Disconnecting old thermostat so boiler keeps boiling.

[hetheboss]

Hello...

I've spent ages looking at this and cannot figure it out.
I have replaced my old boiler timer for a Hive Wireless. The replacement was simple the old timer pulled off and the new one fitted on the old faceplate. I set it all up and it's great!

But my reason for replacing it in the first place was to remove the old thermostat in the hallway.

Obviously I can't simply disconnect the old thermostat and leave the cables where they are - they'll be live and it'll break the circuit that tells the boiler it needs to fire for heating.

So I need to disconnect and bridge a couple of cables in the little junction box. But I cannot figure it out and be sure I'm doing the right thing - and I'd rather not call out an electrician for such a simple task.

I just need someone to very kindly tell me which wires go where -

Below is the old thermostat currently on the wall. As things stand this currently must be set high so as to call heat from the boiler.

The little junction box currently sits like this - the red slashed cable is the old thermostat. The blue slash goes to the new Hive, The yellow goes to the heating pump. The fushia goes to the boiler

Here's another from a different angle - but essentially everything works well as it is at the moment, but I'd like to know how to disconnect the old stat. I am pretty sure I need to bridge one or two cables and that's it.

I'm not touching it until I'm certain obviously.

I should also add that it's the hot water needs to be on for the heating to work - and the Hive is two channel for both heating and water.

Thanks very much

 

[Echo the husky]

That wiring is horrendous, whoever 'installed' it should be ashamed.

You need to completely disconnect the cable you have marked with a red line, and put a wire link between where the red wire was and where the yellow wire was. Do not link to the terminal where the blue wire was connected as this is neutral. It is a good idea to put the old wires in one of the unused connectors and write on the cable so anyone in the future knows what the cable is.

There are a number of defects in the photo and I would advise calling an electrician to re-terminate the wiring an a way that complies. If all of the heating system is wired like that there could be a number of other issues. I would not be happy about leaving the wiring in it's current condition. I can only assume it was wired by a plumber .

 

[Echo the husky]

Don't forget to follow the section in the instruction manual about setting it for gravity hot water.

 

[hetheboss]

Hey thanks for your reply.
It was of course like that when I purchased the house.
It is a pretty ugly 'junction box'.
The main house junction box is fine and for the most part the rest of the house is not wired in the same way as that.
I think you're probably right though and I will get someone in to clean it all up. Although unlikely now before Christmas.
When you say defects - do you mean the way the wires are terminated in the junction box? They don't look like they've been pushed home. They are secure!
I'm guessing also all those wires shouldn't be criss crossing each other?
Interstingly this is all located above a sink and two taps, and the junction box surround is taped, not screwed on.

 

[hetheboss]

But apart from the ugly and non compliant wiring thanks so much for explaing it to me - I have literally spent hours trying to figure it out. I can now redecorate my hallway!

 

[hetheboss]

Just a final photo - which I never got round to posting.

 

[sparkwright]

The box is crooked.

 

[hetheboss]

Much like my teeth - I like uniform crookedness in my house.

 

[John D v2.0]

Glad you sorted it, and Never mind crooked, there's earth sleeving missing from the t&e there which needs rectifying.

Also it would be better to identify the conductors with brown sleeving, all I can see is loads of different colours with no information about which are line and neutral.