No hot water downstairs advice needed.

[Pinkbear154]

I wonder if any one can give me some advice.
I have a Alpha CD25X Boiler that is also connected to a solar hot water system.
The boiler is in cupboard it kitchen and next to boiler is the water tank for solar system. From what I understand a liquid travels through pipes from tank up through house in to loft, then it goes through solar panel and gets heated up by the sun, then it comes back down and heats the water in tank. If water still isn't hot enough, gas boiler kicks in to finish heating water.
I hope that makes sense.

Just so you get get a idea of layout incase it helps. Bathroom is directly above boiler on next floor. Kitchen sink is across the room from boiler, and wet room with toilet and sink is next door to kitchen.

When it's really sunny we get hot water every where but when it's not sunny and in evening and at night, we can get hot water upstairs from sink and bath. But we can not get any hot water from hot taps down stairs. Water just stays ice cold.

We have had a engineer out a few times they keep saying it's this or that but no matter what they do it has not fixed the problem. Last week they told me it was the water mixing valve, claimed they had fixed it and left. Still have no hot water downstairs and getting fed up now.

I'm sure it's not the be solar system side as get plenty of hot water every where when it's sunny.
So think it's the gas boiler side.

The only other thing I've noticed is the water pressure of hot taps downstairs seems lower than the hot taps upstairs. Also boiler does not seem to kick in when either hot tap downstairs is turned on. But boiler does kick in if upstairs taps are turned on. Does this mean any thing. The valves are open fully on hot taps down stairs.

Can any one give me advice as to what the problem could be before I call out a engineer again. I just want it fixed, I'm fed up with having to carry washing up up stairs or boil pans of water to wash up.

Any advice much appreciated
Thanks in advance

 

[HERTS P&D]

Does this only affect your kitchen sink, have you checked the tap it self or any blockage in the downstairs pipework to slow the flow down?

Andy

 

[Pinkbear154]

It effects all hot taps downstairs in kitchen and wet room, Shower in wet room is electric so not effected.
So I get no hot water from any hot tap down stairs.and pressure seems slightly lower on all hot taps downstairs
I have had kitchen tap replaced and some of pipe work under sink replaced as was told it could be that but it made no difference.

How would I check for blockages in down stairs pipe work that can't see, if there is a blockage in pipework down stairs how do you clear it.

Again thanks in advance

 

[MeldrewsMate]

...The only other thing I've noticed is the water pressure of hot taps downstairs seems lower than the hot taps upstairs. Also boiler does not seem to kick in when either hot tap downstairs is turned on. But boiler does kick in if upstairs taps are turned on. Does this mean any thing.[?]...

Perhaps it indicates that your combi boiler supplies the upstairs hot taps, and the cylinder supplies downstairs?

 

[MeldrewsMate]

I just want it fixed, I'm fed up with having to carry washing up up stairs or boil pans of water to wash up.

A dishwasher would fix that....

Coming back to your conviction that 'it can't be the solar system at fault', why ever not? If the solar system doesn't heat the cylinder properly the controls may invoke the gas boiler to heat it more, but if some component on the controls is misbehaving then you will have solar ONLY, and on dull days the hot water will not be hot.

Please post some photos of your cylinder set-up and its controls, including any motorised valves. That might help.

 

[Pinkbear154]

MeldrewsMate there is no need to be rude. I was just asking for advice, and was just trying to explain situation as well as I could.
I'm a single mother with 4 children to take care of, just got out of a abusive relationship and am just trying to work out what problem is with hot water.

I do have a dishwasher but only have a very small kitchen so only have a very small dishwasher. Don't have space for any thing bigger. Brought it as a temporary solution. But as is small can't put everything in and there are some things you can't put in a dishwasher.
Also using a dishwasher to wash up is more expensive, as have to pay the electricity and water to use it. Not ideal with the rising prices of electricity. Gas is cheaper than electricity where I am.

I only assumed it was not the solar hot water system as I've always get hot water every where when sunny. I'm sorry if I was wrong for assuming that, I'm no expert that's why I came on here to get advice.

I have had engineers our to check solar system side too and they could not find any problems. But I do have a solar engineer coming out again next week just to double check.

 

[Pinkbear154]

I only have these photos to hand right now of boiler. I'm not home right now but will take some more photos when get home. Silver/grey thing next to it which you can see in one picture is water tank.

 

[JohnD]

(edited highlights) ...When it's really sunny we get hot water every where but when it's not sunny and in evening and at night, we can get hot water upstairs from sink and bath. But we can not get any hot water from hot taps down stairs. Water just stays ice cold....

...Still have no hot water downstairs and getting fed up now...

...The only other thing I've noticed is the water pressure of hot taps downstairs seems lower than the hot taps upstairs. Also boiler does not seem to kick in when either hot tap downstairs is turned on. But boiler does kick in if upstairs taps are turned on. Does this mean any thing. The valves are open fully on hot taps down stairs....

All this would be consistent with the cylinder supplying the downstairs taps, and the boiler supplying the upstairs taps.

And the cylinder only being hot on sunny days

Meaning the cylinder is not being heated by the boiler (or possibly a fault in the solar plumbing causing it to drain heat from the cylinder)

I don't know what's wrong with the cylinder system, but some photos of the pipe layout, pump, thermostats and valves might spark some ideas.

BTW a dishwasher uses less water, and less energy, than washing up by hand.

 

[ianmcd]

ignore all the comments about the solar supplying the upstairs and the boiler supplying the downstairs , that is completely wrong, stop calling it water pressure it is water flow rate, and the flow rate to the downstairs taps is restricted, you are not getting enough flow rate to trigger the boiler sensor to start heating the HW, there may be an isolation valve somewhere for the downstairs circuit that is not open properly, but might be that the sinks are fitted with flexible hoses, some of these are very restricting, try opening all the downstairs HW taps at the same time, does the boiler fire and heat the water now ? that will confirm it is a flow rate /restriction problem, the upstairs taps work when the solar has depleted so the boiler is working correctly

 

[ianmcd]

All this would be consistent with the cylinder supplying the downstairs taps, and the boiler supplying the upstairs taps.

And the cylinder only being hot on sunny days

Meaning the cylinder is not being heated by the boiler (or possibly a fault in the solar plumbing causing it to drain heat from the cylinder)

I don't know what's wrong with the cylinder system, but some photos of the pipe layout, pump, thermostats and valves might spark some ideas.

BTW a dishwasher uses less water, and less energy, than washing up by hand.

Complet and utter rubbish, you havent a clue how this solar system works