Noisy Potterton Kingfisher Boiler

[daddyf1sh]

Hi hope you could give me some help please.... have a potterton kingfisher boiler that is very noisy when warmed up and sounds like it is kettling as it bangs and clunks quote a bit. We live in a 3 bed terrace and the floor standing boiler has been in place for about 15 years we believe. This is a one pipe system with 7 radiators.

We have drained down the system and flushed it through and have also put in Sentinel noise reducer x200 for two weeks with no effect.

I have bled the pump and radiators a few times until no air is left in the system. I have also turned the pump up to see if this helps and no good. I do not believe there is any sludge in the system as the water now runs clear when draining and there is good heat distribution in the radiators with no cold spots.

Do you have any suggestions I could try before I call someone in please? Also I am wondering if I take up one of the homecare options on BG would I be able to get this fixed under their terms?

All help gratefully received as not sure what to do next.

 

[baxpoti]

What temp is the flow pipe?

 

[daddyf1sh]

Hi Baxpoti,

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately I have not checked the temperature of the pipes and not sure I would have the right tools / knowledge to do this, as a rough guide the pipes are all relatively warm to the touch in some cases too hot to touch by bare hand.

There are no problems at all with heat, this functions perfectly for the heating and hot water.

Hope this is not too vague a response... all help gratefully received.

 

[nickso]

Also I am wondering if I take up one of the homecare options on BG would I be able to get this fixed under their terms?

no, they will view it as a pre-existing condition and as it is not stopping the boiler from working they will quote you for the work to rectify.

the water now runs clear

was the water clear before you started to drain it down?

 

[daddyf1sh]

Hi Nickso,

I thought that might be the case with the pre existing condition... maybe I could keep quiet about it and see if it flares up after they have taken it on,.... although I know the risk means I could be forced to pay them to rectify before they take me on to the scheme.

With regard to the water it was a little dirty when we drained it out to clean it all up, and then when we had cleaned and emptied it we filled with the sentinel noise reducer. I guess there is every chance we would need to drain again if the noise reducer has loosened any more material?

 

[gazthepottertonengineer]

sentinel x200 normally takes about a month if a boiler is really scaled up badly like yours sounds to be try putting another bottle in and leave for alot longer also x200 doesnt have to be drained out

 

[nickso]

draining and refilling with chemical alone is not going to get rid of all the sludge. if you dont want to pay for a powerflush of the full system at least remove yourrads and hose them out....you may be surprised how much junk is left in them.

it sounds like your heat exchanger is terminally noisy and no amount of messing will sort it. the only recourse could be a new heat exchanger, if they are still available. BG can be incredibly stupid sometimes and not note down important information regarding things that will ultimately cost them money...you may get away with it but its very unlikely.

incidentally BG probably would take you onto contract as long as your boiler still has a reasonable spread of parts still available....you would however not be covered for anything involving water quality. it depends on your personal situation as to whether that would make a BG contract cost effective.

 

[daddyf1sh]

thanks for the advice i will take off the rads and flush them through to begin with and see if this makes a difference.... not sure it is worth spending a lot of money on a powerflush if there is the possibility the heat exchanger will always be noisy.

I imagine due to the age of the boiler that it is unlikely we will find spare parts for it.. do you think this is the case... I was wondering if it would make sense to get the heat exchanger replaced or if this is a case of fighting a losing battle?

 

[nickso]

sorry but im not sure if the exchanger is still available. the usual cost for a heat exchanger of that type is pretty high....then you have to pay someone to take your boiler completely to bits to get it in......its just not cost effective in my opinion.chances are the flue hood is close to holing as well, dependant on the boilers age.....im pretty sure that isnt available any more.

regarding the powerflush, its not just to clean the system out to reduce noise. all that sludge is rotting your rads and maybe pipework....if it is really bad and you dont do something you could find you will have to replace all your rads one by one as they spring leaks.

hosing out your rads wont make a differnce to the noise now....it may save the rads though