Can I control combi boiler by switching electricity state?

[subflux]

Hi,

My Vokera Excell 80SP doesn't do "Summer Mode" - it's always running the heating, as well as the hot water.

I tried a PCB replacement, but the new one I got from ebay didn't work at all. Will take the PCB out again, and check that the mode selector switch is working as it's supposed to (compared to my replacement).

In the mean time, I was wondering if it would be safe to do the following:

Leave the mode selector to "Winter" - i.e. heating ON, and control the boiler action via turning the mains electricity on and off with a timer.

I presume the gas flow is a solenoid which is closed when there's no electricity - but wondered if there could be any knock-on effects - e.g. a sequence to start-up and shut-down, that powering off the electricity when the heating is firing would miss.

Many thanks,

Kenny

 

[xr4x4]

What about the hot water?

 

[muggles]

If you switch the power off to your boiler you won't have any hot water, that's the main knock-on effect.

Do you have a room thermostat? If so, turn that down and that'll stop it firing for heating

 

[subflux]

At the moment, if it's turned on at all, even to hot water only "summer" mode the heating runs regardless.

So I have to manually turn the mode selector switch from "0" any time I want to use the hot water.

If it was powered off at the mains, it would be the same effect - I'd have to manually turn it on each time I wanted to use it, as I have to now.

The net gain would be that it would turn on during the day to keep the pets warm, while I'm at work.

Just don't know if doing that will damage it at all..

 

[xr4x4]

No you won't, unless you turn it off after it's hot and the heatings been on.

The pump won't be able to run on and it will kettle.

Just get it fixed....!

 

[subflux]

No you won't, unless you turn it off after it's hot and the heatings been on.

The pump won't be able to run on and it will kettle.

Just get it fixed....!

Well, that was the plan: to run the heating, then turn it off by powering off the electricity.

Certainly don't want it kettling.. doesn't sound good!

I'd love to get it fixed, but heating engineer I use recommended replacement PCB - and the one I got didn't work.

 

[Agile]

Surely folks, the Excell 80 is a PP boiler and runs the fan slowly to remove the pilot light heat to prevent the seals from overheating and leaking.

Not only will it be likely to do serious damage but its stupid!

I dont understand why you have a continual demand of heat. The control feature you need to use is the room stat ( or its connections to the boiler ).

Why did you buy a PCB from Ebay which was faulty?

Tony

 

[Dan Robinson]

I hope the heating engineer you used got something out of the deal?

 

[Agile]

I'd love to get it fixed, but heating engineer I use recommended replacement PCB - and the one I got didn't work. :

(

Is this engineer one you dont pay but just "use" to get free diagnosis?

Perhaps he has sussed out what you are doing and led you up the garden path in return?

 

[JohnD]

Do you have a room thermostat?

That was a very good question. Are you going to answer it?

 

[subflux]

Surely folks, the Excell 80 is a PP boiler and runs the fan slowly to remove the pilot light heat to prevent the seals from overheating and leaking.

Not only will it be likely to do serious damage but its stupid!

Okay - thanks for the info. That's exactly why I am posting this question. I don't know that much about how the boiler works, so am deferring to those who know better before doing anything.

I dont understand why you have a continual demand of heat. The control feature you need to use is the room stat ( or its connections to the boiler ).

It has demand for heat even when the heating is "turned off", i.e. in Summer mode - Domestic Hot Water Only. The heating still runs. I have no room thermostat - and none was wired in when it used to work normally.

Why did you buy a PCB from Ebay which was faulty?

It was listed on ebay as "working". I didn't intentionally buy a faulty PCB, it just so happened that when it was placed in my boiler it didn't do anything. The original one from my boiler at least works to some extent. It's back in now. I'll be sending it back, tbh, when I get round to it.

I hope the heating engineer you used got something out of the deal?

I don't know what "deal" you refer to - he got _paid_ for the time he spent doing the work. That's a strange thing to say... why wouldn't he "get something out of the deal" by doing his job, e.g. get paid?

Do you have a room thermostat?

That was a very good question. Are you going to answer it?

Yes, but I was asleep when it was posted. No room thermostat has ever been wired in. But room thermostat or no - it never used to heat the rooms when the mode selector was set to Domestic Hot Water only - now it does. :\

Is this engineer one you dont pay but just "use" to get free diagnosis?

Perhaps he has sussed out what you are doing and led you up the garden path in return?

WTF?! This engineer is one I "use" to get my boiler fixed, in exchange for money - he sets his fee too. Where did that one come from?!?

 

[JohnD]

A room thermostat will cause the heating to come on when it's cold, and go off when it's warm (or when you turn down the setting, e.g. if you are going to be away)

It increases comfort, by keeping the home at a preferred temperature, and saves money, by preventing the use of fuel when the home is already warm.

It is pretty well indispensible and you ought to get one.

 

[subflux]

A room thermostat will cause the heating to come on when it's cold, and go off when it's warm (or when you turn down the setting, e.g. if you are going to be away)

It increases comfort, by keeping the home at a preferred temperature, and saves money, by preventing the use of fuel when the home is already warm.

It is pretty well indispensible and you ought to get one.

I realise what one does, but at the moment the heating won't go off, even when it's _turned off_ - so a room thermostat won't fix that problem..

 

[JohnD]

depends how you wire it in

If the pump is not working, the boiler is unlikely to fire

 

[Whitespirit66]

Just get your engineer back and let him fix it. Life's too short.