Potterton Profile 80e Rapid Clicking Noise

[dave456]

Hi, hope you can help me uncover what is causing the issue with my boiler.

It works fine and fires normally, but then every so often it has this random burst of rapid clicking (like mini machine gun fire) when the boiler is alight and heating the water/radiators.

The noise lasts for a few seconds then stops and all is quiet again, and the boiler continues firing nice and quietly.

The clicking is completely random and may come back a few minutes later or even a few days later. It's quite a disturbing loud clicking noise when it goes off. Any idea what's causing this?

In every other respect the boiler operates fine.

Ta in advance!

 

[Dan Robinson]

Dead PCB - they're famous;y rubbish.

 

[dave456]

Thanks for the reply. I'd be really grateful if you or anyone else can expand a little more please. Why is it likely to be the PCB? Is there anything else that can cause this?

Because it is so intermittent, the chances are (sod's law) I'll get a heating specialist in to take a look at the boiler, and the boiler will not play up at that time.

Therefore, I have to be confident that it's almost certainly be the PCB, before ringing a specialist up and spending a couple of hundred quid for them to change it.

Also, is the boiler safe to use with this fault? I've had the fault a good few weeks now. If anything I'd say the noise is getting a little more frequent, but sometimes it's hard to tell.

 

[Gasguru]

Could be poor wiring connections, iffy gas valve solenoids or pcb (poor solder joints or relays).

New pcbs are a rip-off so you could get a recon pcb from CET LTD. Get that fitted and see how it goes.

 

[gaswizzard]

Fitted a new boiler stat on a 100e this morning.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Why is it likely to be the PCB?

Because they're shlt - simples .

 

[bathjobby]

I think Gasguru has nailed this. I had the same fault on the same boiler, it was the gas valve juddering. Seen many comments over the years on the PCBs in these boilers being iff'y and that was the case with mine. Traced the PCB circuit back from the valve to the switching transistor and it had 3 dry joints on it. Resoldered the joints and it was perfect. If your not up to this type of checking and fixing, suggest you get someone qualified to take a look..

 

[Dan Robinson]

Cheeky fooker

 

[Agile]

I think Gasguru has nailed this. I had the same fault on the same boiler, it was the gas valve juddering.

Traced the PCB circuit back from the valve to the switching transistor and it had 3 dry joints on it.

But the gas valve is switched by a relay not a transistor !

 

[bathjobby]

OK, a relay then. It was about 6 years ago, just trying to give the guy a hand........
EDIT. Now you've jogged my memory, it was a 3 legged can.
But the points about the quality of these PCBs and the faults found on them remain.

 

[75pete]

Yes so true bathjobby. If he googles "Dodgy old boiler" he will see your point.
Pete

 

[dave456]

Thanks for the help. After a lot of searching around I found this link. The symptoms are almost identical.

http://community.screwfix.com/thread/122326

The advice here is that it's the solenoid in the gas valve. Could that also be the case?

 

[joe-90]

You won't get advice on gas parts in here.

 

[dave456]

You won't get advice on gas parts in here.

I see your point. I'm not stupid enough to touch any gas parts and will always leave the to the Gas Safe person.

I spoke to a couple of Gas Safe people I got from Checkatrade, but they said that because it is an intermittent fault, unless it happened on the occsaion they were there, I could incur multiple call out fees.

Therefore, it seems the best approach to run the boiler until it conks out and needs fixing. It's going to get cold over the next few days. Hopefully it keeps on truckin' for the next week or two.

 

[joe-90]

That's not what I mean. I'm not a gas bod either but can tell you that they will not give any info to you other than to get an RGI in. Site rules (so they say).