Potterton kingfisher problem

[ian_b]

Have a Potterton Kingfisher MFL 60 which was installed feb 05.
Gravity CH system with potterton 2000 timer/control.
Been fine till 2 weeks ago when red lock out light comes on few times a day. Some times will run for 2-3 days and other days will cut out 5-6 times. Water very hot in tap and rads.
Bled rads and pump. Checked header tank - half full
Water temp seemed erratic so changed the cylindar thermostat but this had no effect so called out BG as had taken out a homecare 4000 10 weeks prior.

BG man turned up but as they had forgotten to do initial inspection promptly decided the lourve door was a ventalation hazzard and slapped a label on stating the device was a hazzard to life and property.
Said he could leave on if there was a carbon monoxide alarm or if we would get one and had one in his van (£38). Felt like had to say yes or be cut off!
He also decided that CH controller was wired incorrecty as we have to have HW on before we can select CH. Been like that since we moved in (10 yrs) . Looking at potterton, honeywell etc replacements for the EP2000 it seems that this is commen practice.

I was left details that ventalation needed to be 198 cm2 high and 396 cm2 low. total - 594cm2
I calculate that my lourve door is 4mm gaps x 52cm long x 49 gaps.
over 1000 cm2 .

Looked on here for prevoius postings and decided to change the boiler thermostat and thermister.

Still have a red light happening notice that when flames cut out there is a lot of clicking like flicking of a switch rapidly a dozen times.

Any ideas what next step is ?
Have BG technical manager coming for a second opinion 4th jan so just wondered if others think the BG engineer was right or wrong.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Soggy_weetabix]

Good old BG eh.

Another awful job they cant fix.

Advise a gas valve or PCB. Personally I think you need a PCB. Good boilers and one that BG are generally not capable of reparing due to their engineers.

David

 

[Agile]

The louvre doors is an interesting topic.

I have heard that BG do not consider they are adequate and expect a seperate high and low ventilation opening rather than the distributed opening the louvre provides.

As far as I am aware CORGI and Potterton are not bothered by the louvre door.

The temperature sensor on the front of the boiler must be packed with thermal transfer paste and few people do that when removing or replacing them. It can cause them to overheat!

Many controllers always gave HW when the CH was on. Others were wired that way intentionally because the installer though it was correct to impose the norm on the customer to simplify his useage. Its not very important in my view. Mine here is like that but I dont bother to change it.

If they are not serviced properly the pilot will not light reliably or will go out during a firing and give a flame failure. This is also caused by an inadequate or faulty gas supply.

Tony

 

[namsag]

Louvre door perfectly acceptable re corgi ,
Clock is wired right ,it is a litte clip on the the on back that stops you pulling heating switch over without HW . And as you have a gravity system that is right.
I will add corgi page ref later for louvre doors so you can tell him

 

[ChrisR]

Said he could leave on if there was a carbon monoxide alarm or if we would get one and had one in his van (£38 )

Oooh that sounds a bit scammy.

Yes it does sound like the pcb - potterton, after all.

 

[Soggy_weetabix]

Louvre door perfectly acceptable re corgi ,
Clock is wired right ,it is a litte clip on the the on back that stops you pulling heating switch over without HW . And as you have a gravity system that is right.
I will add corgi page ref later for louvre doors so you can tell him

Gravity with a cyl stat? A 'c' Plan maybe?

David

 

[namsag]

Never noticed the cylinder stat bit just read the Gravity . But doesn`t change that nothing up with programmer just set for 10 instead of 16.
As for the CO detector bit he should be halled over the coals for that a CO detector is a warning device not a safety device what if the customer was deaf.

RIGHT here is the Corgi on LOUVRE doors edition 4 page 81
Note
Louvered doors may be utilised providing that the total free area measured across the smallest dimension of the slots is not less than the total for the high and low level ventilation requirements of the appliance(s).

Forgetting wether CO detector is a good thing i would threaten them with trading standards for falsley trying to make you buy one by saying boiler would be safe and allowed on if you bought one

 

[giblets]

£3 for a CO alarm? Methinks the "engineer" may have lifted this from the van stock and trousered the coinage.

I still don't understand how some BG guys can sleep at night - they must think they are bombproof 'cos of who they work for.

 

[petit_pablo]

Its engineers like him at BG that give guys like me a bad name. We arent all like that, promise!

Cant see why he made an issue of the vents, id have classified that as NCS at most, probs wouldnt have done that.

Selling a CO detector like that is just bribery. I image £3 is a typo, they are £38 of the van. The same one thats you can get from SF detection for £24

 

[doitall]

Would be interesting to know if the boiler is an RS or CF model, and whether the door is internal.

Is the vent for compartment cooling or combustion.

 

[namsag]

DIA think the MFL is a fanned conventional flued.

And going by vent sizes given it is and it is in a compartment

 

[doitall]

DIA think the MFL is a fanned conventional flued.

And going by vent sizes given it is and it is in a compartment

I was trying to find out whether the doors was in a room which would need ventilation to atmoshere

 

[namsag]

It Would then need a 68cm2 vent(direct to outside) in the room that compartment was vented to

 

[ian_b]

Thanks for all the info.

Boiler is in a compartment with faned flu running up through chimley.
There is also a vent in the kitchen/conservatory wall which had a unsuitable grill on it - fine mesh fly screen built into it, but changed that to a wicks 'gas' cover allowing 143cm2. He said conservatory wall to outside vent and grills were ok.

Post should have said £38 but seems a smiley jumped in. BG invoiced me last week for that, they seemed to think that was good value when i called to complain even though I pointed out Corgi will post one for £22.77. It seems BG man pulling the plastic tab out of the battery compartment counts as fitting!