Diverter Valve on Baxi 80e combi

[kioni]

Hi All

Got a Baxi 80e Combi boiler, which is 5-10 years old (was already installed when we moved in).

The heating works, but the how water doesn't.

Got a local heating guy in, just got a call to say it was the diverter valve.

Then he said it would take 3 hours to fit.

Does this sound right?

Been quoted £160 for the diverter valve, £110 for 3 hours labour. To be done on a Saturday.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[45yearsagasman]

refurbish the diverter. Service kits available. Possibly just a failed diaphragm, although it could be other things, but the diaphragm is where I'd be starting.

 

[Agile]

Most of the time its only a small repair which is needed and for which I only need to charge about £106.

But if I had to replace the whole diverter valve then about £212 and it takes me about 90 minutes in most cases as its not quite so easy to do.

I have never had much success in refurbishing the whole valve and would never do that for anyone as I cannot guarantee it like a new one and as its time consuming would have to charge much of the cost of fitting a new one.

Tony

 

[45yearsagasman]

Never had a failure when fitting service kits. All can be done without removing the whole assy and takes no more than 1hr from start to finish. Why replace a perfectly good brass body when a repair makes it as good as new.

 

[ianmcd]

As 45 YGM correctly says the valve is just a lump of brass , fit a servive kit and you wont have any problems if done correctly

 

[Agile]

I have only done one and that was for a friend with a pretty wife so was not in a hurry.

I removed the whole valve, dismantled and boiler in citric acid to fully clean it.

Reassembled using silicone grease but started letting by three months later. I suspect a weak return spring.

So I had to fit a new one. That's what I always do now as it avoids any further problems and I can give a full year's guaranty.

Tony

 

[45yearsagasman]

The service kits contain everything, including springs. Why not fit new springs?

 

[DP]

Mr Agile, how very unproffesionaL to stretch a job because a client has a good looking woman. Ogling at someone's wife......I shudder at the thought.

For someone who professes to be a top engineer yet caaannot carry out a task of servicing a lump of metal says it all.

Only time i needed to replace a diverter was on a promax where the pressure switch was leaking from the stub

 

[ianmcd]

The valve is a brass casting and you can boil it in Brut 33 after shave if you want while you perv at your customer Tony but it will still be a bloody Brass casting, there is absolutely no need to replace it, fit a service kit and act like a professionall gas engineer not a bloody BBC Presenter

 

[Agile]

The service kits contain everything, including springs. Why not fit new springs?

As I recall you have to remove the whole unit to replace the bottom spring.

Regardless, I still feel that for most customers a new one is better value that paying me nearly as much to refurbish the old one plus the cost of the kit!

But nearly all others I do refurb them.

My friend's girlfriend was pleased to have my company with her!

Tony

 

[DP]

I still feel that for most customers a new one is better value that paying me nearly as much to refurbish the old one plus the cost of the kit!

Tony, you must be very slow if you cannot undo couple of bits with diverted still in place.

Are you suggesting it is cheaper and quicker to pack up at customer place, go to spares supplier, pick up a diverter, undo the diverter connections, fit a new diverter and then bill the customer for all that time plus cost of a new unit

Alternatively, remove the domestic manifold, remove the gland nut now revealed, undo that, clean the spindle, grease and refit. Nil cost other than labour and no parts required other than silicon grease. If push comes to a shove, fit new gland nut which any good engineer would have in his van (I do)


I think second option is FAR cheaper and any customer would find that attractive

Better value too!!!