Gas Boiler Issue

secretspy

secretspy

secretspy

Soldato
Joined
3 Oct 2005
Posts
6,337
Location
England
Hi,

Just looking to get some advice if possible please, before I arrange an engineer visit.

Yesterday I pressed the 1Hr heating button on my control panel for the boiler and set the thermostat to 18 C. After about 40 mins I noticed that the radiators were still stone cold so I turned the thermostat up to 21 to see if it made a difference. It clicked on and made all the normal noises and the rads started to heat up.

However, even though the control panel turned off the heating after the full hour, I noticed that the radiators were still really hot some time later, even when I turned the thermostat down. (Usually they go cold very quickly.)

I checked the boiler and it was showing a status of C. I turned it off and on again to see if maybe this would fix the issue but it still said the same and kept heating the radiators to the point they are too hot to touch. (I can adjust the level on each individual big radiator but I have a small one in my hallway that I can't adjust at all.)

I've had a quick Google and mentioned it in the TIAM thread and it was suggested that it's likely to be an issue with the thermostat. I spoke with Homeserve this morning and they said it would be covered with my policy but there is a £100 excess for every claim!

I'm just now trying to get an idea on whether it is a thermostat issue and if fitting this would be costly or not, so that I can determine whether finding a local engineer works out cheaper than calling Home Serve.

The current thermostat is just a standard Honeywell dial one and the boiler is an Ideal ICOS HE 15.

One thing I always noticed which no one could give me an answer on is that when my hot water is on, the bathroom heater would be warm. However, over the last couple of days I've noticed the radiator is warm in the early evenings, despite the hot water not being set to come on. (Unless of course this boiler issue has been happening since before yesterday and heating water when I've not been here)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

TIA

UPDATE
https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/33126315
 
Last edited:
wedrum said:
what is theee boiler ??
how old is theee boiler ??
Click to expand...

I'm guessing it's the original one when the property was built so probably 11 years old. (I've only owned the flat since Sept 18) It's just a standard Ideal gas boiler.

Just did another bit of googling and found a forum that mention it could be the port valve :confused:
 
Last edited:
You're correct, the fault lies with a motorized valve, 2-port or 3-port. They have permanent live, and they are the devices that run the boiler, not the clock or thermostat. So when they go faulty you cannot turn the demand off by normal means.
 
FlyingFish said:
You're correct, the fault lies with a motorized valve, 2-port or 3-port. They have permanent live, and they are the devices that run the boiler, not the clock or thermostat. So when they go faulty you cannot turn the demand off by normal means.
Click to expand...
Ah so £100 excess for home serve to attend and replace would seem reasonable then?
 
PCB isn't at fault, even though they are rubbish. Unless it's dead or or showing a fault code.

Secret spy, what you do about it is up to you m8. In my mind having a £100 excess is a bit steep. But that's your policy :(
 
iirc You can just change the 3 way valve heads on some of them. If thats the case then £100 excess is steep.
 
Standard heating thermostats are really reliable, cos they are simple :D

Motorised valves wear out, the spindles seize, the synchrons fail and also stick, and the microswitches fail. So even tho I'm not on site round at yours doing a proper diagnosis, my best guess based on the info given is a faulty valve ;)

And just like mentioned above, some have changeable heads, others dont. The cost of a basic motorised head and basic labour charge for such a job will see you hit the £100 mark. More so if the valve has to be changed completely.
 
I don't know about you but in Surrey I've struggled to get a plumber / gas engineer out to do even the simplest of jobs for less than £100. Annoying as it is the £100 excess to 'fix the issue' (whatever is actually might be) seems a no brainer.
 
Yeah does sound like a value is stuck.

By the time you get someone out to diagnose the issue, but the part then replace the part I'd imagine you will be well over £100 in anyway imo.

So ya just go for it.
 
Yeah does sound like a value is stuck.

By the time you get someone out to diagnose the issue, buy the part then replace the part I'd imagine you will be well over £100 in anyway imo.

So yeah just go for it.
 
3 way valve swap is only in region of £100 anyway

Thinks it was £120 all in last time we had it done but that involved doing some pipework due to original crap installation
 
Engineer has been and gone. Took him around 1hr 20. It was the valve which he has changed but it was also the condenser which caused a blockage in the boiler and also the pipe under the kitchen sink.

I finally have hot water and heat again (it went clunk weds night so I had no hot water or heating yesterday and this morning! ) can't wait to have a nice warm shower tonight :D

Now I just need to work out why the front part of one of my radiators doesn't heat up :o (been like that since moved in)
 
I've had both of my 2 way actuators break recently, first one i let British gas sort as i didn't know what was wrong. 2nd one i did myself for cheaper than the excess fee. If you unplug the actuator the demand being placed on the system will stop. which will show you which one is faulty, mine had quick release fittings on. my hot water side went first then the heating side.
 
So since the engineer visit on Friday I've noticed the boiler hasn't been firing up on and off like it normally does (when there's no call for hot water or heating)

The status is 0 and the burner light is out. I've been getting hot water so I turned the heater on and it changed to C, burner light came on and had heat coming through the radiators. Turned the heating off at the control panel and the burner light went out but status stayed as C.

The engineer had said if it happened again to press the reset button. I tried it twice and nothing happened so I turned the boiler off and on and the status went back to 0 with no burner light :/

@FlyingFish any advice please?
 
Status 0 is when there is no demand for heat
Status C is when either Ch or Dhw is called for heat.
While in Status C the burner led will come on and off depending on the temperature. You may also see it flashing.

If you are experiencing Status 0 when there is a valid demand for heat,(check your controls etc) then I would guess something is at fault.
And if this scenario didn't occur before the chap changed the valve, it could be he's installed the wires incorrectly.

Either way, you should be covered as it's arguably not fixed, so call them back out.

Mick
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom