Alpha 240P Pilot Light

Pilot light won't stay on! It goes off as soon as button is released....Any ideas? Am v cold and need a shower!

Thermocouple, gas valve, displaced pilot flame, partially blocked pilot jet or hi res connections.

Normally a CORGI job.

Tony

...looks like I'll stay cold and smelly for a while longer! thanks for swift response..

Its likely to only be one of those I listed, not all of them!

Does it matter that I can't turn the gas valve to off? Boiler still noisy so have put selector switch to mid position despite instructions saying not to. Is that safe?

You should have started a new thread. I assume you have now got the pilot light to stay on.

What is noisy? The head of the motorised valve? the pump? the water wooshing round the radiators? The boiler?

The pilot light wouldn't stay on at all when the button was released, but boiler still sounded as though the heating was on, even though the selector switch was turned to HW only, so shouldn't have been so loud. Alpha instructions say to turn the gas valve to off pilot light won't stay on, but it won't turn clockwise. The only way to stop the noise was to turn selector switch mid way between CH+HW and HW. My plumber's daughter and wife are really ill, and I didn't want to disturb him, so hoping that I can leave the boiler safely like this for a few days. Do you think it sounds ok?

I see where you are coming from now.

You should have double pole electrical isolation near the boiler, but was probably fitted in the rea when the isolation if it existed was up two flights of stairs and in a cupboard full of clothes.

Anyhow you really should find out how to cut the power to it until the repair man comes.

Alpha do a service contract for something like 12 a month that would cover all this in fi=uture. I don't know what there rules are about taking on your boiler, I went to one yesterday that was 5 years old which they took on unquestioned without a survey. Then a few days later it needed a microswitch I went out and changed it without taking a high and might stance about strange it had just broken straight after maintenance contract secured.

As I say not sure how old the boiler has to be before they won't take it on , but I get sent to boilers like yours, always easy to fix and economic to keep going. You should have no reason to worry if you get the right type of person to it. If someone kicks it and says this old thing is due for a change don't believe him. I haven't seen one yet I wouldn't fix in 1/2 an hour. If you ring ALpha helpline they will direct you to a service agent who will do the job directly for you at an arrangement made between you and himself. Alpha ask us to do this for people economically. You would be certain to avoid the combi swap hunter in this way.

hmmm interesting, he was making noises about it being on the way out....
The boiler must be 10 years old plus, as I've been in the house 7 years and it wasn't brand new then.
Thank you, will cut off electricity and get it sorted after the easter break if it's not about to blow up on me!

This little problem will be easily repaird you'll need a diaphragm at some point, maybe need one now, then it should be plain sailing for another 5 years.

Thought I'd stick this here as some poor guy will get mugged the same way I was - once (once is enough ):

Don't try to light the pilot with the front panel down - it will not stay on!!!