Grant Oil Boiler Leaking

[Flashster]

We've a Grant External Oil Boiler (Eco Vortex) that has been losing pressure. We've been unable to trace the leak until today when I noticed rusty damp area under the combustion chamber (not in it as I didn't manage to get a look before the heating came on). This might have been me spilling some water there when I topped up, but my suspicion is that I've found the source of the leak.

We've been having to top the boiler up every couple of weeks (when the heating is being used). We've checked all radiators and found no evidence of any leaks.

The boiler is only 4-5 years old. I believe the warranty is only 2 years on these.

My questions are:
- is this unusual? (both generally and for Grant boilers)
- can anything be done short of replacing the boiler? Can you replace the combustion chamber?
- we are considering the temporary solution of trying Sentinel Leak Sealer, just so we can get some time to research/find plumber and top back up the rust inhibitor - ok to do?

If the boiler does need replacing (with an identical one presuming they've not changed anything on this model), can the Reillo burner be used from the old one, so it doesn't need to be set up again (took us a while to find someone who could do this in our area).

Much appreciate any help. We will consult a heating engineer, but, being out in the sticks, with an external oild boiler especially, they are very hard to get hold of...

 

[Wayners]

Sounds like you need advice from an expert.
Something isn't right to get a rust leak...

 

[roguetrader]

Grants are generally good boilers but do have a weakness for leaks associated with the heat exchangers.
Grant will sell a short boiler, basically new heat exchanger on a base plate that you put all the ancillaries and panels on from your old boiler.
You would need a competent oil engineer as it would involve flue work and setting up the burner.

 

[Flashster]

Grants are generally good boilers but do have a weakness for leaks associated with the heat exchangers.
Grant will sell a short boiler, basically new heat exchanges on a base plate that you put all the ancillaries and panels on from your old boiler.
You would need a competent oil engineer as it would involve flue work and setting up the burner.

Interesting to know - thanks. The leak seems to be hidden behind a load of insulation to the right of the combustion chamber, if my suspicions are correct. Does my boiler have a heat exchanger though? Its a Vortex Eco External System 21/26 oil boiler - sealed system with a separate hot water cylinder.

I can't see these 'short boilers' listed anywhere - I'll call Grant and ask. Am I correct in presuming that the old burner wouldn't need any adjustments if its currently set up correctly within the new casing?
(PS: I'm not asking so I can do it myself, only so I'm a little more knowledgable when I employ a heating engineer).

 

[roguetrader]

Phone Grant direct, explain the situation.
We've done several on warranty, that's how we get them.

Please don't just fit everything and expect it to work, it will need setting up by an engineer. Ask Grant whilst you're on the phone, they will have someone in the area they can recommend.


*** P.S. This advice assumes you've checked all the pipework and joints thoroughly. ***

 

[Flashster]

Thanks, will do. They only have two years warranty I presume? We're in year 4.
Have been checking all joints etc for months. By elimination it was looking like the boiler - the rusty water under combustion box seems to have confirmed it.

 

[Exedon]

. They only have two years warranty I presume? We're in year 4

Ring grant with serial number to hand they will tell you warranty. I'm fairly certain the eco is now 5 years but not sure when that came in.
You would need proof boiler has been serviced at correct intervals.
We are Grant registered installer's but only fit the vortex pro Currently a 10 year warranty If installed/commissioned by a Grant registered installer
Should add we have never had a Grant leak we have installed (we change better than 2 a week)

 

[Flashster]

Rang Grant - they say that the combustion chamber has a 5 year warranty (up next year), and they would replace whole boiler if its faulty. They want us to get an OFTEC registered plumber to strip it down and call them.

We're having trouble finding anyone who will do this.

I've had the burner out and my head (well camera) in the combustion chamber with all the baffles out, so am familiar with the bowels of the boiler. Not sure what else they require, but any advice on how to get someone to help us would be gratefully received.

 

[Wayners]

You tried https://www.oftec.org/find-technician

You can also phone them

 

[Exedon]

Grant do have a list of there registered installer's on there Web site.

 

[Flashster]

Update: Awaiting an local Grant qualified engineer to inspect. Spoke to Grant again to ask if the combustion vessel is leaking and they replace boiler do I have to pay installation fee. Got a different technician and a very different tone to the last one. Firstly he told me that the boiler was out of warranty - failed to mention until, I did, that the combustion chamber was still in warranty. He then informed me that they would potentially do the replacement at their cost, but that they'd rip apart the boiler in their warehouse and if they found it was my fault I'd have to pay for everything. I asked how it could be my fault, when the boiler was 4 years old, serviced by Grant engineers and baring in mind that I'd been telling them about the issue with topping up and diluting rust inhibitor and inability to find an engineer for 3 months. It seems they are already making a case to dodge the warranty, and I'm starting losing my confidence in the brand.

I was advised to go for Grant (for an external oil boiler), but I'm started to feel a suspicion (and its only a suspicion at this stage) that those recommending don't actually have one themselves, or at least not the moderm models. There's a few threads out there about leaking combustion chambers and ongoing faults, but perhaps that's me looking for them. Let's see what happens.

 

[Cobbledtogether]

Update: Awaiting an local Grant qualified engineer to inspect. Spoke to Grant again to ask if the combustion vessel is leaking and they replace boiler do I have to pay installation fee. Got a different technician and a very different tone to the last one. Firstly he told me that the boiler was out of warranty - failed to mention until, I did, that the combustion chamber was still in warranty. He then informed me that they would potentially do the replacement at their cost, but that they'd rip apart the boiler in their warehouse and if they found it was my fault I'd have to pay for everything. I asked how it could be my fault, when the boiler was 4 years old, serviced by Grant engineers and baring in mind that I'd been telling them about the issue with topping up and diluting rust inhibitor and inability to find an engineer for 3 months. It seems they are already making a case to dodge the warranty, and I'm starting losing my confidence in the brand.

I was advised to go for Grant (for an external oil boiler), but I'm started to feel a suspicion (and its only a suspicion at this stage) that those recommending don't actually have one themselves, or at least not the moderm models. There's a few threads out there about leaking combustion chambers and ongoing faults, but perhaps that's me looking for them. Let's see what happens.

Hi did you get to the bottom of this? I have a 6 month old boiler with same symptoms. Just mopped up the rusty water under burner but insulation is sodden so monitoring. Can’t be ok though! Wondered how you got on with diagnosis of fault.?

 

[Flashster]

Haven't done anything about it yet. Top up every couple of weeks. The last conversation with Grant put me off the whole thing, but I know its brewing. In our case I can't see any water under burner so I am suspecting its leaking into combustion chamber and evapourating out. They'll be no rust inhibitor left in the system now, so not good. Will update here when I get around to tackling it - please update with your case too as it may help us and others (and possibly highlight a Grant issue). What model do you have?

 

[Exedon]

Hi did you get to the bottom of this? I have a 6 month old boiler with same symptoms. Just mopped up the rusty water under burner but insulation is sodden so monitoring. Can’t be ok though! Wondered how you got on with diagnosis of fault.?

Why bother even looking? It's under warranty!
Installer's back let them sort.
I will add we are Grant registered installer's in the past 9 years have installed approaching a thousand of various types.
As yet not one has had a leaking hex.
Have taken out total of 5 leaking Grant's in that time all of which were in fairly appalling instals.
We do some warranty work for Grant on boilers fitted by others . Fairly regularly find compression nuts not nipped up especially on boiler return and leaking condensate wastes.

 

[Flashster]

Because one Grant engineer on their helpline gave me the strong impression they were going to rip apart our boiler and find it was somehow our fault. . This was added to by several reviews which seem to state that is happening to some customers with boilers less than 4-5 years old. I will undoubtedly have to tread that path, but I'm already having doubts about the choice I made which was based on reliability and warranty backup etc. I do hope my doubts are just that. I don't want to invest in a replacement and find myself in the same boat. I will certainly update this thread for others to see, and hopefully it will be a good ending.
Only the combustion chamber is under warranty apparently (its 4 years old)