BotusBuild Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 It sounds like the original (fitted in early-mid 1980's?) 3-port valve on our heating system is giving up. It's a SwitchMaster Midi Valve Actuator VA1. On the outer case it has the 3 positions Hot Water, Central Heating, and Central Heating/Hot Water. This evening, as it gets to the CH/HW position it starts to click - looking carefully I can see that the red pointer progresses and then clicks back repeatedly. There is a white dial and with the aid of 20p coin I can turn it past this position, and all the usual control system magic then kicks into action (good!). So for now I can "encourage" it to do it's stuff by listening out for the "clicking" that coming through the pipework ? Does anyone know if there is a replacement for the motorised part - the actuator (it just pulls off) so that I don't have to drain the system and replace the valve itself as well? I would have to drain the systems as those clever 1980's plumbers didn't fit isolating valves !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 The switchmaster appears to be obsolete. Are you SURE it's not working right? the way 3 port valves work is to hold them mid position they switch from ac to dc powering the motor, and a bit of hunting backwards and forwards until they settle, with the mid position switch clicking on and off is normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BotusBuild Posted March 18, 2020 Author Share Posted March 18, 2020 This is definitely new activity - never heard the clicking before, and for "repeatedly" read "for over 30 minutes" - yes I was that patient to wait for it to move from CH/HW to HW by switching off the demand for CH (much to OH's and siblings annoyance!) ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpmiller Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 sounds like one of the gears has gone a little short on teeth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BotusBuild Posted March 18, 2020 Author Share Posted March 18, 2020 That's exactly what I was thinking - may try to take the actuator apart this evening (love to annoy other members of the household!) to see if there is anything I can fix/clean to give it a little extra lifetime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BotusBuild Posted March 22, 2020 Author Share Posted March 22, 2020 Continued on this thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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