britony flexiflue diaphragm change
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They say that it can be done "in-situ" however the screws are made of the softest steel I can think of and it makes life soooo much easier just removing the entire burner and gas section.
Ensure you've got some spare screws as the last one I done had corroded the screws and if I had put them back in; the next engineer would be drilling them out.
Relatively easy job; should take no more than an hour if all goes well and it all seals up nicely.
Ensure you've got some spare screws as the last one I done had corroded the screws and if I had put them back in; the next engineer would be drilling them out.
Relatively easy job; should take no more than an hour if all goes well and it all seals up nicely.
I had to replace one of these diaphragms a year ago and could not get the dia to seal aferwards tried three dia all no good, when the main pressure came on within 10 mins a leak developed to, in the end fitted a new mpt. Have heard of some people filling down the surfaces of the casting to give a better fit on the outside edges of the seal.
good luck
good luck
I was just about to write the same words.
Last one I went to as a favour was out of area where I was doing a boiler repair in adjacent flat on a Sunday evening. I told her it was a difficult job and I could not guarantee any fix.
I refitted the new diaphragm THREE times and it leaked every time. As it was after 9 pm I eventually gave up and offered to come a couple of days later. Landlord got annoyed with me as the tenant was bothering her and she realised she would have to pay a lot more than my £35 to get anyone else.
On the way back I suddenly remembered where I had partly gone wrong. NEVER use any silicone grease as it helps it to slide out of position!
Also remove the spring loaded thingey which pushes it upwards as you are fitting it. If you dont have a good ring spanner then its much harder. An adjustable is asking for trouble even my 3" little one.
Best of luck !
Tony
Last one I went to as a favour was out of area where I was doing a boiler repair in adjacent flat on a Sunday evening. I told her it was a difficult job and I could not guarantee any fix.
I refitted the new diaphragm THREE times and it leaked every time. As it was after 9 pm I eventually gave up and offered to come a couple of days later. Landlord got annoyed with me as the tenant was bothering her and she realised she would have to pay a lot more than my £35 to get anyone else.
On the way back I suddenly remembered where I had partly gone wrong. NEVER use any silicone grease as it helps it to slide out of position!
Also remove the spring loaded thingey which pushes it upwards as you are fitting it. If you dont have a good ring spanner then its much harder. An adjustable is asking for trouble even my 3" little one.
Best of luck !
Tony
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thanks for yr advice ,unfortunatley u were both spot on !
i spent all afternoon to get the bloody diaphragm to stop leaking (x3)
finally managed it then the baring plate seal started leaking. This part is no longer available i think,
also the connection for the thermocouple fell apart
what a waste of time , wont get paid , £10 parking,damaged van in car park,
i spent all afternoon to get the bloody diaphragm to stop leaking (x3)
finally managed it then the baring plate seal started leaking. This part is no longer available i think,
also the connection for the thermocouple fell apart
what a waste of time , wont get paid , £10 parking,damaged van in car park,
I had a tenant rang me last Saturday night to fix one of these for an absentee landlord. I said yes if you pay me £80 and get it back off the landlord.
Didn't get the job of course, woopeey
Didn't get the job of course, woopeey
If you ever get any of these in London; give me a shout... ...
If you clean the faces up and use a pointed implement to get into the edges you should be fine; as Agile stated; silicon just makes the diaphragm slide out of place; once added; you can pretty much guarantee a headache; keep them dry and let the rubber do the work and you should be good to go.
...If you clean the faces up and use a pointed implement to get into the edges you should be fine; as Agile stated; silicon just makes the diaphragm slide out of place; once added; you can pretty much guarantee a headache; keep them dry and let the rubber do the work and you should be good to go.
In a past life I repaired washing machines. We used to use a marvelous impact adhesive at that time it was called cow gum, but I tried asking for it recently and they gave it another name. we used to glue the two parts of a metal hotpoint drum together with it. Would stay on your fingers for weeks.
I managed the diaphragm first time on the slightly more accessible Britony II and left it working.
Three days later I was told it had stopped.
I went back a week later after a problem between the Agent and the Landlord about confirmation of authorisation for completion of boiler repair at same flat.
Boiler repair went fine and I turned to the water heater. The lower knob shaft had seized. Using the conveniently placed WD40 and a gas wrench I was able to free it up in a few minutes and could leave the tenants with everything working again.
It amuses me that whilst I am not 100% adept at fixing these things at least I can give correct advice and others find my advice is spot on !!!
Tony
Three days later I was told it had stopped.
I went back a week later after a problem between the Agent and the Landlord about confirmation of authorisation for completion of boiler repair at same flat.
Boiler repair went fine and I turned to the water heater. The lower knob shaft had seized. Using the conveniently placed WD40 and a gas wrench I was able to free it up in a few minutes and could leave the tenants with everything working again.
It amuses me that whilst I am not 100% adept at fixing these things at least I can give correct advice and others find my advice is spot on !!!
Tony
A good quality (thin wall) 8mm ring spanner is appropriate. If you use an adjustable on hex's that size you're asking for a sloppy fit.
Just clean all the diaphragm housing. The Scotchbrite-type pads used for cleaning pipe are pretty good. I must have changed a dozen or so and never had one leak.
Why Tony wants to put grease on diaphragms escapes me - the manufacturers don't!
Can't see why the lower knob seizing stopped the heater working. Half of them are seized, all it does is alter the water flow a bit.
Just clean all the diaphragm housing. The Scotchbrite-type pads used for cleaning pipe are pretty good. I must have changed a dozen or so and never had one leak.
Why Tony wants to put grease on diaphragms escapes me - the manufacturers don't!
Can't see why the lower knob seizing stopped the heater working. Half of them are seized, all it does is alter the water flow a bit.
I have discovered by experience that silicone on diaphragms and particularly washers aids sealing and gives me an easier life.
The lower knob seems to have a different effect. It was seized in a position that gave about a 3 mm gas flame. Moving it to the other end gives a full 30-40 mm flame. I therefore assume that it is actually some kind of bypas to the diaphragm chamber and had a direct effect on the flame size for a certain water flow.
Tony
The lower knob seems to have a different effect. It was seized in a position that gave about a 3 mm gas flame. Moving it to the other end gives a full 30-40 mm flame. I therefore assume that it is actually some kind of bypas to the diaphragm chamber and had a direct effect on the flame size for a certain water flow.
Tony
Well your experience now matches gasaid's and mine - it makes diaphragms (at least this one) leak!
The lower knob on my recent FF was sticking a bit so I remember - it only altered water flow. If it altered the flame it must have been a small effect, I didn't notice it. Perhaps they vary. ??
The lower knob on my recent FF was sticking a bit so I remember - it only altered water flow. If it altered the flame it must have been a small effect, I didn't notice it. Perhaps they vary. ??
In any case Chris you have as much if not more difficulty with these devilish machines!
Chris's last job:-
""""I had to explain it to he who was paying so have it write down:
Wouldn't have believed it possible on such a simple thing. Only one of the visits was "my fault" I think.
1st visit Weds "Not lighting properly" so I took a diaphragm. The black plastic disc the diaph pushes was broken up. Didn't have one of those.
Bought service kit
2nd visit, Thurs changed that, and the thermocouple. The tc solenoid was dud. Have never changed one of those, didn't have one.
Bought solenoid.
3rd visit, Fri before Xmas changed that, and piezo ignition & electrode cos it wouldn't light pilot properly, and it ran fine for a week.
Then (Today, 2nd Jan)No hot water. Report first came that the fan was running (slowly), so the gas valve must be sticking to break the plastic disc, according to chaff.
Searched country, found only 2, miles away. Gloom.
Wondered if punter was turning the knob to "run" so rechecked ... and
Report came that it was dead, and fan not running. So, knowing the APS can blow fuses on those, I bought one. (About £100 retail!)
This takes time!!
4th visit Put fuse in, fan ran, but lotsa sparks.
Parts on pcb blown to bits.
Took APS back to supplier for credit.
5th visit, took a "New" unused pcb I've had for a while - it was my father-in law's...
It worked a bit, then it didn't.
Spent an hour with a soldering iron trying to get one board working from the old and the new, but the circuit diagram in the manual is WRONG and there seemed to be more than one fault on the unused pcb. Late, gave up, went home.
6th visit, took a new new pcb.
Working in London isn't so bad. Say there are 8 Landlord Certs, £70 each. Fiver for a travelcard. Charge 'em all £5 parking and £8 Congestion Charge, make £99 for going to work, making £659 for the day and home in time for something really exciting on telly.. """
I would never get away with charging £8 congestion charge eight times for one day !!!
Tony
Chris's last job:-
""""I had to explain it to he who was paying so have it write down:
Wouldn't have believed it possible on such a simple thing. Only one of the visits was "my fault" I think.
1st visit Weds "Not lighting properly" so I took a diaphragm. The black plastic disc the diaph pushes was broken up. Didn't have one of those.
Bought service kit
2nd visit, Thurs changed that, and the thermocouple. The tc solenoid was dud. Have never changed one of those, didn't have one.
Bought solenoid.
3rd visit, Fri before Xmas changed that, and piezo ignition & electrode cos it wouldn't light pilot properly, and it ran fine for a week.
Then (Today, 2nd Jan)No hot water. Report first came that the fan was running (slowly), so the gas valve must be sticking to break the plastic disc, according to chaff.
Searched country, found only 2, miles away. Gloom.
Wondered if punter was turning the knob to "run" so rechecked ... and
Report came that it was dead, and fan not running. So, knowing the APS can blow fuses on those, I bought one. (About £100 retail!)
This takes time!!
4th visit Put fuse in, fan ran, but lotsa sparks.
Parts on pcb blown to bits.
Took APS back to supplier for credit.
5th visit, took a "New" unused pcb I've had for a while - it was my father-in law's...
It worked a bit, then it didn't.
Spent an hour with a soldering iron trying to get one board working from the old and the new, but the circuit diagram in the manual is WRONG and there seemed to be more than one fault on the unused pcb. Late, gave up, went home.
6th visit, took a new new pcb.
Working in London isn't so bad. Say there are 8 Landlord Certs, £70 each. Fiver for a travelcard. Charge 'em all £5 parking and £8 Congestion Charge, make £99 for going to work, making £659 for the day and home in time for something really exciting on telly.. """
I would never get away with charging £8 congestion charge eight times for one day !!!
Tony
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