Vaillant TurboMax, no heat, no hot water - Help Please

SDK2006 · 18 Sep 2006

Hi,

I've just returned from a 2 week holiday and my Vaillant TurboMax Combination boiler is not heating water. The status code is sometimes S.33 (Check Air/Flue System) but other times when I turn the hot water tap the boiler kicks on but the temp doesn't increase – it stays around 20C.

I've done several searches on this and other forums and found the Air Pressure switch to cause quite a few problems. The Diagnostic mode reports it as off (0) - Should this be on (1) ?

I've phoned Vaillant and they are asking £200 for a call out and some parts.
So my question is : Is there a simple fix. i.e. buy a new APS and fit it myself or do you think I should an engineer out ?

Thanks for your help

Agile · 18 Sep 2006

On your model the diverter valve usually fails after 1-3 years and the APS a few months later.

It certainly sounds as if yours has failed.

Strictly speaking it should be changed by a CORGi engineer as its a gas safety device.

However its outside the combustion chamber and only a two wire connection and some owners think that they are competent enough to replace it themselves.

Tony Glazier

SDK2006 · 18 Sep 2006

Thanks for your response

The boiler is only 1.5 years old and I didn't take up the extra year warranty.

Is the diverter valve part of the APS unit ?

Agile · 18 Sep 2006

No! Sounds as if you might be better having a professional.

Most Vaillants used to have a TWO year warranty but that needed a documented professional service after the first year. Perhaps yours only had a one year?

Tony

simond · 19 Sep 2006

If your turbomax has a drop down lower door it is a 2 yr warranty version. For it to be 1.5yrs old it would have to have been fitted just prior to the condensing regs.

Contrary to Agile, we have had no experience of diverters failing on the last generation turbomax (and we have fitted 100s) but there were a few APSs - just three or four, though.

ChrisR · 19 Sep 2006

Maybe you clean your systems Simon..! I've changed several of the latest version. Some of those had stuck balls, certainly.

Agile · 19 Sep 2006

I have always thought that the diverter with the larger side holes of about 8 mm rather than 5 mm indicated the newer rugby ball type.

I was reluctant to change a large hole version because I knew they were less likely to stick and it was working fine on my visit. However all the reported symptoms implied a sticking diverter so we agreed that I would change it.

I discovered that although it was a large hole version it had the original round ball ! Perhaps it was a manufacturing mistake or perhaps the large hole is not a definitive indicator of the rugby ball inside.

Tony

ChrisR · 19 Sep 2006

Not sure how many versions there were, there were certainly A's and B's which both had small holes.
The C30 and E17 types both have large holes, haven't checked ball shape! But I've changed some E17's

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Vaillant TurboMax, no heat, no hot water - Help Please

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