Gas Boiler Issue

1916

I have a problem and was hoping some else has had the same issue and could point me in the correct direction. I'll paint the scenario

My boiler, which heats the rads and water is always set to come on via the timer. It has worked fine for the last 8 years. Over the last 5 days or so, it has come on but the Rads don't heat up. I've bleed them for air etc, no problems there. It appears to be that the pilot light does not come on (although the boiler itself powers up etc) and hence the rads don't heat up.

I've had a Gas technician out to service the boiler and he maintained that there was problem with the Timer. I then got an electrician to put in a new one and I still have the same problem

The peculiar thing is that when the boiler comes on via the Timer (but pilot light does not show etc), if I move the Timer switch to the OFF then move back to the Timer, hey presto, the Pilot light shines and the Rads come on. Thi was the situation with the previous Timer also that I had replaced!

I've had my pump checked and no problems with that. I'm pretty exasberated as everyone is saying their kit is working, but its all point to the boiler, but what part of it?

1916

copper12

NETAHEAT PROFILE/PRIMA
PROFILE PRIMA
If your boiler is any one of the above it the control pcb that’s gone

1916

Its a Baxi, but I assume it has one of those PCB also. Are they expensive to replace?

If you put a plug on a lead and then wire it to the boiler, taking out the clock feed, you can then see if you still have the problem identifying clock or boiler, Gary.

1916

More boiler issues! My original problem seemed to have been fixed by replacing the PCB board (is that what its called), cost me €300, now the rads aren't coming on again, this time the pilot light does light (it didn't in my previous problem) and there is what I can only describe as a knocking, then aftera few minutes it seems the boiler turns off, although the light on the timer switch is still lit

Any ideas?

copper12

Who replaced the PCB
What type of boiler is it a Baxi solo if so what model
When you say a banging sound when it lights up; does the boiler have a full flame
If so; then you need to check the pump

1916

A Bord Gais guy replaced it. Its a Baxi Solo 250 PF. The 'banging' sound its probably more like water trying to get through the boiler, if you can imagine what I mean. Yes there is a full flame. How do I check the pump? The pump I have is up at my hotpress, its not near the boiler. Pump name is GrundFos. I've turned the Timer switch to off, as the time the technician was last out he said 'it' could burn out if it was on but not working correctly. Could it be air trapped in the system?

copper12

You need someone to turn the heating on; while you have your hand on the pump; you should feel some vibration; if you don’t then it’s most likely that the pump’ is not working’ if you do, and you cannot feel any hot water going true the pipes, it may still be the pump’ as the impeller may have broken inside’ or it may be stuck’
From what you are saying it seems that the boiler is over heating and shutting itself down
Or get the bord gáis guy back

Micky Dolenz

1916 wrote: »

A Bord Gais guy replaced it. Its a Baxi Solo 250 PF. The 'banging' sound its probably more like water trying to get through the boiler, if you can imagine what I mean. Yes there is a full flame. How do I check the pump? The pump I have is up at my hotpress, its not near the boiler. Pump name is GrundFos. I've turned the Timer switch to off, as the time the technician was last out he said 'it' could burn out if it was on but not working correctly. Could it be air trapped in the system?

Sounds to me like a partially blocked heat exchanger. The water can't get through fast enough and is steaming up. Surprised the BG guy didn't spot it.

1916

Just an update, it was the pump, so dropped another €250

copper12

So was there a need to replace the PCB or the timer

1916

No need to replace the timer as that fixed nothing. When the PCB went in, it heated the rads etc, then 7 days later the boiler just cut out (over heating?) this was different to before when the boiler kept working, except the rads didn't heat. The parts of the pump that are connected to the water were pretty clogged with brown hard, cement like mixture, you'd barely get the top of your little finger in. So I guess it was conincidence that the pump and pcb went in the space of 7 days. The boiler worked first time after the new pump went in today,so I guess it was a problem. I did ask were there any parts of the pump that could be replaced rather than the whole lot, no I was told. I have the replaced pump if and wants to buy it for €249...

About €750 it cost, and I thought I was only paying for the annual service at the start, hoover out the inards I thought

Micky Dolenz

Sounds like you need your system power flushed and treated ASAP.

1916

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Sounds like you need your system power flushed and treated ASAP.

The BG guy did mention a product called 'Fenox' - or something like that, you pump it in through the bleed valve and bingo, you have a perfectly clean system, or something like that.. Mickey is that the Flushed and treated you mention?

JackieO

Sorry to hijack your thread OP but I also have a problem with my gas boiler. About 2 weeks ago, it wouldn't come on at all. I got a Bord Gais guy out and he checked a few things and figured that it was some switch in the hot press (little blue box with switch on side which can either be on manual or auto). Anyway, he said that this switch had for some reason tripped and he reset it to auto and the heat was working fine. Only thing is that next day and every since it hasn't worked properly. It will come on for a few mins and then knock itself off before the rads even get warm. The time it stays on depends on how long its been off for before hand.

anyway, the guy who fixed it is gone on 2 weeks holidays now and I haven't yet found anyone else to take a look. So any ideas what the problem might be?

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it but a few days before the heat went off the first time I had someone (not a plumber) take a look at my bathroom rads (which have never worked), it appeared that the valves on these rads had been closed and so could never have worked as they were. I'm wondering if this interferred with the water flow. I mentioned this to the bord gais guy so he knew that before he went looking at it.

(by the way, the system is less than 3 years old).