Powermax 155 pressure problem

[mat77]

Apologies if this has been covered before - couldn't see it referred to specifically.

I have just moved into a 5 year old house with a Range Powermax 155 boiler. The boiler has been inactive for approx 9 months. When I pressurised the sytem up to around 1.5 bar (per needle guage) it seemed to work ok, i.e. plenty of hot water. However, the pressure quickly dropped to around 0.5 bar after a shower and then the burner kicked in and pressure increased to around 0.75 bar. As the stored water cooled the pressure again fell to around 0.5 bar. The manual states idle pressure should be around 0.9 - 1.0 bar so I repressurised again to 1.0 bar.

This cycle of hot water use, falling pressure, burner, falling pressure and then repressurising has continued ever since. I also noticed water loss from the bottom of the boiler, saturating the wooden platform and carpet underneath. The cyclinder jacket was saturated but seemed to dry out as I used the system daily.

I called Heateam (£170 callout) to inspect it yesterday and the engineer almost immediately said it was the automatic air vent that was leaking. He replaced the air vent and drained down the system, pressurised the system back up to 1.5 bar. He took a few temperature / electric current readings and said that should fix it. The boiler is still losing pressure and the hot water jacket is getting wet at the bottom again.

Any ideas please?

 

[Agile]

Sorry to criticise the Potty engineer but he has failed to repressurise the expansion vessel ( or to do it properly ).

Call them back with a flea in the ear!

When you pay that kind of money you expect it done properly!

A local firm would have done it at half the price!

Tony Glazier

 

[Baxi-Remeha]

the 170 is not a call out charge, its a fix fee. they well fix any parts apart from the heat exchanger @ that price....

i cant say for definate, what the problem is, but dosnt sound like the expansion vessel to me, as the pressure is not rising to 3bar.....

if your insulation is getting wet, means you have a leak somwhere.........

 

[corgigazza]

May also be the low pressure sensor leaking that is fitted below the aav, they are fitted using a grommet that is clamped the grommet perishes and leaks arrond the edges, can blow out all of sudden and soak the place

Did the engineer check the outside prv for leaks.

 

[mat77]

Thanks for replies.

I've called Heateam and they are sending someone round again next week. I forgot to say the £170 covers call-out and all parts / labour except heat exchanger (£240 IIRC). As its within 28 days of original callout I was told there will be no further charges...

I tried 5 local engineers - 4 said Powermax were rubbish etc and said I'd need a new boiler (quotes £1950 - £3500!! for condensing combis). The last one very helpfully suggested I call Heateam first (I was told by the others that Range had gone bust and nobody maintained them now).

The engineer did nip outside a few times (I think this was to check the outside relief pipe rather than for a fag!). I've not noticed any discharge outside.

Most of the internal parts are caked in white powder - presumably limescale (I live in a hard water area - in fact my house is built directly on a former quarry). Not sure if a descaler is fitted to boiler but there is a unit fitted to the mains water inlet under kitchen sink - not the meter so presumably a descaler?

The pressure doesn't seem to fall below 0.3 bar - and it never rises above whatever I repressurise it up to.

 

[dan21mag]

Theres a pump at the bottom of the powermax 155 i thinx...
has those awful ball'o'fix (slotted) pump isolating valves ..
they always leak... check too see, if so, change and cross fingers!!!

 

[gazthepottertonengineer]

i hate to say it as it would mean new boiler but it sounds like the main tank leaking to me

 

[doitall]

i hate to say it as it would mean new boiler but it sounds like the main tank leaking to me

Wouldn't supprise me Gaz it's well past it's sell by date

 

[gazthepottertonengineer]

yes glad they stopped making them now i just dont know why the hell we bought them off Range in the first place

 

[Baxi-Remeha]

here here......... 2 1/2 hour on first job testerday.....lol

 

[mat77]

Update:

Heateam have finally agreed to replace the boiler like-for-like after admitting the main cylinder is leaking. They will also be refunding the original £170 fee.

Does anyone know if a non-condensing boiler can legally be installed under manufacturers warranty now that the new part L regulations are in force from 1.4.05?

Heateam say they can't fit it as they don't do complete installations.

The boiler was originally installed in December 2000.

Thanks

 

[gazthepottertonengineer]

are we going to replace the 155 with like for like then as i didnt realise we were making them anymore

i hate to say it but it sounds like i was right about the main cylinder leaking then at least that has a 5 year guarantee

 

[mat77]

Gaz

They have agreed to replace it with the same model - Powermax 155X SS.

The cylinder is covered by a 5 year guarantee even though the boiler itself is out of warranty.

I've had a letter from Heateam to say the 1st April 2005 regs don't apply as its a warranty repair to a pre-April 05 installation. However, I had a quick look on the goverment ODPM website

http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_buildreg/documents/page/odpm_breg_037022.pdf

It seemed to suggest that non-condensing boilers could only be replaced under warranty within 3 years of original installation date (Dec '00).

My problem now will be finding an engineer who is willing to accept Heateam's word for it and fit the replacement for me. Any ideas?

 

[gazthepottertonengineer]

depending on your area we do have sub contractors who fit boilers for us you could ask if there are any in your area

 

[Agile]

I dont understand Potty methods but they have a few contract engineers who can travel up to 200 miles to fit replacement boilers when its being changed under warranty. Met one on a Potty course at Leamington.

The way you are describing it you suggest Potty are only providing a replacement part leaving you to get it fitted?

Shouldn't a five years warranty mean fitting it too?

Tony