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3 way valve horror

35 year old 3 way valve had stripped its gearteeth, so the head was replace d with an identical one. Or so I thought. The new one won't work though, it stays on HW only all the time. Taking the head off reveals that the socket that engages onto the valve shaft sits at a different angle, so that at on e end of the head's travel, the valve is at the other end of its travel. He nce any control of the valve is impossible, it sits at one end only. Any id eas before I copy Simon?

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr
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When I had one that failed (2way) it was the motor pinion that had dental decay and so a new motor sorted it out. It only has about 8 teeth and so much more subject to wear

If your gear wear is elsewhere then you might have to bite the bullet and fit a new valve. Sometimes there are new valve bodies on ebay to go with your replacement head to save buying a whole new valve.

Reply to
Bob Minchin

ced with an identical one. Or so I thought. The new one won't work though, it stays on HW only all the time. Taking the head off reveals that the sock et that engages onto the valve shaft sits at a different angle, so that at one end of the head's travel, the valve is at the other end of its travel. Hence any control of the valve is impossible, it sits at one end only. Any ideas before I copy Simon?

Looks like I was wrong, the fitted valve moves a lot less angle than the re placement base that didn't get fitted. So probably full of crud & a draindo wn required.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

laced with an identical one. Or so I thought. The new one won't work though , it stays on HW only all the time. Taking the head off reveals that the so cket that engages onto the valve shaft sits at a different angle, so that a t one end of the head's travel, the valve is at the other end of its travel . Hence any control of the valve is impossible, it sits at one end only. An y ideas before I copy Simon?

That's what was done. And I explained why it hasn't worked.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you might have changed the whole head and integral gearbox. The individual motors within the heads are also available as spares on ebay for £10-12 IIRC and should work as I explained. You then can retain the old gear head with its particular spigot arrangement.

Reply to
Bob Minchin

Over-travel of the motor heads is quite normal. The actual valve movement is limited by the valve body itself although after 35 years you may well have crud limiting it. The bit that moves is a rubber ball and it is free to rotate on its axis and it moves in a small arc to tends to turn a bit each time it is used and present a different area of rubber to the ports. This sort of wiping action keeps them surprisingly functional.

Reply to
Bob Minchin

replaced with an identical one. Or so I thought. The new one won't work though, it stays on HW only all the time. Taking the head off reveals that the socket that engages onto the valve shaft sits at a different angle, so that at one end of the head's travel, the valve is at the other end of its travel. Hence any control of the valve is impossible, it sits at one end only. Any ideas before I copy Simon?

But this is perhaps less useful when, as in this case, the problem is stripped gear teeth rather than motor failure.

Reply to
Roger Hayter

It depends on which teeth have stripped. There is a small gear on the output of the motor assembly. If the teeth on that have stripped, a new motor will replace them.

This small gear drives a larger (partial) gear connected to the valve. If *its* teeth have stripped, a new motor won't fix it.

Reply to
Roger Mills

yes

The problem has nothing to do with gear teeth or motor. The movement of the valve itself has become very restricted. So drain down & clean out seems t he only option. If it turns out there is a persisting compatibility problem , hopefully I can fit the new base, which I still have, to match the new he ad. I hate plumbing.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

I had this. Suspect it was crap build up in some new plimbing

Took the motor off and used mole grips to work the valve body till it freed up.

Fitted a new motor head and its still working

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Kind of makes you wonder though, why they might want to redesign something that has already been made for years. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

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