Main Medway automatic

[Paul Malcolm]

I have a main Medway automatic water heater and the pilot light won't come on I've tried the restart procedures still won't light could it be thermocouple?

 

[DP]

I think you need Fred Flintstone to help you on that possibly Barney to assist

 

[Paul Malcolm]

I know it's very old but do you have any ideas

 

[DP]

Paul you are in restricted work area when it comes to pilot lights

The principle of operation for pilot lights is as follows. Pilot flame heats a rod (thermocouple) which produces a small voltage which in turn keeps the gas valve open keep the pilot burning

May I suggest you look for a heating engineer with a smallish gas safe number (not suggesting all BIG number engineers will be all thumbs- just plenty will not know what they are looking at) who will be familiar with you water heater. What your water heater needs is a good service. The heat exchanger skirt on these often split making the unit redundant.

Call a few engineers and ask if they are familiar with your appliance. Your location may help too

 

[algas]

It will be a blocked pilot injector, not a job you should consider tackling yourself as its very fiddly if you havn't done one before, also as previous post the ht/ex will need to be properly inspected for damage.

 

[Paul Malcolm]

Any ideas on cost ball park figure obviously.Many thanks for info

 

[Paul Malcolm]

Many thanks any idea on cost

 

[james0james]

costs depend a lot on your location.

Did the pilot light go out on it's own,for no apparent reason or was the gas turned off and it is failing to relight.
I suppose this appliance has not been serviced for a long time,if it has then contact the service operative/company that did it.just saying that as many gas workers don't want to work on them as they are rare now,unusual,not many younger gas workers have no knowledge of these and wont have the relevent reference material at hand.
When you go through the relight process can you see a spark through the viewing window when spark generator is operated,try several times.
The case will need to be removed to make a repair,dont remove the case yourself,the seal could fall apart and no longer keep the end user's separate from carbon monoxide.
There is a very good chance a new case seal will be required to attempt any repair,search the net if that part is available first,the possible cause of no pilot relight are piezo spark not working or insufficient gas passing through pilot injector/burner to ignite.
Maybe consider a new appliance,sorry not good news.

All the best,hope you can find a pilot pricker (an old gas operative).

 

[algas]

If you were near me I would service your water htr for £65.00 plus any parts req

 

[Agile]

I would service a WORKING one for £65 too.

But when it has stopped working then I treat it as needing a REPAIR for which I would charge £84.

But then I would come the same day whereas for a service I aim to come about seven days later as its not urgent ( and discourages those who ask for a service when they really need a repair! ).

Tony

 

[FiremanT]

I've never heard a garage refusing to "service" a car because their is a fault.
Just sayin'

 

[Phill Peck]

I know a guy who if asked to service a boiler would do just that bill them for and a wait for a response.
When they said "is it all working ok now then"
He'd say"no it's broken would you like me to fix it? That not what u asked for, my hourly rate is £xx"