Yet another problem argh!

[Meme21]

Tonight the house started to feel a little cold. Felt the radiators and they were cold - went to the boiler WB 40cdi conventional and the display was flashing a very odd symbol like half a square in the upper left corner and the same in the lower right corner - L shapes into the edges of the display if you like. I turned the dial on the boiler and it started up again. The blue light remained on all this time.

I can't find anything in the user instructions about this and wondered if anyone knew what this meant.

Thanks

Val

 

[sambotc]

Think it has something to do with the condensate trap. Remember seeing it on a new highflow a few years ago but can't be overly sure, is it below freezing at the moment where you are?

Sorry can't be much more help

Sam

 

[Meme21]

Thanks Sam

The condensate outlet is in my garage and it is not freezing tonight at all. I will phone WB in the morning and then my RGI. This happened when he put on a new timer and then switched on the system. He didn't know what it meant and we ignored it because the boiler then just fired up.

 

[sambotc]

Hi,

I'm pretty sure it is to do with filling the condensate trap, have a look in the manual around the 'starting the appliance' or 'commisioning' section. Is there any way your boiler would have restarted or lost power briefly?

Pretty sure it is nothing to worry about unless it does it on a regular basis.

Sam

 

[sambotc]

Just looked on WB website.

Check page 32 section 3 of installation and servicing manual, see if it relates to your problem.

HTH Sam

 

[hobhead]

sambotc is correct, on any occasion when the power is interrupted to the boiler it will operate at reduced output for 15 mins to form seal in trap.

 

[Meme21]

Hi - the symbol wasn't -ll- it was more
_
| _|

Difficult to do with the keyboard but if you can imagine the display as a square and then half a square flashing in the top left and bottom right of the display.

Can't find anything in the manual that describes it.


Thanks anyway.

 

[nickso]

iirc its overheated and is running the fan to cool it down.

 

[marcr]

I have had a look at some info I've got and it says fault E9 gives that symbol - Temperature rising too quickly. Display might alternate between symbol and flow temp.

First things to check are water pressure/levels. Bleed all air out etc. And the pump, make sure it's not seized.

It could just be a loose connection on one of the two safety stats - flue and ch flow, giving occasion fault or one of the stats failed.

have you had problems in the past other than this?

 

[Meme21]

Thanks everyone for all the help

I have an open vented system. When I had the new timer fitted last week and the boiler was first switched on it displayed this symbol for a minute and then just started to heat. The RGI said he had never seen it before and thought it was just the boiler checking the system. All then seemed fine until last night.

Funny thing is that when first installed 2 months ago, the boiler used to heat up to 70 with the dial set on five. To get it to heat to 70 now it needs turning up to almost maximum. This is on a 40 kw boiler.

I shall phone WB this morning, but something somewhere is not right with it.

 

[Meme21]

Have called WB and they say it is the temperature gradient limiter. Could be caused by air in the system or a blockage. Really wish I had now lived with a few radiators cold at the bottom and not had the power flush done - things went from bad to worse after that.

I do have a lot of air in the system - but can't vent it out (in the towel rails just bubbles out with the water). Also - have had the power flush but the water that comes out of the radiators is really black - so I am even more confused unless it has dislodged a lot of dirt that is now circulating about.

 

[Meme21]

OK - I have found that the fault - only occurs when the boiler starts up, that is either when it starts up from cold (so it can't be overheating) or when the room stat turns it off - then it won't start up again just flashes the bracket in the corner signs. This goes away and the boiler will fire on turning the dial on the front.

I phoned the RGI who put in the new timer for me and he says he can't come back for over a week as he is working away. WB say they need to know it's not a system fault before they come out.

Not sure what to do now. Should I call yet another company out to fix this or insist that WB send someone.

The boiler now doesn't heat to more than 60 when on setting 5.

I feel I want to pull this pile of rubbish off the wall and into a skip at the moment

Val

 

[tamz]

The alternating I_ -I type of sign means the boiler is overheating (water not moving through it quickly enough) and

only occurs when the boiler starts up, that is either when it starts up from cold (so it can't be overheating)

This is a 40 kw boiler with a water content of only a few litres so will get to that state in under a minute.

You have said you've had problems since you had a a new timer then you mention a powerflush? (done badly i think if you still get black water)

Were they both done at the same time?

The boiler overheating can only happen if you have an airlock or blockage in the main pipes or boiler (there is an auto airvent inside (brass thing about 1" dai 2" high with a car tyre type dust cap on top) this should be open) or the pump is not working properly and an auto bypass should also be fitted. Motorised valves should also be checked, they may be sticking and opening very slowly. Bleeding the radiators will not get rid of an air lock.

You are better to get someone to look at it and if you can't get the original guy back get someone else.

It would also be an benifit to your boiler to fit a magnaclean or other filter as these boilers are quite sensitive to any muck in the system.

If you decide to throw it in the skip let me know where it is. I could do with a new boiler myself and it sounds like there is nothing wrong with this one, it is only protecting itself from your system

 

[marcr]

Well put tamz. Think that sums it up without looking at it. Sorry to hear you're having problems Val.

Sounds like further expense/hassle I'm afraid. A 40kW boiler will generate an immense amount of heat in a short time. System design is key. A large flow and return, healthy bypass, correct open-vent/cold feed arrangement are minimum requirements - which yours may have. It definitely should not have black water.

Clean water, clean header tank, unrestricted (renewed?) cold feed, combined filter on the return and loads of inhibitor are order of the day. And working rad/zone valve as said.

If it has a filter already check it's not blocked. I expect it would be and this would stop circulation.

 

[Meme21]

Thanks tamz -

I am not sure it is overheating as it can be completely cold when the sign appears. It happens when the boiler is first switched on ie immediately the timer switches it on, and the boiler won't fire up, then, when the room stat switches the boiler off it won't come on again and the sign flashes again. The flashing sign stops on turning the boiler heat control dial/knob and the boiler then fires up ok. I do have an automatic bypass valve and a magnaclean.

Last night the heating was fine (once I had turned the dial) as I turned the room stat right up and the radiator tvrs down so the boiler didn't shut off .

What is also strange is that in the mornings I have the hot water come on half an hour before the central heating and there is then no problem with the boiler. When they both come on together in the afternoon the sign flashes and the boiler won't fire until I turn the dial.

PS - I hate my system - it is conspiring against me