Range Powermax 155x - Whistling Brass Thing on Top

pxr5 · 20 Feb 2009

I've got a Range Powermax 155x (yes, yes they're sh*t..)

Anyway, it's about 7 years old and lately it's started making a fairly loud whistle when it's really cooking.
I took it apart to have a look, as you do...

...to see where the noise was coming from and it seems to be this brass thing on the top.

There's a fair ammount of dried up gunk around the red cap of this thing and I can see the odd droplet of water, which later evaporates leaving a bit more residue.

Does anybody know what this thing is and how it will effect my boiler operation. I gave it a few knocks with a screwdriver and it seemed to quieten down a bit. However, I think this is only a temporary 'fix'.

kevindgas · 20 Feb 2009

the brass thing is an auto air vent if the whistling is really from this then A. you are running the boiler dry B. you probably have a stuck float in the header tank or C. the feed to the system from the header is blocked

are you sure that the sound is from that as the powermax whistles like a demented idiot when the burner gasket is knacked (it must be replaced on every service.)

pxr5 · 20 Feb 2009

I thought it was coming from that, it's not easy to tell without climbing on top of it.
The pressure is about right; 1 when it's off, 1 to 2 when it's on. It seems to be hot enough we've plenty of hot water and the radiators are blazing.
How would I check if it was "running dry"?

Stingray13 · 21 Feb 2009

Kevin don't know about the burner gasket (could be)but when the gas/air mix is wrong on these they sound horrendous like a fog horn or an air raid warning.

pxr5 · 21 Feb 2009

kevindgas said:
the brass thing is an auto air vent if the whistling is really from this then A. you are running the boiler dry B. you probably have a stuck float in the header tank or C. the feed to the system from the header is blocked

I don't have a header tank either, come to think of it, it feeds straight from the mains. There is a big tank of hot water inside the boiler but no header tank (in the loft) as such.

I had my head in the airing cupboard yesterday while it was whistling, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound. I noticed that as soon as the boiler clicks to go off, the whistling stops and the fan slows down to a halt. So it's not like the bearrings on the fan or something like that or it would be more gradual.

I wouldn't say it was as loud as a fog horn, I can hear it downstairs but it's more annoying than loud. I've reports of some boilers where you can hear them up the road.

baxpoti · 21 Feb 2009

kevindgas said:
you probably have a stuck float in the header tank or C. the feed to the system from the header is blocked

So why has it got a PRV and pressure guage

it's about 7 years old

So its had 6 services then?

Probably due for another one by the sounds of it
.

kevindgas · 21 Feb 2009

baxpoti said:
kevindgas said:

you probably have a stuck float in the header tank or C. the feed to the system from the header is blocked

Click to expand...

So why has it got a PRV and pressure guage

cos i didn't notice it was sealed system

well spotted !

powermaxer · 21 Feb 2009

time to call in the experts.
www.heateam.co.uk
tip if you call someone out to service/repair it leave the boiler cool down ie turn it off the morning of the visit.nowt worse than to see a grown man sweating buckets.

pxr5 · 21 Feb 2009

baxpoti said:
it's about 7 years old

Click to expand...

So its had 6 services then?

6 services?

I don't think it's even had one. Maybe it's time. Do most people have there boilers serviced regularly or is it more of a "should do" kind of thing that rarely gets a look in?
How much would you expect a boiler service to cost? (roughly)

pxr5 · 21 Feb 2009

here's an mp3 of the whistling noise, if it might help. You can hear it stop abruptly when the boiler switches off.

kevindgas · 21 Feb 2009

powermaxer said:
time to call in the experts.
www.heateam.co.uk
.

^^^^^^^^best advice ^^^^^^^^^

mickyg · 21 Feb 2009

kevindgas said:
powermaxer said:

time to call in the experts.
www.heateam.co.uk
.

Click to expand...

^^^^^^^^best advice ^^^^^^^^^

yeh ditto, no one else will touch it

kevindgas · 21 Feb 2009

mickyg said:
kevindgas said:

powermaxer said:

time to call in the experts.
www.heateam.co.uk
.

Click to expand...

^^^^^^^^best advice ^^^^^^^^^

Click to expand...

yeh ditto, no one else will touch it

more a case of no one wants too

pxr5 · 23 Mar 2009

There's a variable thermostat that runs the hot water temperature on the left behind the top panel. I took it out and tested it in a pan of water, it worked OK but was set for too hot, IMO.
It was set to 3 O'clock so I've turned it down to 12 O'clock and the boiler cuts out sooner. Out water isn't the 85°C that it used to be but I'm happy with the 75°C tbh, it doesn't scold you and it's shut up with that pesky whistling.
I reckon it was trying to get to a temperature that it was never going to reach and just getting annoyed, and venting off a bit.

I'm happy with that anyhow

Gas2Air · 23 Mar 2009

It needs checking for flue/intake. Air/gas ratio. Gas supply pressure. Sump clear. Electrodes/burner clean. HEX/seals clear. Take your pick.

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Range Powermax 155x - Whistling Brass Thing on Top

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