Recently moved house - confused about Powermax 140 Boiler

[chrisandrich]

Hi... We've recently moved into a new house and it has a Range Powermax 140 boiler. I didn't have an opportunity to speak to the previous occupants and the instructions don't help.

I think the Range Powermax 140 is a Combi boiler and I've not had one of these before. I was under the impression that it provided instant hot water but I'm confused by the 3 main settings:

Hot Water Continuous
Off
Hot Water & Radiators

Obviously as it's July we don't want the radiators to work, but having had the boiler set to 'Hot Water Continuous' since we moved in on Friday, yesterday we decided to set the switch to 'Off' (but keeping power to the boiler) and we still got hot water for the rest of the day and this morning. We've only really used it for a few bowls of washing up water as the shower is electric (and I assume not impacted by the boiler)

What's confusing me is why this is happening - if we're getting hot water when the switch is set to 'off' I don't know why we'd need to ever use the 'hot water continuous' setting. It got me thinking there must be a tank/reserve of hot water somewhere but we definitely can't see one.

Does anyone have experience of using one of these boilers and can explain whether we should be using the 'hot water continuous' or 'off' setting? I've got no real concerns about using the 'hot water continuous' one but I'm worried this might be using more gas when for at least 12-20 hours we still had hot water from the tap when the boiler switch was set to 'off'.



Sorry if this is a dumb question - the previous occupant didn't leave any info and the only instructions I can see online are very technical and installation-focused.

Thanks in advance!

Richard

 

[Agile]

It is a storage combi and stores hot water until its used!

It would be normal to either leave it on continuous hot water or to set the clock to only reheat say during times when the house is occupied but unually not overnight when the noise might disturb you.

You have a "difficult" boiler and few engineers like working on them. British Gas unfortunately killed a house owner following a service so be very careful when you choose someone to service it.

The manufacturers are probably the best bet and thats now Baxi/Potterton.

Tony

 

[chrisandrich]

Thanks Tony - that info is really useful.

British Gas were trying to sell me their HomeCare package this morning when I called them about my gas bill and I was seriously considering it. The warning about this type of boiler is very useful and I'll be calling Potterton to find out their service/breakdown cover costs.

It's also the first time I've been in a house where the boiler is in the bedroom (previously had them in the garage) so it's also prompted me to order a CO detector just in case.

I really appreciate the quick response.

Richard

 

[Deleted member 105431]

It is a storage combi and stores hot water until its used!

It would be normal to either leave it on continuous hot water or to set the clock to only reheat say during times when the house is occupied but unually not overnight when the noise might disturb you.

You have a "difficult" boiler and few engineers like working on them. British Gas unfortunately killed a house owner following a service so be very careful when you choose someone to service it.

The manufacturers are probably the best bet and thats now Baxi/Potterton.

Tony

Agile is right about BG, they made 10 visits to this boiler and each time failed to find the fault and it was their adjustments which caused the death. They should've been locked up for it but they couldn't prove which of their engineers done it so they got away with murder (literally).

 

[powell30]

Be careful dangermouse.......i am sure your meant to say 'murder' with allegedly after it.

Everyone knows the facts but we are all innocent till proven gulity.

 

[Deleted member 105431]

Be careful dangermouse.......i am sure your meant to say 'murder' with allegedly after it.

Everyone knows the facts but we are all innocent till proven gulity.

manslaughter perhaps due to negligence and incompetence? The judge accepted it was BG's fault but couldn't identify which induvidual it was so they got off on a technicality.

Isn't British justice great?

 

[powell30]

I can only guess but if i was one of the blokes to attend i doubt i could look myself in the mirror anymore

 

[Deleted member 105431]

I can only guess but if i was one of the blokes to attend i doubt i could look myself in the mirror anymore

me neither; that's why I do the job properly instead of chasing qdos points and productivity for ****ish gas.

The powermax owner in the oxford case rung up bg 10 times reporting smell of fumes/gas ffs how much more information did they need?!

 

[nickso]

The powermax owner in the oxford case rung up bg 10 times reporting smell of fumes/gas ffs how much more information did they need?!

thats incorrect lousey.

she phoned several times for noise and ignition issues. it was only the last visit that she was concerned about smell. that was when the dickhead either adjusted the gas valve and or didnt check the fibre seal was goosed.

 

[Deleted member 105431]

The powermax owner in the oxford case rung up bg 10 times reporting smell of fumes/gas ffs how much more information did they need?!

thats incorrect lousey.

she phoned several times for noise and ignition issues. it was only the last visit that she was concerned about smell. that was when the d******d either adjusted the gas valve and or didnt check the fibre seal was goosed.

that's not how it was reported in the press, but even so she rang in to report a smell of fumes. When I get called to a suspected smell of gas or p.o.c I am ultra cautious and go over everything with a fine tooth comb as I'm sure most ppl would. Whatever way you look at it, it's unforgivable and negligent.

 

[gas4you]

I've always thought of a powermax as a thermal store, rather than a combi.

 

[Deleted member 105431]

I've always thought of a powermax as a thermal store, rather than a combi.

It is your right Dave.

 

[nickso]

The powermax owner in the oxford case rung up bg 10 times reporting smell of fumes/gas ffs how much more information did they need?!

thats incorrect lousey.

she phoned several times for noise and ignition issues. it was only the last visit that she was concerned about smell. that was when the d******d either adjusted the gas valve and or didnt check the fibre seal was goosed.

that's not how it was reported in the press, but even so she rang in to report a smell of fumes. When I get called to a suspected smell of gas or p.o.c I am ultra cautious and go over everything with a fine tooth comb as I'm sure most ppl would. Whatever way you look at it, it's unforgivable and negligent.

i dont disagree in principal. there has been a little more hype than the average CO death for obvious reasons.

the 10 visits were reportedly spaced over more than year and have little to do with the incident itself. she was ill the day before her death which suggests the seal was leaking at least from the time of the very last visit when it was alledged the muppet adjusted the valve, probably in hope of helping ignition or reducing noise. i would suspect the seal was leaking for some time but wasnt changed as it should have been. interesting that the main focus of the investigation was on the gas valve and its adjustment and not on the seal which was the real culprit.

every BG engineer now knows that the seal is changed on every inspection where the seal is disturbed and should be changed every contract year. they also know the gas valve is off limits for adjustment.

strangely BAXI will no longer give any advice over the phone to BG engineers, thats really helping the situation of course.

 

[powell30]

It is a thermal store. And these boilers are fairly easy to maintain providing you know how to set up the gas valve and check seals/flue etc..... I am a heateam engineer and as far as i am aware BG engineers go on the same course we do to learn how to maintain/repair them.......maybe these guys were new or were lazy.....only they will ever know if they followed proceedures.......no help to the deceased tho....

 

[powell30]

I should also add in the interests of fairness that i have attended to several call outs with the bg engineer to change bits etc and the ones i have worked with have done all the safety and set ups correctly, without prompting.......