Boiler Help. Pilot light not lit. Sooo cold!

Ali195

Ali195

Ali195

Associate
Joined
30 Sep 2008
Posts
2,098
Glow Worm 45-60 boiler is dead. From what i can see the pilot light isnt lit.

Now ive taken the front off to have a poke around and i see the following:

Photo0010.jpg


Photo0011.jpg


Photo0012.jpg



Now i turned the blue knob around to 'reset', held it in...... you can hear gas hissing. Took my finger off it after 10 seconds. I didnt hear a 'click click' , ala gas cooker stove but then i dont know it im supposed to.


Any idea's? I dont have a clue when it comes to these things.

(turns on electric heater)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8520286.stm
 
First thing to do is check your fuse, probably a faceplate closeby.

You might not hear loud clicking, they can be quiet.

Look for a small tank upstairs, maybe in loft, make sure its full of water.

Al
 
Congratulations you have contravened the Gas safety regs

You have broken the law technically by removing the cover,

Did you even bother isolating the electric before doing so? That boiler is ancient you could have killed yourself if you had been unlucky.

If thats the open flued 45-60 then it has to be relit with a lighted match or taper.

It MUST be relit with the electricity off.
 
Last edited:
The_One said:
If thats the open flued 45-60 then it has to be relit with a lighted match or taper.

It MUST be relit with the electricity off.
Click to expand...


Well.....not sure if its 'open flued' or not. We had a gas man around a week ago...he checked the boiler over....lit a couple of matches underneith to check the air flow but warned NOT to block an air vent in the kitchen.

So ...if in the morning i turn the electric off .....stuff a match underneith it? With the button pressed down?
 
Sounds open flued

Turn the elctric off at the fuse spur then hold the pilot down and whilst doing so hold a match near the pilot assembly in the boiler.

Once lit keep pilot button held down about 15 - 20 seconds then release and it should hold.

If it doesnt then it needs a new thermocouple and a visit from a gas man. If it does hold turn electric back on and your stat/controls to on and the main burner should light
 
Call a registered gas engineer to fix the problem before you blown yourself up and anyone else close by
 
Thankyou very much The One. I shall do this in the morning but il turn the electric off at the switch box because it'l be easier for me.
 
The_One said:
Congratulations you have contravened the Gas safety regs

You have broken the law technically by removing the cover,
Click to expand...

Actually, he hasn't. All he's done is remove the 'decorative' cover on the front. The knob to relight the pilot is a consumer control.

To the OP:

The pilot does indeed need to be relit using a match. That boiler is ancient, doesn't even have a piezo igniter. Hold the blue knob down in the pilot position to make the gas come through for a good few seconds before putting the match near to the pilot assembly to make sure there is enough that it lights (don't worry, it's hardly any really, no matter how long you hold it). After the pilot has lit, continue to hold the blue knob in for AT LEAST 10 SECONDS, I would go for 20, to be sure that it stays lit when you let go. Then just move the knob round to the normal operating position (hint: opposite way to "Off").

Should be an easy 2minute job, I wouldn't bother waiting until morning if you're cold.
 
The_One said:
Congratulations you have contravened the Gas safety regs

You have broken the law technically by removing the cover,
Click to expand...
He's taken the metal case off the front that allows access to the control unit. There are no "gas safety regs" that stop you from doing that, and no laws covering it either.
 
My boiler blew up, so we had it replaced. I will say one thing though - it was on its way out for a while. We had to keep reseting it all the time. Using the reset button is not breaking the law, wherever it may be.
 
So many drama queens in this thread. Perhaps engage a little common sense before ranting how it's against the law, everything will explode and you'll kill kittens by doing something perfectly reasonable.

Pilot lights go out, and they need to be relit - they are designed to be so. This does not take an engineer, and doesn't require screams of anguish either. And god knows why you'd turn the electric off to light a pilot light? Remember, most boilers generate a spark to light the pilot light, so how exactly is having the electric on going to harm you further? Go the whole hog, put a couple of candles on - unless you're an idiot and hold the knob in until your hands go blue it'll make no difference.

We seem to be at the stage in evolution where we've diversified so much, that many people are unwilling to learn even basic self sufficiency. Gas engineers are there for a purpose, that I can agree with. That purpose is not the most basic of things, the pilot light.

God help you if you ever have to look after yourself.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom