Ideal Mexico not lighting

chrissib · 30 Jun 2019

Hi I have a very old boiler which has been very reliable up to now.
Now I cannot light the pilot light.

The Gas control valve has a big grey button/plunger on top, which in the past I have just held down, and hit the igniter button to re-light the pilot. But whereas before I could hear and smell a gas flow when the grey button is pressed, now there is silence, and no smell, and no flame.

My question for starters, is this button is purely mechanical. That is when pressed, it opens the valve and gas should flow, is this correct. Or could there be anything else in the body of the gas valve which would stop the flow, even if the grey button is pressed?

I am quite willing to buy another valve, if I am convinced this is the problem. Before you ask, there is definitely gas getting to the boiler. This has been tested by shutting the valve just prior to the Gas valve assembly, disconnecting the union before the Gas valve, and momentarily opening up the gas. Sure enough a hiss, and a smell.

So any of you experts out there can answer my question, I would be grateful.
Thanks
Chrisb

picasso · 30 Jun 2019

leave it alone and get a rgi to sort it for you.

ianmcd · 30 Jun 2019

is the grey button definitely going in all the way ? they sometimes can jam

algas · 30 Jun 2019

A service by someone who knows these boilers should sort it , they are almost bomb proof.

MeldrewsMate · 30 Jun 2019

I reiterate what others have said, the fact that you have broken into the gas pipework (for whatever reason) and then restored the gas supply means you have transgressed the gas safety Regulations already.
There seems to be a convention on this site to avoid giving out gas related tips, and I try to follow that.
Please get a Registered Gas fitter in to both repair your boiler and to check the gas supply, and then issue a gas system safety certificate (CP12 or similar). If you're not convinced then consider the following; in a year you have a small fire at your house, easily put out, but there's smoke damage to a couple of rooms. You make a claim on your house insurance, the value being a couple of thousand pounds. Then a sharp eyed insurance sleuth spots this thread (or others) and traces it back to you...result: claim denied.
Now consider a similar situation where the house burns down, taking half of next door with it along with their nearly new car and those valuable knick-knacks that they never really had but hey, here's an opportunity to pocket some readies). Now you're flat broke and with no home...but at least no one was hurt....
The next scenario ends up worse.
Now that expensive RGI looks cheap, especially as you have that safety certificate to show the insurance nazis.

FiremanT · 1 Jul 2019

chrissib said:
Hi I have a very old boiler which has been very reliable up to now.
Now I cannot light the pilot light.

I will offer you only a couple of pieces of advice:

DO NOT buy a gas valve, it won't be that. Use the money to have an RGI look at it. It is almost certainly not a major issue. Phone an RGI, tell him the problem, and ask him if a service will cover it. Some guys charge more for a repair than a service, so ask how he charges.

Meldrew is wrong: Start asking for a CP12, and the RGI will think you are a nutter and a potentially problematical punter.

blup · 1 Jul 2019

As others have said get an RGI to check it over - it might be a failed thermocouple.

Blup

picasso · 1 Jul 2019

It wont be a thermocouple , no parts required for this fix.

ianmcd · 2 Jul 2019

picasso said:
It wont be a thermocouple , no parts required for this fix.

Not even a piece of fine wire ?

picasso · 2 Jul 2019

When I saw your post I thought tool rather than part.

chrissib · 2 Jul 2019

Ok thank you all for your advice, and the lesson from others... I thought the clue was in the forum name 'DIY'.... but perhaps I was mistaken.

yes the grey button is all the way down.

I can get a new valve for about £100, and I am sure an RGI will charge that for just ringing the doorbell.

The valve looks easy to change, and I'm sure a bit of leak spray will tell me if there is a leaking joint afterwards. Just need to know if there should be a gas flow when holding down the grey plunger button, or is there anything else that can shut off the gas regardless of holding down the button. I find it hard to believe this really old simple valve has anything else in it which would affect the gas flow.
regards

ianmcd · 2 Jul 2019

and how are you going to set the operating pressure on the new valve ?

Hugh Jaleak · 2 Jul 2019

If you want to get the thread locked, carry on. I advise you read the Forum Rules on DIY gas work, https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/diy-gas.8090/ There are very good reasons why this Forum does not allow posts on Gas related work, the whole point of CORGI and later Gas Safe was to ensure only competent persons work on Gas, following the Ronan Point disaster in 1968.

Secondly, several experienced Guys have already told you it is not likely to be the gas valve, and would be a simple repair for someone who understands these older boilers.

Do you MOT your own car?

chrissib · 2 Jul 2019

ok thank you for all your non help.
A very simple question, does the plunger allow gas to flow. Anyway I will leave this forum, and go find one that will help.

I will probably end up getting a gas person out, and he will probably charge an extortionate amount of money to just adjust something or replace something which isn't actually faulty

FiremanT · 2 Jul 2019

chrissib said:
ok thank you for all your non help.
A very simple question, does the plunger allow gas to flow. Anyway I will leave this forum, and go find one that will help.

I will probably end up getting a gas person out, and he will probably charge an extortionate amount of money to just adjust something or replace something which isn't actually faulty

And in the process, you will save a packet by not buying a valve that is not required. Yet you think an RGI will fot a nin required part? And, as Ian implies. you CANNOT change a gas valve with a DIY tool kit. The fact that you seem to be be so hard of understanding (cheers, DP) tells us you are probaby not safe to messing with any home appliance.

Why are you taking such an attitude, everyone (ubtil maybe this post) has been respectful and offered good advice, apart from the other 2 DIYers. Some folk cannot be helped, methinks

MOD: DIY gas work is illegal, you must employ the services of an RGI for this work. Thread locked.

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Ideal Mexico not lighting

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