new vaillant 831 -pressure gauge in red

nigelad · 11 Nov 2008

I had a new ecotec plus 831 boiler fitted last week.
Heating and hot water are working fine, but I noticed the pressure gauge needle was a bit into the red last night. It's been off all day and now it's back on the needle is in the red again.
Display is flashing between 60 degrees C and 3.0 bar pressure.
Should I be worried?

burygas · 11 Nov 2008

Boiler should be filled to 1bar,is the braided filling link underneath the boiler properly shut off ?

nigelad · 11 Nov 2008

Yes - the two little white taps are fully closed.

bobw1956 · 11 Nov 2008

Call your installer back,your system has been over pressurised some how, he will advise how to depressurise.

nigelad · 11 Nov 2008

Thanks bob.
will do.

nigelad · 15 Nov 2008

UPDATE
Our installer came back on Wednesday [1 week after installing] and reduced pressure by removing some water from the system. He moaned about Vaillant's 'built-in' filling loop as he did so [he had originally suggested fitting an Alpha].
However I notice that the gauge is in the red again today.
I'm getting worried about his abilities now

Any idea what could cause this, other than an open filling loop?

gas4you · 15 Nov 2008

Your installer is doubtful I think!

He obviously doesn't know that there have been problems with the plate HE holing on the Ecotecs, thereby pressurising the system without anyone touching anything.

The plate HE has a 5 year warranty on it, parts only. If you're lucky Vaillant will replace it FOC completely.

The chances of 2 filling loop taps letting by simultaneously are greater than winning the lottery I would say.

nigelad · 16 Nov 2008

I don't think he fits Vaillants that often.
What's more worrying for me is you saying that there are known faults with ecotec boilers.

I thought I was avoiding that sort of problem by choosing a 'more expensive' boiler.

Is there anything else that could cause pressure to rise?

David937 · 16 Nov 2008

nigelad said:
Yes - the two little white taps are fully closed.

Two little white taps?

Mine has Grey ones.

Agile · 16 Nov 2008

The first thing any competent installer should do with a suspicion of any filling valve letting by is to comply with the water Regs by removing the external filling loop.

As owner you can remove silver hose and see if either end still drips after say 30 minutes. If the boiler pressure still increases with the hose off then the plate HE will be leaking and should be replaced under the warrantee.

The sooner you remove the old hose the better! Firstly its illegal! Secondly its probably the cause of the over pressurisation. The installer can get caps to screw on the exposed ends. For the time being you can put a bucket underneath.

Tony

gas4you · 16 Nov 2008

OP are these 2 taps really white, or light grey and say 'closed' on them when they are horizontal to you?

Or do you mean there is an external filling loop fitted 'off' the boiler?

All Ecotecs I have fitted, and like many on here I have done so since the very first ones that were introduced in the UK, have all had the grey 'taps' and the built in filling loop.

I've never had a problem with this on these, but have had contact with Vaillant engineers who have had the plate hole and I have had one myself.

I admit though that I have not heard of one holing this quick.

Agile · 16 Nov 2008

The book says that the built in filling loops are only on the Ecotec PLUS models.

Although of course books often get it wrong!

Tony

nigelad · 16 Nov 2008

The taps are light grey, and are definitely the ones supplied as part of the boiler, which is an Ecotec plus 831. They are both in the closed position.

The installer also left the filling loop from the previous system, linking the mains water in and the CH flow inlet, which has a small black tap and a screw valve on it. They appear to be closed, but perhaps this is faulty - leaking water into the system?
Apart from a hole on the heat exchanger, are there no other explanations for high pressure?
I ask because the booklet for the boiler has lots about the danger of low pressure and how to remedy it, but no mention of what to do if the pressure is too high....
I guess I'll be phoning the installer again tomorrow

Thanks for the input guys.

Agile · 17 Nov 2008

Tony said:
The first thing any competent installer should do with a suspicion of any filling valve letting by is to comply with the water Regs by removing the external filling loop.

As owner you can remove silver hose and see if either end still drips after say 30 minutes. If the boiler pressure still increases with the hose off then the plate HE will be leaking and should be replaced under the warrantee.

Tony

The sooner you remove the old hose the better! Firstly its illegal! Secondly its probably the cause of the over pressurisation. The installer can get caps to screw on the exposed ends. For the time being you can put a bucket underneath.

Action not words needed!

gas4you · 17 Nov 2008

Yes I agree, get rid of that old filling loop. Very poor standard of workmanship to leave it there

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new vaillant 831 -pressure gauge in red

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