Gas boiler not firing up

Connacht

Folks,
My sister has a Vokera Mynute 14se from the mid 1990s. She lives alone and tells me that when she turns it on, she can hear it but there's no flame coming on.
A bit of history : She's had it serviced ever year by an RGI guy, with no problems til 2 years ago. Then she suddenly had to fork out E320 for a new heat exchanger and safety valve. Then earlier this year another E250 for a new gas valve. Plus service on both occasions, at an extra E70 each go.
When the guy called around yesterday, she expected a simple job and has been told the pump's gone. She's beginning to think she's being taken advantage of, as a single woman living alone. They haven't quoted her a price yet.
I know absolutely nothing about these things and I appreciate you can't know for sure without knowing the particular case, but does it sound possible that no flame could be because the pump's gone ?
Any comment appreciated.

shane0007

Connacht wrote: »

Folks,
My sister has a Vokera Mynute 14se from the mid 1990s. She lives alone and tells me that when she turns it on, she can hear it but there's no flame coming on.
A bit of history : She's had it serviced ever year by an RGI guy, with no problems til 2 years ago. Then she suddenly had to fork out E320 for a new heat exchanger and safety valve. Then earlier this year another E250 for a new gas valve. Plus service on both occasions, at an extra E70 each go.
When the guy called around yesterday, she expected a simple job and has been told the pump's gone. She's beginning to think she's being taken advantage of, as a single woman living alone. They haven't quoted her a price yet.
I know absolutely nothing about these things and I appreciate you can't know for sure without knowing the particular case, but does it sound possible that no flame could be because the pump's gone ?
Any comment appreciated.

It is very reasonable that the pump is gone. If there is no circulation the boiler will not fire. The RGI seems to have identified the fault and this is not difficult to do. The boiler is approx 17 years old and they do not last forever. Components fail. The efficient life span of a boiler is approx 15 years. By then technology has moved on so far that savings from replacement will outway the cost of replacement replacement.

Connacht

Thanks for response Shane,
Are you saying in your last line that she should perhaps invest in a new boiler altogether ?
Can you give me some general ballpark idea of what an appropriate new boiler would cost incl installation v. what simple pump replacement might cost ? Thanks a lot.

youtheman

I have a Vokera boiler, started to give trouble during the hard winter a few years back. So I rang Vokera directly, and they quoted me a fixed price which would include all parts, except one or two (the heat exchanger was one). The cost for the service, I think, was around €170 euros. And when the guy came out he replaced several parts which, I estimate, was a good few hundred euros worth. I told him the problems I was having, and for each problem he just replaced the relevant part, and he never batted a eye lid or tried to fob me off. Best bit of business I have ever done as far as the boiler is concerned.

DGOBS

Did she only start to use it again after being off for the summer? If so pump maybe just stuck.

Connacht

Yes, she had it off for summer. She's been quoted E250 + labour + vat for new pump or E1800 - 2000 for new boiler.
Any opinions out there please about the best boiler to replace current one, if a new one were to be bought ?
Vokera themselves say it should be replaced with their own 15HE model. Any other brands ?
thanks

Connacht

So we've decided to go with a new boiler, rather than continue to pay high prices for parts.
Various local installers have quoted for Viessmann 100W 19KW, Baxi Megaflow 20HE and Vokera 20HE.
Any opinions on these brands and models would be appreciated. Thanks.

DGOBS

Viessmann would be mine of choice.

Connacht

thank you