intermittent heating

Joined
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Cardiff
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United Kingdom
Hi.

I started having problems with my boiler about 2 weeks ago. The boiler was coming on for a few minutes and then the fault lights flashed cutting the boiler off for about 20 minutes before doing the exact same thing. I noticed it was reaching about 40 degrees before switching off. It was also happening with the hot water, in a similar way, but it very rarely gets hot now, if at all. I don't know if it's a coincidence, but a radiator that is right next to the boiler was removed about a year ago and refitted, but it was never re-filled and turned on. This problem happened within a day or so of it being filled and turned on.

The boiler is a Biasi Riva plus he 32 and it's about 8 years old. The only repairs that have been done in the past is a new PCB because there was a leak from the Diverter valve and it got onto the board. A new Diverter valve and a new Air pressure sensor.

The flashing lights state that the Air pressure sensor was faulty, so I got a heating engineer to confirm that and he replaced it, it didn't cure the problem. He then disconnected the safety thermostat and the CH temperature probe NTC (he was calling this the thermistor, but it says different in the book). It was now reaching around 60 degrees, so he asked me to order a new thermistor and reconnected the old ones back on the pipe.

After a few hours of the boiler doing the same thing that night, the heating and hot water worked like normal, but when I turned it back on in the morning the same fault happened.
The new thermistor arrived and he replaced it, but it was still showing the same fault.

He didn't seem to know what to do next and was mentioning about me replacing the boiler. I've looked on the net myself and have noticed similar problems happening with other owners and other parts being mentioned. I don't know what to think of this engineer now and am unsure if he is just getting me to renew it, so it's easier and less hassle for him.

Is there anything else this could be or is this boiler had it's day?

Thanks.
 
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Sorry, I can't help you with the boiler, but yes, the engineers telling you to change the boiler, because he doesn't know how to fix the problem. You could give tech support (Tech. Service Tel. 01922 714636) a call, and explain the problems you're having with the engineer, and ask them if they have any one they can recommend near you, but he should have called them himself. I take it the boiler pressures okay, and that you re-pressurised the system after the rad was filled; other than that, unless there was sludge in the rad that is now in the boiler, then the rad getting refilled shouldn't cause a problem. Check that the flue hasn't got blocked with anything, and that's about all I can suggest for the minute.
 
I spoke with the technical department and he gave me some things to get the engineer to check. He took the main panel off and fired it up and it was still doing the same, but when he pulled the condensation pipe off the condensing heat exchanger it was blocked with small grey filings.
He unblocked it and water started coming out. It's now been on for a few hours and everything is back to normal.
What are the filings coming from?
 
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Not sure on that one I'm afraid. Dare I suggest you ring the tech guys back, tell them thanks for the suggestions, and then ask them about the filings.
 
Ok. I just don't want this building up again and having to pay for another engineer.

Thanks.
 
it will build up again, the condensate syphon needs to be cleared every year at the annual service and the combustion needs to be set up , if it is slightly out then you will get a build up of the sediment that you describe
 

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