While washing the dishes last night (yes I do wash dishes) the water was incredibly hot. My boiler has 6+ heating zones and one zone for domestic HW using an Amtrol HW Maker.

I didn't take long to find the zone valve on the HW zone was not fully closing thus allowing flow every time any heating zone kicked on. And with the winter in full swing this happening pretty often. I turned the stat on the HW maker to essentially off kwowing there would be plenty of hot water for showers this AM.

All valves are Honywell. I installed the system myself in 1985 and have not touched any of the valves at all. So I guess I'm lucky. I also have a motor fried on another valve so they may start dropping like flies.

I have two motor repair kits - one to fix the cooked one and one for a spare. But the sticking valve is a new twist. It sounds like to properly fix this is to open the valve up and replace the ball, etc. What a terrible time of the year for this to happen given it is currently around 5F here in Colorado.

I am assuming they stick because they wear and perhaps build up some crap on the parts. Any ideas how I can limp along until the weather warms up a bit?
Will parts be enough or will the entire valve need replaced? Yuck!

 

When you say Honeywell valves, the following presumes that you are talking about the V8043 series?

You could try a new motor in the WH valve, but I don't have a lot of hope... usually when they hang open like that it's because the 'gear train' in the power head is worn out.

It's probably NOT the ball or shaft of the valve body itself that's hanging, but rather the gears in the head. However, the conversion kit below DOES INCLUDE new 'guts'.

If your valves were installed back in the last century, it's a given that they are the 'old style', and to change a power head, the system will need drained. NEW style heads don't require draining.

There IS a 'conversion kit' that allows using the new style heads with the old valve body, so no, you won't have to sweat any pipes... but you will have to drain... hopefully you have some isolation valves that you can isolate the majority of the system so it doesn't ALL have to be drained.

Take a look at the endplate of the power head. There is a sideways number at the end of the model number on the data plate. Sideways " 5 " or below are old style. " 6 " and above are new style. You can also look inside... if there are FOUR SCREWS holding the power head to the valve body, OLD STYLE. TWO SCREWS and TWO LOCATING PINS, NEW style.

If they ARE 8043, there are two variety, the "E" and the "F". The "E" has 18" lead wires, yellow and red, the "F" has terminal blocks.

40003916-026 - Honeywell 40003916-026 - Replacement Head for V8043E Zone Valves

40003916-048 - Honeywell 40003916-048 - Replacement Head for V8043F Zone Valves

Conversion kit:

40003918-006 - Honeywell 40003918-006 - 2 Way Powerhead Conversion Kit (Water)

Just the motor:

802360JA - Honeywell 802360JA - Replacement Motor for V8043 Zone Valves

Good luck!

 

By the way... you should also consider having a thermostatic mixing valve installed at the water heater.

Of course, if you had one, you still might be unaware of a zone valve problem... but still, good to have the mixing valve for safety.

 

Thanks Jeff,
Sage advice as always.
You are correct, my valves are the V8043E variety. I have both old style and new style (recent remodel). Unfortunately the one that is sticking is an old style.
I can try just replacing the motor and see if that helps. Can't hurt I guess.

I can isolate some/most of the system but I don't have isolation valves on either side of the zone valves.

I found I can semi-manually open and close the HW valve and get enough hot water to meet the needs until the weather warms up a bit.

With the system down it might make sense to convert all the old valves in case I have similar issues with the others. The HW valve gets the most work in that it operates year around so it makes sense it would be the first to fail.

Thanks again and I hope your guitar playing is reaching new heights.