MagnaBooster and pump

[mikeybhoy]

Returned from holiday last week to find we had no hot water (but did have CH). Got British Gas out under our HomeCare agreement. The cause was the pump on the water storage cylinder had stuck solid and needed replacing. He said it was a big job and he would have to come back the following week to replace it, but would I be interested in a 'filter' for the boiler.

The filter turned out to be a 22mm MagnaBooster at an eye watering £250 quid. I politely declined.

Anyway, he came out the following week as agreed and changed the pump. I had the ageing outlaws round to house sit him during the visit as we both work.

The outlaws tell me that BG man has said that if the pump becomes stuck again within the next two years it won't be covered under our HomeCare agreement UNLESS we have the MagnaBooster fitted.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I though the MagnaBooster was supposed to stop metal particles entering the boiler itself, and was nothing to do with the water storage cylinder itself. The pump that failed was the original pump (so 11 years old) and probably on it's last legs anyway regardless of any sludge buildup etc.

Was BG man trying to pull a fast one?

 

[ianmcd]

The BG guys are under so much pressure these days to sell stuff whether upgraded controls new boilers or filters, probably the main reason why they have so much employee churn but dont think that by switching your cover to another of the big companies will be any different , they are all the same, 11 years for a pump is pretty good heres hoping the new one lasts as long, if you really want a filter fitted (magnaclean is just one make) you will get it done a lot cheaper using a local independent, it filters grunge from the water within your system it doesnt just protect the boiler.

 

[45yearsagasman]

Was the BG man trying to pull a fast one?..........Oh I wish you hadn't asked that
Seriously, read your terms and conditions regarding that.
Those filters are at their most effective when fitted to the boiler return, where, as you suggest they protect the boiler from system debris.
I'm intrigued as to why the pump wasn't changed there and then and what made it a "big job".

 

[mikeybhoy]

Cheers Ian, Cheers 45years,

I had a wee look online and see that the part (or equivalent) can be picked up for arounf £70 so might look into getting a local installer to quote for the work (although the Youtube video makes it look like something even I could do).

Regarding the big job, it was an evening call out (Fri 6pm) which might have gone against us and although the storage cyclinder has cut off valves fitted, BG man said that they are notorious for leaking, and that once they've been turned, in about 80% of cases they can't be turned back off so the system would need draining anyway. Could be true, who knows.

That said, he was here for 1.5hrs on the Monday, so maybe I was one of the lucky 20% who's valves worked

Mike

 

[ianmcd]

I suspect he means that you have what are called ballofix pump valves,and if so he is right they leak like ****, you will have to drain the system to fit the filter so fit proper pump gate valves at the same time they are not expensive and make it a lot easier to swap the pump should it ever go faulty again

 

[mikeybhoy]

Thanks again Ian,

when I first took out the BG cover it was £15/month and good value I thought.

Fast forward to the present and the cost of cover is up to £26 (no doubt reflecting the age of the system and the cost to support it, although I rarely have them out).

I spoke with BG some months back and said I was planning to cancel and take out the cover again at £15. She eventually admitted that it was possible, but that I had to leave for 4 months before I could come back as a new customer. She offered me £2 off to stay (which I said I'd think about)

I'm now minded to bin the cover completely and just pay an independent as and when needed and put the remainder into a slush fund for a new boiler/tank when needed.

 

[ianmcd]

if you can afford a new boiler there are some that give 5 year warranties in some cases, this is from the manufacturer not from the installer so 5 years at £312 a year (£26 per month) is £1560 , goes a long way to paying for itself combine that with the fuel cost savings and the £400 government boiler scrappage scheme currently on offer and its a no brainer, true you will have to get your new boiler serviced each year to conform with the warranty but wont be anything like £312