Halstead Ace High - Lockout from cold - please help

[Lynn1]

Can anyone help please. My Halstead Ace High boiler locks out every evening when it first starts for the day unless the water pressure is turned up really high (ie. 2 bar at cold). This could be a coincidence but seems to be the case. Running it at 2 bar, the pressure then goes above 3 when running. I have not seen it hit 3.5 but it must be as we then loose water pressure and so have to keep topping it up every morning before I go to work or it will not be on when I get back home.

Any ideas please on why it would be fine when the pressure at cold is 2 but not when the pressure at cold is lower than this.

BTW we had an issue just before this all started where our system was continually locking out and the PCB and fan were both replaced at this point. The intermittent lockout started the very next day, so whether it was an existing issue or is related to the new parts I do not know.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Agile]

The expansion vessel is either failed or needs repressurising.

Hopefully a professional fitted the new PCB and fan! My advice is to call him back. An ignition lockout would be associated with these!

These are not seen as the most reliable boilers.

Few professionals like working on them.

Tony

 

[Lynn1]

Thank you Tony. They were replaced on an emergency call out a few months ago so cannot really contact the repair company as the boiler now works, of a fashion. The board arrived from Halstead in a jiffy bag so I am not sure how well it travelled.

I have just had a look at the AAV and there is water in the AAV vent tube which I assume is not normal, does this tie in with the expansion bottle needing repressurising and pushing water out instead of air? Do I need to replace the AAV as well when I repressurise the expansion vessel?

Many thanks for your help on this.

 

[ambrosia]

sounds like a number of issues, theres a leak somewhere, i'd check the prv (thats the pipe which goes through the wall to outside) see if its dripping

Also pressure sensor or pressure proving switch could be gone, cant remember which this boiler has.

and the expansion vessel sounds like its gone

either way youre going to need a good gas safe registered engineer, I wouldnt advise a DIYer to tackle the above

rubbish boiler by the way, if at anytime it starts needing new parts i'd consider chucking it in the skip and getting a new better brand boiler. In my opinion good budget boilers at the moment are ideal and glowworm, either would save you a world of hassel over what you have

 

[Agile]

See the FAQ on this site for help.

 

[denso13]

//www.diynot.com/wiki/plumbing:faq:faq7

 

[Lynn1]

Many thanks everyone for giving your valuable time on this to help me, I really appreciate it.

I have drained the boiler, left the water drain open, pumped the expansion vessel to 12psi (it was at 0 psi), closed the water drain and repressurised the boiler to 1 bar. The boiler has fired back up so now I will just need to wait and see how it gets on.

I will go around and check radiators for air over the course of the evening.

Fingers crossed.

 

[ianmcd]

Rememer to top up your system pressure after bleeding any radiators or it might cut out again

 

[Gasguru]

Safety valve will probably need replacing too.

 

[Lynn1]

Many thanks again everyone.

I will keep an eye on the pressure following any air being removed from the system either via the AAV or bleeding. I am hoping the PVR will have reset, I know it is unlikely but a girl can live in hope.