r/ukplumbing

Hi,

I have nasty sewer-like smell, coming only from kitchen sink and washing machine. Can someone help me to at least get an idea what this could be ? I am looking for a professional plumber but still want to understand what it might be and how much it would potentially cost.

It was fine before, then all of a sudden it started to smell. I tried putting some drain cleaner down, didn't help.

I don't think it's the trap as I took it apart and cleaned it.

Thanks.

By the way if you're a plumber in Lincoln, and available at some point next week please let me know.

I have the following setup:

• Glow-worm 30R regular boiler
• Hot water cylinder with cylinder thermostat
• British Gas UP2 programmer (Invensys)
• Honeywell T6360B1028 mechanical room thermostat
• Drayton MA1 3-port motorised valve

The problem:

System was fine before summer. No work was done. Now, central heating isn’t working. With heating ON at the UP2 and the room thermostat turned up to 30°C, the MA1 actuator remains at W (hot water position). No movement, motor noise, pump activity or boiler ignition

Hot water works, but behaves strangely:

• If heating is already ON at the UP2, the boiler won’t initially ignite for HW if it is switched from off to on, even with the cylinder thermostat calling.
• Switching heating OFF allows the boiler to ignite and heat the cylinder for HW on.
• Once the boiler has ignited for hot water, I can toggle heating ON/OFF without interrupting it.

What I’ve checked:

1. Replaced the MA1 actuator head with a second-hand unit — identical symptoms.
2. Tested both actuator heads detached from the brass valve body but electrically connected — neither moves, ruling out a seized valve spindle as the cause of no movement.
3. Honeywell room thermostat clicks normally.
4. Continuity between thermostat terminals 1 and 3 is present only when the thermostat is turned up (tested with wiring still connected).
5. UP2 heating and hot water indicator lights operate normally.
6. Confirmed UP2 terminal 4 (CH ON) has a red wire connected.
7. System worked perfectly last winter. No wiring or controls have been changed over summer.

Current suspicion:
Possibly a failed UP2 heating output, a wiring/connection fault, or missing heating demand reaching the MA1 white wire.
I have a multimeter but haven’t yet measured the live control outputs. And it's only CAT2 up to 300V, apparently I need a CAT 3?
Questions:
Does this sound like a faulty UP2 programmer or something else in the Y-plan control circuit? Could the unusual hot water behaviour be related to the missing heating demand?
Any advice on narrowing down the fault would be appreciated before I start replacing more parts or just call an electrician/plumber.

Could someone help me decifier the attched. My main uncertainty is around what the 3 taps below the pump are for? Which ones should be open or closed etc. or only partially open etc? I'm told one is a bypass and should only be open a 1/4 turn?? What about the others? Where are the pipes A - I coming from / going to?

Triton t80 enrich. I’ve installed it however the water isn’t heating and it’s only cold water that is coming out. What may be the issue ? The first pic is the one that got replaced and the second picture is the new one.

Our cold feed and hot water water via combi boiler has rubbish pressure. Have checked the main stop taps are fully open. Just wondered if anyone had fitted a pump similar to the one shown and whether it had made much difference?

My boiler condensate pipe was already giving me issues last winter freezing up as it's a pretty straight run to the gutter. I've had a new roof fitted and wondering what I can do/get someone to do while the scaffolding is still there?

Hello chaps, was dismantling a a shoddy wardrobe that was built around the boiler in our new house. Long story short there was a piece of wood that was supported by a single screw, it fell and ripped the wiring from the controller to the boiler. Boiler side of the wiring is fine but the wiring from the controller has been ripped out. Any clue where these wires may go? Looked online to no success really. Help!

Power is isolated from fuse board

Pic1, mains supply cable is on the right. left side cable, blue, brown, grey, black and ground going to the boiler.

Pic 2 small wiring diagram for the thermostat controller

Pic 3 wiring going into the boiler from the severed connection.

Pic 4 additional wiring on rhs of control panel on boiler

Pic 5 connections

Pic 6 model of boiler

I've a new build where the condensate pipe runs through the wall in the kitchen and then meets the waste pipe under the sink. Last year we had someone push through all the accumulated gunk out of this, clearing the blockage. We're having the same problem this year with the boiler's condensate trap filling up causing an ignition lockout.

What would the best way be to tackle this fitting, especially if I'd need to take it out and clear out more gunk again?

What chemicals could I pour through the pipe to dissolve any gunk?

Hello,

So I’ve been trying to fit a mixer tap similar to this and it don’t seem to matter what I do the pipes at back either leak or completely pop off

I’ve tried replacing the pipes, tape on the
Olive rings, using the old fits etc…

And it don’t seem to matter how I do it either pops off or leaks

Any advice?

Heated towel rail in bathroom seems to be leaking and is making a mess. Just wondering if there's any chance of repairing this or if I'm realistically looking at having to replace it? Looks like corrosion maybe? No idea how old it is, but it's at least 12 years.

Hello. I have this shower pump that doesn’t kick in when I turn the shower to cold. I contacted Stuart turner and they said ::: “ Unfortunately, the current installation is not correct. Please see the correct installation requirements below.
The pump appears to be connected from the top of the hot water cylinder via the vent pipe. This is not suitable, as connecting from the vent pipe increases the risk of hot air being drawn into the pump. A suitable flange should be fitted to provide the correct dedicated hot water supply to the pump. Once you make corrections monitor the pump and see you facing same issue or not
You need two Y inline strainers on inlets.
 
Kind regards,”

 Does this seem correct ?

Hi all! After using this ancient drain off to work on some rads plumbing above, this has developed a double drip: 1) the valve doesn't shut, leaving a fairly steady drip-dribble from the drain (hence why I've reconnected the hose). I can't nip the valve stem up any further. 2) the screw valve itself leaks a tiny bit from the threads round the stem, despite me wrapping some PTFE round the threads before screwing it back up. I'm not confident I can readily replace the whole body, because it's inline and I'm currently not feeling much play at all. Is leaving it in situ but pulling the stem out and replacing it with a stem from another fitting (or any rubber washers inside, etc) maybe an option?

Hi,

I'm trying to bleed an older radiator and can't for the life of me very the value open.

Anyone have any ideas of the type of key I need? Trued 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6 mm hex sockets, the "standard" key, and other bit.

This ballcock is leaking. Is a direct swap the only option here? It's almost impossible to access due to being right in the top of a cupboard, and I don't think I'll be able to get on the nut with the limescale.

Even if I could, I think I'd need to disconnect the boiler header tank's ballcock too to be able to pull the mains feed away, which is possibly another can of worms.

The overflow next to it also looks near to failure, but the nut is buried under years of limescale so I doubt I'll be able to get it off.

What can I do?

It's causing the outside brickwork to be saturated - the overflow points upwards out the house so the water flows back and absorbs into the brick.