Ideal Mexico HE 36 runs at 30kW

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Location
Stirlingshire
Country
United Kingdom
Dear forum,
My boiler has just had a new pcb (primary and secondary controllers) installed by the local reputable and popular engineer. It has also been serviced and runs nicely. BUT it only uses a maximum of 31kW of gas versus 41kW last year. The gas pressure is okay, the jumpers in the correct places. It comes up with 2.2 code on start up so the controller really thinks its an HE 36. This is the maximum it will run at (boiler thermostat as max and boiler fully cold). The only other feature is that when they first put the new pcb and face panel in they did not read the instructions and first put a new (orange) pcb in with the old face (not compatible I believe) and then put the new (orange) pcb in with a new face plate but did not set the jumpers to the right place (just copied the old unit). At that point it ran at only 18kW !
Have asked ideal directly and they have never heard of such an issue.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated as I am puzzled.
 
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Thanks Agile

I measured the gas usage (with the engineer) by watching the meter

Last year 22 seconds for 1 cubic foot
Now 32 seconds

I can tell that the heat output has fallen as I have a thermostat on the flow to check for boiler failure and this now gives false alarms as the flow takes longer to get hot.

The house is a very poorly insulated and I need it warm for elderly relatives.

You are right to imply that 31 kW may be enough for my needs and if so I may well save money from this issue. Will have to wait until the depths of next winter to find out though.

Any thoughts on a possible cause?
 
When u say it was serviced.

Did he stick an analyser in the flue and gas rate or did he properly strip down and service it ;)
 
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I asked for an "annual service" as due at the time and intermittent L F error before which is no longer present. The fan was quite noisy before the service too - this is now much quieter. He inspected the condensate pipe work and spark generator - what other aspects he assessed I don't know.
 
Are we sure this ****box isn't just refusing to modulate higher due to :

A
It being a ****box

B
The system simply not allowing it to.

C
It being a total ****box


These ****box's can't be safely forced to run at maximum output so you never know if it is down to ****boxism or the prevailing conditions.


Also, said ****box might simply need the engineer to spend another half an hour doing what he may well have been doing but was getting Lemmingitis after a protracted period of time with his arms elbow deep in ****box.




Just saying. ;)
 
Somehow I don't think that Dan likes this boiler model !

I repaired an Ideal Mexico for a Japanese wife today.

But it was about 30 years old. The wife was older than that!

Although I don't remember her, I had apparently repaired a boiler for her daughter a few years ago.

Tony
 
What is there to repair on a 30 year old Mexico.

Thermocouple

Pilot light

Gas valve

Thermostat.

New Mexico is an Icos in disguise. Not been a great sucess.
 
Thanks for the input.
The engineer came again today and did a service.
Inspected and cleaned fan, spark, thermistor, and cleaned load of crap from the condenser trap.
No benefit - still runs at 31kW gas consumption from cold.
I cant think of anything else to try.
Will wait and see if it is powerful enough next winter.
Unless anyone has any bright ideas I may be posting a "what new boiler would anyone recommend" question in mid winter.
 

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