boiler problems

[lanti]

Hi.
I have a baxi boston 80 OF boiler and a drayton LP522 programmer.
This central heating/hot water system has been the bane of my existence since I moved in.

Basically, every now and then we just wake up and there's no heating/hot water and nothing we do can get it back on and eventually we have to call out for help. Someone comes along, does something very simple and then tells us we've been messing around with the programmer - which we haven't (and even if we have it shouldn't matter - after all the programmer is there so we can programme our own settings).

Symptons are:

- The pilot light initially goes out and is a pain to get lit again but eventually does.
- Switching on the hot water/heating, the boiler just sits there humming but doesn't fire up (or fwoosh as I call it).
- If I turn off the electrical supply the pipes make clicking noises - we've been told before to flick the switch a few times and the pipes may clear if they've got air in them but this has never ever worked.

It's a really old boiler (at least 20 years I'm told) and in my opinion should really be replaced but in the meantime, our landlord has said that if he has to call someone out again we'll have to pay the fee because the resolution is so simple.

If the resolution is that simple surely I should be able to sort it.

Any thoughts? I am desperate!

 

[dcawkwell]

Tell the landlord next time it happens that you want them to come
around and fix it if they think there is nothing wrong.

Don't put up with it. Just move to somewhere with a modern boiler
that is going to be cheaper for you to run instead
of sticking with a cheap landlord who has a 20 year old boiler
in their house/flat.

All boilers are fixable and even an old boiler like you have
can run reliably. It's just getting someone competent who can make
it so.

 

[GWP-Stansted]

Symptons are:

- The pilot light initially goes out and is a pain to get lit again but eventually does.

Dirty pilot injector, thermocouple on it's way out or loose, can't remember if these have a high limit interrupter, if so the leads or connectors may be damaged.

- Switching on the hot water/heating, the boiler just sits there humming but doesn't fire up (or fwoosh as I call it).

Is your heating system fitted with 2 or 3 port motorised valves, if so it sounds like the syncron motor isn't making the micro switch.

- If I turn off the electrical supply the pipes make clicking noises - we've been told before to flick the switch a few times and the pipes may clear if they've got air in them but this has never ever worked.

This sounds like expansion contraction - annoying but not won't ripping the house apart for.

It's a really old boiler (at least 20 years I'm told) and in my opinion should really be replaced but in the meantime, our landlord has said that if he has to call someone out again we'll have to pay the fee because the resolution is so simple.

If the resolution is that simple surely I should be able to sort it.

Any thoughts? I am desperate!

20 years is about the limit that manufacturers support a boiler for, if it is fitted with parts supplied by ranco or honeywell then they will be available for a while yet.

It may be worth a phone call to PTS or Part Centre to see if any major components are obsolete, if so you have the argument for getting the boiler replaced as a winter breakdown would see you without heating for some days.