boiler turned off by an engineer

[ollski]

This has come up loads recently and is total nonsense. A case to the air intake section of a boiler is about as much of a risk as a chance that an earthquake might break a gas seal. Stick a bit of aluminium tape over it and order another badge. It's the sort of nonsense that dilutes genuine safety issues.

 

[heatservice]

Technically putting 4 self tapping screws into the holes which are there for the badge could be considered as modifying an appliance if you wanted to be really anal about it and yes there are those who would RIDDOR you for doing so. I came across a contracts manager for a large company who threatened to do just that because I put a self tapping screw in a 2mm hole which had originally been a spot weld in the bottom of the boilers casing, he first said it was the combustion chamber which he didn't take too kindly to me pointing out to him it was in fact the balanced compartment, so beware the industry if full of tossers like him.

 

[muggles]

This has come up loads recently and is total nonsense. A case to the air intake section of a boiler is about as much of a risk as a chance that an earthquake might break a gas seal. Stick a bit of aluminium tape over it and order another badge. It's the sort of nonsense that dilutes genuine safety issues.

Not true at all. Some boilers can have a significant amount of CO inside their casing if they aren't set up correctly, Glow-worm/Vaillant being a prime example (haven't tried it with Worcester). Set the mixture too rich on the gas valve with your analyser in the plenum chamber and the readings will spike even though it's supposed to be on the air intake side. It's very much a genuine safety issue

 

[FiremanT]

Technically putting 4 self tapping screws into the holes for the badge could be considered as modifying an appliance if you wanted to be really anal about it and yes there are those who would RIDDOR

There would only be 3

And whoever RIDDORed that would be a tw@t. There is no danger.

The problem is, IMO, to many new entrants being taught "the rules", but having no real understanding or experience.

Like GasBustaGut

 

[heatservice]

Not true at all. Some boilers can have a significant amount of CO inside their casing if they aren't set up correctly, Glow-worm/Vaillant being a prime example (haven't tried it with Worcester). Set the mixture too rich on the gas valve with your analyser in the plenum chamber and the readings will spike even though it's supposed to be on the air intake side. It's very much a genuine safety issue

I have worked on thousands of Vaillant boilers and never seen it unless the flue seals are perished or damaged and then CO readings are fairly low if they were off the scale as your suggesting the boiler would lock out every time. Also I might add a plenum chamber is at a pressure above atmospheric pressure, a modern boiler balanced compartment when running wuold be below atmospheric pressure and at worst would suck air from the room if there was a hole in the casing.

 

[heatservice]

There would only be 3

And whoever RIDDORed that would be a tw@t. There is no danger.

The problem is, IMO, to many new entrants being taught "the rules", but having no real understanding or experience.

Like GasBustaGut

So very true but those same tw@ts are now running the show.

 

[dilalio]

Modern management models!

You don’t go to them for assistance, when you have a problem.
They come to you when they have a problem and need someone to blame!

 

[gasbanni]

That is taking it to extremes! What does the badge do? How does it seal and if that is the case why use screws why not just stick the badge on the cover? Plus you never asked what my temporary fix might have been

Hav

That is taking it to extremes! What does the badge do? How does it seal and if that is the case why use screws why not just stick the badge on the cover? Plus you never asked what my temporary fix might have been

Taking it to extreme .......not really I've been involved in a few investigations. ( not my errors but errors that have been investigated caused by errors of fellow employees ). You get asked leading questions that you must know the answer to otherwise you could be classes as incompetant. So you can look very foolish if you can't answer the questions correctly.

To go back to the original post if the holes were linked to the combustion chamber in any way he did exactly the right thing. EXACTLY. Rather than a bodge that could have landed him in hot water. Suppose another engineer went and discovered his bodge and reported him ?

Years ago I went to a job about a non operative boiler she had a great big lovely dog that was bouncing about barking and jumping up, the boiler was opened flued covered in dog hairs at the base .......the electrical switch wouldn't switch off it was jammed on, it was late in the day. So I left it and went home it wasnt winter.

I declined to go back ( because I couldn't consentrate because of the dog). Another engineer went ....I got riddored for leaving a gas leak. I didn't smell gas and I hadn't touched anything with any tools at all !!!! I didn't even take any tools in to the house.
Fortunately the gas safe inspector told me he'd experianced switches that wouldn't turn off and believed me.

Extremes you say ..........hmmmmm

 

[gasbanni]

.

You are not wrong about altering appliances.

But we are Gas Service ENGINEERS. We should be able to engineer a solution. What does the badge do to the holes. Apart from blocking them?

I'm siding with the actions of the engineer that went, I haven't see the actual appliance so cannot comment on the holes.
But engineering a solution ....I do that all the time, but if it's classed as a gas carrying part I don't.
And if the front case of the boiler is part of the seal to the combustion chamber it's a gas carrying part.

 

[ollski]

Not true at all. Some boilers can have a significant amount of CO inside their casing if they aren't set up correctly, Glow-worm/Vaillant being a prime example (haven't tried it with Worcester). Set the mixture too rich on the gas valve with your analyser in the plenum chamber and the readings will spike even though it's supposed to be on the air intake side. It's very much a genuine safety issue

Then you have faulty seals.

 

[MTCH]

Can't see any other profession that's willing to stick their neck on the block just to save someone a few quid or a little inconvenience, so why should any rgi?

 

[Nozzle]

It's not as if it's the middle of January, and he is coming back the next day.

Nozzle

 

[Razor900]

Not true at all. Some boilers can have a significant amount of CO inside their casing if they aren't set up correctly

I don't entirely agree, we quite often get called to appliances that have had the sump left loose after servicing. Once the POC's start to recirculate inside the outer cover the PPMs rise exponentially and will reach dangerous levels but the boiler will vitiate very quickly and go out because it doesn't like breathing dirty air any more than you do.

The big question would be...

Is the air inside the outer cover subjected to positive or negative pressure on a premix burner???

 

[ollski]

The big question would be...

Is the air inside the outer cover subjected to positive or negative pressure on a premix burner???

Well if it was positive it would blow air out of the trumpet . The cooling impeller creates an impression of a positive effect

 

[heatservice]

I don't entirely agree, we quite often get called to appliances that have had the sump left loose after servicing. Once the POC's start to recirculate inside the outer cover the PPMs rise exponentially and will reach dangerous levels but the boiler will vitiate very quickly and go out because it doesn't like breathing dirty air any more than you do.

The big question would be...

Is the air inside the outer cover subjected to positive or negative pressure on a premix burner???

Suck or Blow, inside the outer casing is negative (Suck), inside the combustion chamber is positive (Blow) you would have to go back to the Potterton Netaheat to find positive pressure inside a boilers outer casing.