Boiler Problem

Fireskull

Fireskull

Fireskull

Soldato
Joined
31 Oct 2006
Posts
9,752
Location
Wiltshire / Winchester
Hi All,

Had a power cut on Friday, this always resets the thermostat, so I set the correct time and sorted the time for the hot water to come on twice a day.... the problem is I am no longer getting any hot water at all...
The light comes on the thermostat to say it should be heating the water, the pilot light is on the boiler but nothing, the airing cupboard is cold too.

Anything I have missed before I call someone out to take a look?

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Yeah it is, did a quick google yesterday and it points towards the hot water motor valve not opening or something like that, will call a plumber today :(
 
Do you have any preassure on the boiler? May have lost preassure so you just need to fill the loop again by letting in water from the valves under.
 
It should fire up even if the valve isn't open I think, did you check that the flow pipe from the boiler is hot after you turn the hot water on, and can you check before the valve as well? That would therefore indicate the valve is knackered. You can actually manually over ride it as well to check.
 
londonbairn said:
It should fire up even if the valve isn't open I think, did you check that the flow pipe from the boiler is hot after you turn the hot water on, and can you check before the valve as well? That would therefore indicate the valve is knackered. You can actually manually over ride it as well to check.
Click to expand...

Unless it's seized, in which case when you try to move the lever, the little plastic bit (if it has one) will fall off and then nothing will work :D

Happened to mine - apparently the valve was seized, and the motor on the actuator had burned itself out trying to move it.

Fortunately I have British Gas homecare, which I got "free" with my boiler... so it didn't cost me a penny to have new valve/motor thingy installed. I think I'll keep this cover next year... just in case. My parents have it and although they don't generally have any problems with their boiler, it's getting on a bit, and each time they have a call out it just gets fixed.
 
What happens if I can open the valve manually though? hot water always on? or still only on when the thermostat says so?
Could be a work around to get some hot water until I can get someone out to fix.
 
Ok more strangeness..... scrap what I said earlier about the heating working its not, I took my housemates word for it that it was working when he tested it, its not, no heating or hot water...

Last night I checked the 3 way valve, that seems to work when you turn off/on the heating and hot water, well the switch moves at least.
I checked for air in the pump and the bleed valve in the airing cupboard, both tanks in the loft are full of water.
The pump is warm and actually makes an audible noise when its turned off and on, but I know this doesn't guarantee its actually working though?

What else can I check before giving in? The pilot light is on and if I turn the thermostat off and on the boiler responds like it should be doing something but none of the water pipes coming from the boiler get even remotely warm....? :(
 
the pilot is on but it wont fire up, the boiler needs power to open up the gas valve, so test the power going into the boiler, is it live ? if it isnt, maybe a faulty thermostat or timer, if it is and power is being send to the gas valve, then its a faulty gas valve..

either way, call out a friendly gas engineer, gas safe website will show you local ones to where you live...
 
Yep definitely 'clicks' on and off when adjusted, and the boiler get noisier if that makes sense when the when you click everything on, the same noise it makes when it 'was' working...

Got someone coming tomorrow morning to look at it, really just want to know what it is now :D
 
Funnily enough I've just been to one of these boilers today, not the OF version but the FF. Still 24 years old tho.

Same issue, lights the pilot but not the main burner. Sadly for the customer (and by the looks of things possibly yours too) the fault lies with the gas valve not opening the second stage (main burner) solenoid. Part is obsolete, so new boiler time.

If I were you I'd get a gas registered chap in to properly diagnose the fault.
Edit: Which I see you have :)
Mick
 
Thats not great news to read above.... because thats exactly whats gone wrong! faulty gas valve and guy was going to find out today if you can still get the parts... which reading above seems like you cant...and the thermostat overhead valve or something is also on its way out.
Not what I wanted lol, and he is booked up for 6 weeks for a new boiler install.

He also checked our hot water tank and the original installers sealed the hole for us to be able to install an immersion heater... could just buy a new tank and immersion to get around the hot water for now until he can come install a new boiler because he is going to be massively cheaper than what British gas will want for a new boiler...
 
somewhere just below (or near) the pump will be a thermistor with 2 wires plugged onto it which are usually 12v or 24v.(PLEASE CHECK BEFOREHAND)
whilst the heating is operating (or trying to) pull one of the wires off the thermistor and put it back on again/try waggling them a bit.
I had a similar problem and it cost me around a fiver to fix.

If it fires back up again after removing and reconnecting the wires you should replace thermistor when convenient.

Btw, the thermistor will be attached to a lug onto the copper pipe and are usually around the same size as a five-pence.
The wires will/should have a plastic shroud to protect the spade clips.

DISCLAIMER:
I AM NOT A HEATING ENGINEER AND AM POSTING MY OPINION BASED PURELY ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE.
ANY WORK SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT BY A PROFESSIONAL.
 
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FlyingFish said:
Funnily enough I've just been to one of these boilers today, not the OF version but the FF. Still 24 years old tho.

Same issue, lights the pilot but not the main burner. Sadly for the customer (and by the looks of things possibly yours too) the fault lies with the gas valve not opening the second stage (main burner) solenoid. Part is obsolete, so new boiler time.

If I were you I'd get a gas registered chap in to properly diagnose the fault.
Edit: Which I see you have :)
Mick
Click to expand...

potterton prima gas valves are not obsolete :rolleyes:

If it had a white rogers gas valve you simply fit a Honeywell with the conversion kit

Let me guess you told customer its obsolete and got them to have a new boiler off you :mad:
 
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We were told by Parts Centre that the White Rogers valve was obsolete, and the Honeywell replacement was unavailable. And no we havent fitted a new boiler.

The office is looking into sourcing the required parts from elsewhere, while the customer decides whether its worth repairing a 24yr old boiler or replacing it, which they said they would prefer to do.
 
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