potterton Suprima 100 "LOCK-OUT"

[ulindel]

Dear fellow Potterton "LOCK-OUT" sufferers,
In this and other DIY forums I visit for help on this fault, many people experienced Lockout.

The corgi experts and the Spare parts vendors inform us that Suprimas came out of the factory with problematic PCBs, and Potterton issued a new PCB to alleviate this problem.

Yet nobody in the forums questioned whether Potterton should correct this inherent fault for FREE.

Why do we not all UNITE and demand that because of Potterton's faulty manufacture they should be held liable and CORRECT the fault for FREE ?

Comments would be appreciated, Thank you, Nicholas

 

[ollski]

If its still under warranty you have a very good case for a new pcb......if not I can't see you have a leg to stand on. The suprima shambles is an absolute farce, but in the end of the day potterton don't care if you never buy one of their boilers again and buy a baxi or a glow-worm instead, it all ends up in the same fatcat pockets.

 

[keego]

you might get things moving if you could get Watchdog or the like interested.

 

[ulindel]

Dear fellow sufferers, thank you for the advice.
Unfortunately the warranty expired, but if this boilers came on the market with this inherent fault, surely so many people should not have to pay £250 to put it right, but the manufacturer should be held liable.
I am also trying to contact Watchdog, but would all of you please try to support this movement in the hope that we get our ritght recognised ?
Here is the letter I wrote to Potterton.
Can you add anything else substancial to support above? Thnx

Baxi Potterton
Brownedge Road
Bamber Bridge
Preston
PR5 6UP
20 April 2005
Ref:- Suprima 100 PCB
Dear Sir/Madam,
We purchased this item 23 July 02 from Slough Heating Co.
Two months ago it started to continously go on “Lock-out”.
Three Corgi servicemen said that all Suprima range have this inherent manufacturing problem and only replacement of the PCB may solve it.
Two Heating Spare parts people said the same thing, and pointed out that Potterton were aware of this problem and changed the PCBs of all boilers on the shelf.
We checked all the forums on the web regarding this, and to my ustonishment scores of people had the PCB of all Suprima models go wrong this way.
All those products were sold with a build in manufacturing fault and Potterton should not only have recalled all PCBs on the shelf, but they should recall all the ones they sold out to customers.
Your prompt action will be appreciated, otherwise we will be forced to take action.
Yours sincerey,
NICHOLAS
Bucks.

 

[ChrisR]

If your Suprima is less than I think 3 years old Potty will fix it for a fixed price - last I heard it was £170, depending where you are.
The company policy is to restate time and again that there is no problem with Suprima boards.
In my experience lots and lots of combis fail in the first couple of years with diverters or something. All depressingly normal.

 

[ulindel]

Letter sent to BBC Watchdog, as per suggestions on other forums.
Comments and extra suggestions would be appreciated, Thank you, Nicholas

"......Dear Sir/Madam,
I wonder if you could help us with this.
There is an inherent problem regarding Potterton CH Suprima boilers, which we started suffering about two months ago, on our 3-4 yrs old boiler. Warranty expired.
From the postings of scores of fellow sufferers on this, in various web forums (diybanter.com, DIYnot.com, etc),it is clear that the Suprima range of boilers, which all incorporate the same type of PCB (Printed Circuit Board)the heart and brains of controlling the boiler, was a manufacturing fault.
We heard that as soon as Potterton noticed it 3 yrs ago they recalled and changed the PCBs with a new type on all Suprima boilers on the shelf.
Me and the other people on the forums contacted Potterton, but they refused to admit the fault. Could you help us please?.
Regards, and thank you for your wonderful program Nicholas. ........"

 

[Baxi-Remeha]

cant say for definate, but they didnt recall any boilers of the shelves, the reson for the change in pcb (made by HONEYWELL) was a micro chip which was essential to the old pcb was no longer availible................

 

[keego]

Each version of the pcb had an issue number starting from 1 to I think 12, then it got embarrassing & they went back to 1 again.

 

[Baxi-Remeha]

hmmm me thinks u might be lookin at the date code..............lol

 

[pembroke]

I assume "PCB" means "printed circuit board". If not what does it mean please? I too have locking out and overheating problems with a Potterton Suprima 60. Not surprisingly the problems commenced after expiry of the guarantee!

 

[croydoncorgi]

PCB means exactly 'Printed Circuit Board' (or maybe badly-printed circuit board - but overheating tracks on the board are a speciality of Potty Pumas, not Suprimas!)

 

[ChrisR]

Pembroke_ Suprimas No 2 problem is overheating(though usually the bigger models), which can lead to lock-out. PCB problems do NOT lead to overheating though.
SO you may need to look at your system - lots here on overheating.