Focal Point Aries Gas Fire

[Bon]

I purchased the above from B & Q last August.

I have tried to turn it on tonight and the pilot light wont ignite.

It seems as if the "ignitor" (if that's the correct word) isn't producing a sufficient spark.

My first question is, is this a replaceable part? It is still under warranty but I haven't got a clue how to go about getting it sorted.

Secondly, if possible, is it a simple job?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[breezer]

dont touch it, its not 1 year old, call maker, or b q

 

[Bon]

Thanks for the help Breezer.

We eventually got it to light last night. I tried lighting it manually to no avail but then tried the conventional method and it lit.

Also tried it this morning and it fired.

Is there a possibility that some dust/debris got caught in the spark gap and it's now dislodged?

Sorry if I seem a little premature in my worrying but we did the fireplace for around a third of the cost that a local company quoted (I did everything except the gas pipework) and we were only driving past their showroom on Saturday and laughing so I'm worried we've jinxed it!!!

 

[doitall]

Thanks for the help Breezer.

We eventually got it to light last night. I tried lighting it manually to no avail but then tried the conventional method and it lit.

Also tried it this morning and it fired.

Is there a possibility that some dust/debris got caught in the spark gap and it's now dislodged?

Sorry if I seem a little premature in my worrying but we did the fireplace for around a third of the cost that a local company quoted (I did everything except the gas pipework) and we were only driving past their showroom on Saturday and laughing so I'm worried we've jinxed it!!!

Not that I expect you take any notice, but these fires can and will kill you and the family.

They are so dangerous in our opinion that, The Association of Registered Gas Installers have refused to touch them until they have a British Standard.

I can only advise you rip it out, or at worse get an RGI to check the gas pressures, air vents etc.

 

[Bon]

Not that I expect you take any notice, but these fires can and will kill you and the family.

They are so dangerous in our opinion that, The Association of Registered Gas Installers have refused to touch them until they have a British Standard.

I can only advise you rip it out, or at worse get an RGI to check the gas pressures, air vents etc.

That's rather worrying!

How do B & Q justify selling these then (my initial guess is the profit margin) if they are dangerous??

 

[jonny_throstle]

doitall - why are they dangerous ?
are all focal point fires dangerous or just this model ?

 

[Nixt]

How do B & Q justify selling these then (my initial guess is the profit margin) if they are dangerous??

No, I imagine they sell them in order to make a loss, to endanger customer's lives thus rendering themselves persona non grata in every home in Britain.

It's not really them you should blame but our whole approach to gas safety. A culture which you so graciously embraced last August.

 

[Bon]

Sorry for the delay in replying, had to translate that last post (missed Latin at school, along with gas safety it would seem ).

Nixt, would you mind explaining how I should have gone about getting a new fire?

My steps were;

Identify the need for new fireplace

Contact Corgi registered installer to quote for removing existing fire and fitting new fire

Choose & purchase gas fire from a (supposedly) reputable firm which is aesthetically suitable for the room

Get Corgi registered installer back to fit it

Have it serviced every year.

 

[Nixt]

Sorry, thought I'd read you did everything yourself apart from gas pipe, which I must have mistakenly taken to mean hearth, surround, ventilation, commissioning & building contol notice.

(I would also add flue but I understand it's a flueless model).

 

[sm1thson]

i wouldnt have one, but you already do, so if i was in your position i would make sure of the following:

-you have an audible CO alarm
-you keep on top of the annual service (really important because the catalyst doesnt last all that long)
-you make sure your room has sufficiently sizes vents to outside and you (or any other member of your household doesn't block them)
-dont fall asleep in that room with the fire on (you might not wake up due to CO poisoning).

 

[doitall]

There is no British standard at present.

The fires do not have an governor but a needle valve.

The operating pressure is critical, and the meter governor must be exactly 21 m/bar, and that is the problem.

A meter governor is set to deliver 3.5 M³/hr, and now it gets complicated.

On low throughput i.e the 7 mbar for the gas fire the outlet pressure at the meter will be much higher (25mbar ish) when compared to when the boiler is running 18-21mbar.

It is impossible to guarantee the working pressure of the fire, yet they are supposedly factory set and non-adjustable.

What the new fire you have is like I have no idea, but certainly I shall be looking into it.

You say you had a Corgy out to commission it, yet there is no element for flueless fires :O, or in plain English, whoever fits it is working out of scope :O

 

[Gavin10]

i think doitall is refering to flueless gas fires not the aries

 

[Bon]

Hmm, I think some wires have been crossed here (sorry to bring sparkys into it )

Our fire isn't a flueless fire. It is an inset gas fire fitted to a brick chimney which I understand is a class 1 flue.

I now understand your concerns about CO poisoning (for the record I wouldn't install a flueless gas fire in my house).

doitall, thank you for your help and genuine concern, you seem to actually want to help as opposed to just being pedantic.

Sorry, thought I'd read you did everything yourself apart from gas pipe, which I must have mistakenly taken to mean hearth, surround, ventilation, commissioning & building contol notice.

(I would also add flue but I understand it's a flueless model).

Nixt, I did do the majority of the work myself - but don't see what the hearth and surround would have to do with the waste gases (if it was a flueless fire) and incomplete combustion issue, therefore I felt these were areas I could tackle myself.

I left the chimney sweeping to our local Dick van Dyke (can't believe it blocked that!) and the installing, commissioning and BC notification of the fire to the pros. All of which was done under the recommendation of said pros.

Anyhow it's working fine now and I can go back to worrying that it's the 2" of snow and the resultant treacherous conditions that will kill me as opposed to my fire.

 

[Nixt]

Sorry if I seem a little premature in my worrying but we did the fireplace for around a third of the cost that a local company quoted (I did everything except the gas pipework)

Once again apologies. For a brief moment I thought I read something similar to the above. But must have missed the bit that said (I did everything except for the gas pipework, flue, ventilation, commissioning and building control certs).

 

[doitall]

My apologies Bon, read vocalpoint and assumed

I would still rip it out.