buzzing/fizzing boiler

[urchin79]

Hi

I have a Puma 80e boiler which over the last week had been making an intermittent hissing noise.

The noise got more frequent so that everytime I was in the kitchen I would hear it and it seemed to happen whether the boiler had just been used or not. So I decided I didn't want to leave it on whilst at work and turned it off.

This evening I put the boiler back on to do the washing up and to have a bath and as soon as the boiler was on it started to make a much louder hissing noise which sounded more like an electrical crackling noise.

I turned on the water, the boiler had trouble firing and locked out despite pressure being ok and the noise continued.

I then smelt burning from under the sink and have turned the whole thing off.

Does this sound fixable or is it a new boiler job?

 

[twgas]

pcbs on these are well known for burning out, is the boiler under the sink?

 

[urchin79]

Boiler is above the sink and the pipework runs through cupboard under the sink

 

[mickyg]

turn the power off, remove the front cover and inspect the pcb, especially the top corners. I've seen these so bad its amazing it didn't start a fire
If its scorched it would be advisable not to turn the power back on until a new pcb is fitted.

 

[twgas]

What is under the sink that can burn?
Has turning

the whole thing off

(the electrics to the boiler, I assume) stopped the smell?

 

[urchin79]

yes by turning the power off to the boiler it has stopped the noise and the smell has stopped.

the wall under the sink is lined with insulation which has some sort of chipboard over it and then the pipework runs over that. on further inspection (ie after pulling out all the pots and pans!) It looks like the board has scorched where the metal tags are on the pipes.

 

[twgas]

That sounds like earth tags, I think you may need a RGI to check it before turning back on.

 

[urchin79]

sorry to sound a bit dense (i'm new to all this house stuff!) what do the earth tags do?

 

[Agile]

They connect each copper pipe together so there cannot be any voltage between them.

It sounds as if you may have a serious electrical fault and that may not be in the boiler either.

I think it would be wise not to touch anything in that area until you can find a competent boiler engineer. Not all are competent with electrical problems.

Tony

 

[bengasman]

Scorchmarks, burning smell and the sound of arcing; turn off at the spur and get RGI and/or electrician to check things out.