires a single direction valve?

Best regards

Ian

cajef

Your CH pipes are a completely separate sealed system from your tap cold water and should have inhibitor in them. You cannot mix your cold water supply which is from your rising main with the CH water.

Are you sure the water running sound is from the CH pipes?

IanLee

cajef wrote: »

Your CH pipes are a completely separate sealed system from your tap cold water and should have inhibitor in them. You cannot mix your cold water supply which is from your rising main with the CH water.

Are you sure the water running sound is from the CH pipes?

I am pretty sure about the sound coming from the CH pipes, just do not know which pipe. I will check it again this evening and come back here tomorrow.

Best regards,

Ian

IanLee

cajef wrote: »

Only the CH temperature on Worcester 28i combi boiler can be adjusted the hot water temperature is pre set and cannot be adjusted, the boiler firing up is the hot water pre-heat which you can stop by pushing the ECO button until it lights up green.

Turning the hot or cold water on in the kitchen should not cause water to circulate through the central heating pipes.

Double checked the noise when using the kitchen cold water, the sound mainly comes from the boiler rather than CH pipes.
When I switched on the cold water tap, I can clearly hear the sound from above, CH pipes and boiler, put my ear on the surface of the boiler, I am sure the water running within, the sound is similar with the boiler is working to provide the hot water, but open the front panel, I can confirm it is not working.

I am wondering if my drinking water comes through the boiler.

Any idea to identify the problem?

Thanks

cajef

The only thing I can suggest is that you get a Gas Safe Engineer who know what they are doing with Worcester boilers to look at the installation, as previously stated your cold drinking water should not be coming through the boiler.