Dreaded Ferroli Optimax HE 31C won't fill with water

[Lilac789]

I have a Ferroli Optimax boiler. I came home tonight to find fault code F37 which I know is low water pressure as I have had this a few times. I turned the lever to too up the pressure and nothing is happening. There is no water filling up the boiler. Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do to fix it?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Gas2Air]

Fill loop hose blocked. Take it out and clean. And are you sure the lever is moving the valve open?

 

[Lilac789]

Whenever pressure has been low before I've always topped it up by turning the black lever underneath. When I am turning it now nothing is happening.

 

[Blagard]

What Gas2Air is saying is that the plastic levers sometimes crack so when you turn the black bit the shaft it is fixed to does not turn. You could try removing the black lever and turn the shaft with a spanner or pliers!

 

[Lilac789]

Yes I realised what he was saying I have tried that to check it and there is still nothing happening when I take the cover off the lever and manually turn it.

 

[Blagard]

Are you sure the valve is open at both ends of the filling loop ?

 

[Terry7556]

lilac i have had this problem in the past and i replaced the filling loop as the innards wont allow flow, like yours.open both ends nothing happens.
when it happened again we just ripped the innards out of the fill valve. this is against water regs as there is no backflow prevention but they appear to be badly designed

 

[Lilac789]

Thanks. That sounds like a job for a qualified person!

I hate this boiler. Had nothing but trouble with it

 

[Lilac789]

I have no idea what a filling loop is!

All I know is when I get fault f37 I have to turn the black knob to increase the pressure to around 1.5 and then my boiler works again.

I wouldn't have any clue how to check the other end of the valve??? Could you shed some light on this for me blagard and I'll check to see.

 

[Terry7556]

underneath the front of the boiler is your pipework.on the right (i think) is your pressure gauge and to the left of this is a thin u shaped bit of pipework with a valve at each end, you may have been turning only one of the valves.this thin pipe is under the boiler, its not one of those pipes going down the wall
wish i knew how to do links. try your handbook or search online for a manual

 

[Blagard]

The filling loop is the flexible pipe that connects your boiler to the water main.

Because it is not intended to be left in place (but frequently is!) the connection on each end should be hand tight like a washing machine connection and because you can remove it, it often has an on/off valve each end. When I say below remover the flexible I mean just the hose bit. The valves on the filling loop stay connected to the pipework.

1) To check that it is supplying water to your boiler I suggest you first of all turn it off at both ends. Unless it looks like "A" below which has a on/off valve one end only (at the water main end)

2) Then remove the flexible at the boiler end and stick it in a bucket.

3) Then open the valve at the end still connected to the water main. You should get water out of it into the bucket just like a garden hose. If not at least you know there is a problem with the filling loop connection.

Is you filling loop like this?
A) http://www.heatandplumb.com/acatalog/Straight_Braided_Combination_Filling_Loop.html

Or like this
B) http://www.heatandplumb.com/acatalog/Filling_loop_Part_L_Compliant.html

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Terry7556]

the filling loop on this boiler is a fixed piece of small bore pipework
its not the flexible type blagard

 

[Blagard]

the filling loop on this boiler is a fixed piece of small bore pipework
its not the flexible type blagard

Got it - So a built in filling loop! with removable copper link bent through 90 degrees. Black handled valve on either end.

That sinks the idea of a simple water flow check through the loop!

So the OP can only check that both valves at either end of the copper link are open.

 

[Lilac789]

Here is the boiler pipe work. I have a magna clean fitted and have now notice a leak coming from that which I think may be causing the problem. I'll see if I can find a way of taking it off to empty it out and refit it. Do you think that could be causing the problem?

 

[Lilac789]

Untitled

• Lilac789
• 23 Jan 2014
• 1