Old Boiler not firing up

[marb]

I have a very old Vulcan boiler which has always run fine. The problem I now face is I have the pilot light burning but when I turn the heating on the burners don't all fire up and it stays on the pilot light. I thought it was a thermocouple and replaced it but that hasn't cured it.

Please any advice as our house is very cold.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Those things are virtually bomb proof, but I suspect it is at the end of its useful life. You will need a Gas Safe engineer to look at it anyway, I would personally seek quotes to have it replaced. It is probably going to be uneconomical to repair it, the money would be better spent on a new boiler IMO.

 

[marb]

New boiler not doable. Absolutely can't afford it so not going down that road. It has got to be something electrical.

 

[Boilerman2]

Get a RGI to check the Gas Control Valve sounds like the solenoid has failed I think its 24vac from memory, but i havn't seen a Vulcan in 20 Years!!

 

[marb]

Thanks boilerman. You give a little hope to a very depressed man

The original part is a Honeywell V4400 Gas Valve 240v for the Vulcan Continental. I think you can still buy them.

As a plumber, what sort of cost would I be looking at to fit it if I can source the part myself ?

 

[fazedup71]

far as i know you can still get all the parts for this boiler, but you will need to order the gas valve as you have pointed out by the honeywell part number, keep the old beast running as long as you can, they don't make them like that anymore, the day will come when it will probably spring a leak, when that day comes it's time to get shut, not keen on giving prices out on here so I will skip that part, but for me I would happily touch it

 

[marb]

Yes, it's a bit rusty round the seams but just need to keep it going a bit longer, at least another winter. We have a good plumber who is very reasonable so I will get him to look at it. I know people who have new fancy combis that only a few years and this just keeps going. Bot the most efficient but it works. The inefficiency cost isn't as much as the cost in a new system. Thank God we have a coal fire.

 

[marb]

Ok, I have phoned my plumber and he won't touch it. Said after the last time when he fitted the pump he didn't want to see it again.

We are now looking at a new boiler. Not ideal as I have said earlier but it's now the only option. The current boiler is in the kitchen next to the sink.
We were quoted a couple of years ago £4000 with new rads as we have the older type with the wider pipe. Obviously we can't afford that but can we get just the boiler replaced in the same spot in the kitchen or will it have to be in the bathroom where the emertion tank is ? Another thing, can we get any government grant towards it ?

 

[Agile]

If you are old, disabled or on some benefits you may get a Warmfront grant of £300/£250 or a completely free installation.

But you might have to wait about six months until they get round to doing it.

I replaced a gas valve on one of these for someone on this forum. I thought the G-V was no longer available but someone here sent a used one from Bristol and I fitted it for the customer in London.

Tony

 

[muggles]

with new rads as we have the older type with the wider pipe

Not quite sure what you're on about here The only pipe I've ever seen going into domestic rads is either 10mm or 15mm, both of which are still used today. What size is yours?

Either way there's no need to change the rads if you don't want to, you can just have the boiler changed. The boiler can go pretty much where you want it to (within the regs of course) so if you want it in the kitchen you can have it in the kitchen. Keeping the location the same as the old boiler will also make installation cheaper, as will keeping the same type (if you have a system boiler replace it with a system boiler, don't go for a combi as more work is involved and you seem to want this to be as cheap as possible, which is fair enough).

It would be worth investigating the possibility of getting a new gas valve though; are you certain you have the correct gas valve part number (Honeywell V4400)? If so they're readily available on tinterweb

 

[kevplumb]

black iron

one pipe

 

[muggles]

Ah of course, didn't think of that, wasn't quite taking the age of the system into account. Probably does need a repipe then

 

[BlueMoonMole]

Muggles, I'm confused.

The title of this topic is 'Old boiler not firing up'...

Prior to changing the Thermocouple, was the Pilot light still on? because there's a possibility you didn't need to change it.

I'm also beginning to think you changed the pilot light yourself?

Did this, obviously, involve you disconnecting the Gas Valve and Burner?
(I'm beyond worrying about any Regulations being broken, or Gas Leaks being left behind for that matter, so don't worry about those.)

The reason I ask is, as is often the case, I believe you may well have disconnected the power supply to the Gas Valve and/or user controls.

A few checks you can carry out before calling another RGI, as the 'plumber' you so willingly trusted has let you down;

Turn off the Pilot light, wait a few minutes, and re-light. Once a flame has been established, do not twist the push-button, but pull it towards you, so it is fully up from its seating.
- had you been a RGI you would understand the mechanism of the valve, and understand it is possible the rod could be stuck closed.

Check you have turned the power back on to the appliance.
- Is it connected to a fused spur? did you remove the fuse? has the MCB clicked off?

Check your user controls are all switched to the correct positions. Do you have a Room-Stat and is it switched ON? are the controls on the front of the appliance turned to MAX.?

I am trying to establish that everything else isn't working before I recommend you contact another RGI to attend and confirm the solenoid, before purchasing a new one.

It does 'seem' like it is possibly the solenoid, which I believe can be changed without needing an entire new valve?

But, I've never been to your property, nor have I ever seen your appliance(s), so I wouldn't like to say I am certain.

I hope I've helped, good luck!

 

[kevplumb]

Muggles, I'm confused.

The title of this topic is 'Old boiler not firing up'...

Prior to changing the Thermocouple, was the Pilot light still on? because there's a possibility you didn't need to change it.

err he didnt the OP did

title dont mean jack

 

[marb]

I have not done anything to the gas itself. All I did was change the thermocouple which of course I didn't need to do. Room stat working and buttons (ignition gas inlet and red gas off fully out)

When the burners start to light I used to hear an electric tick or click which seemed to be the trigger. That no longer works.