BAXI Main ECO Elite burner screw broken (Heat Exchanger) PIC

boolie · 3 Nov 2020

Baxi Main Eco Elite 30 Combi Boiler

Had an engineer to come out and do a service, when he opened it up he noticed that a screw was broken on the burner heat exchanger (see the picture, arrow pointing to broken screw)

He said he could fix it but it would cost an extra £50 because the threads must be knackered in the housing. Alternatively he said to leave it and it would be OK because the hole is actually filled with the broken screw. I told him to leave it to save a few bob.

However, just looking for a second opinion. Does anyone know about this kinda stuff?

Thanks

Crezzer · 3 Nov 2020

For £50 I'd of got him to do it.

Gasguru · 4 Nov 2020

It needs sorting...if the seal behind the electrode plate fails the boiler will become toast..new boiler time normally as 1000 degree combustion products re-circulate back into the fan.
£50 to guarantee a fix is odd...how can he know the broken screw is removable and the thread ok?
A new burner door part is around £60 - £70 + fitting.

boolie · 4 Nov 2020

Gasguru said:
It needs sorting...if the seal behind the electrode plate fails the boiler will become toast..new boiler time normally as 1000 degree combustion products re-circulate back into the fan.
£50 to guarantee a fix is odd...how can he know the broken screw is removable and the thread ok?
A new burner door part is around £60 - £70 + fitting.

OMG that could get very expensive! He didn't actually mention the word guarantee.. I imagine if it didn't work he would have said 'bad news, you're gonna have to stump up more cash for a new part!'

How dangerous do you think it is as is? Should we stop using the boiler until it's fixed?

Gasguru · 4 Nov 2020

The picture doesn't seem to indicate the gasket is leaking, but get it fixed asap.
I can't advise you to carry on using it as there's always a chance it gets left forever...been there before...never trust a customer

Gas -Safe take much pleasure in fobbing us off with "use your engineering judgement".

Harry Bloomfield · 4 Nov 2020

It looks as if the screw head has been sheared off and there is some thread poking up above the plate it is supposed to retain. It would need a second photo from the side of the screw, to confirm that, but if that is the case....

Maybe you could find a nut to screw onto the bit of thread?
Maybe you could get a grip of the piece of thread and simply screw it out and fit a new screw to replace it, using a Mole self grip wrench.

It seems very odd to me, that the screw head became broken at all, perhaps it was an original production fault from when the boiler was built?

Londoner2 · 9 Nov 2020

The Main Eco Elite Compact should have a 5 year warranty assuming you have kept up with the services.

boolie · 9 Nov 2020

Londoner2 said:
The Main Eco Elite Compact should have a 5 year warranty assuming you have kept up with the services.

Not my Main Eco Elite.. it only had a 2 year warranty.

You are right though the new ones have a 5 year warranty and are actually a better boiler.

Mine has an aluminium Heat Ex whereas the new ones have a Stainless Steel Heat Ex
Also the new ones have the schraeder valve of the Expansion Vessell exposed outside the case which is a better design
Plus I think the new ones have a all brass diverter cartridge, whereas mine came with a mostly plastic one originally
The new ones are also ERP compliant so should be more efficient
+ OpenTherm

Somehow they've managed to keep the same low price as well so very impressed with Main

Londoner2 · 9 Nov 2020

Its aB

boolie said:
I'll try again!

Not my Main Eco Elite.. it only had a 2 year warranty.

You are right though the new ones have a 5 year warranty and are actually a better boiler.

Mine has an aluminium Heat Ex whereas the new ones have a Stainless Steel Heat Ex
Also the new ones have the schraeder valve exposed outside the case which is a better design

Somehow they've managed top keep the same low price as well so very impressed with Main

Its same as a Baxi 630 = Main Eco elite 30, Baxi 624 = Main Eco

boolie said:
I'll try again!

Not my Main Eco Elite.. it only had a 2 year warranty.

You are right though the new ones have a 5 year warranty and are actually a better boiler.

Mine has an aluminium Heat Ex whereas the new ones have a Stainless Steel Heat Ex
Also the new ones have the schraeder valve exposed outside the case which is a better design
The new ones are also ERP compliant so should be more efficient

Somehow they've managed top keep the same low price as well so very impressed with Main

Baxi 630 = Main Eco elite compact 30,
Baxi 624 = Main Eco Elite compact 24.

Yep you have the slightly older one, i have the newer main 30kw, not very impressed with mine as i think the top of the diveter vale had a slight leak, its only 1 year old.

boolie · 9 Nov 2020

Londoner2 said:
Its aB

Its same as a Baxi 630 = Main Eco elite 30, Baxi 624 = Main Eco

Baxi 630 = Main Eco elite compact 30,
Baxi 624 = Main Eco Elite compact 24.

Yep you have the slightly older one, i have the newer main 30kw, not very impressed with mine as i think the top of the diveter vale had a slight leak, its only 1 year old.

I upgraded my diverter valve to the newer all brass one.. Not sure if yours comes with the all brass one or the old plastic one. However should be covered under warranty?

I replaced mine myself and was quite a simple thing to do. I think the all brass diverter cartridge costs about ~£15

ianmcd · 9 Nov 2020

Quite common to happen, sometimes easy enough to get the sheared screw out, but sometimes a total ball ache, never had one I couldnt get out, but yes you should get it sorted, could cause expensive damage to your boiler

boolie · 9 Nov 2020

ianmcd said:
Quite common to happen, sometimes easy enough to get the sheared screw out, but sometimes a total ball ache, never had one I couldnt get out, but yes you should get it sorted, could cause expensive damage to your boiler

Update on that, the RGI came out with a spare door but tried extracting the screw first.. that didn't go to plan, replaced the whole 'door' in the end. Cost me £120 in total

ianmcd · 9 Nov 2020

boolie said:
Update on that, the RGI came out with a spare door but tried extracting the screw first.. that didn't go to plan, replaced the whole 'door' in the end. Cost me £120 in total

Ouch, last one I had it was me that sheared the head, so had to take it on the chin. two hours to get the stub out and couldnt charge as it was me that snapped it in the first place, so much heat in there these things virtually weld themselves in there

JohnD · 9 Nov 2020

stainless screw in a stainless nut or casting is liable to cold-weld (this is not caused by heat). You can get an anti-seize spray to use during assembly. If it has seized it will need destructive removal, you can't free it. a boron drill will work.

stainless screw in an aluminium casting will corrode. You can use a nickel grease up to 1450C. It is quite expensive but sometimes sold in 25g or 50g packs. Copper grease is unsuitable for alumium as it accelerates corrosion. Ceramic grease is very heat resistant though

Incidentally, spark plugs used to be prone to seizure, but now have an anti-seize silvery metal plating on the threads, and the makers discourage the use of Copaslip or similar products as it can lead to overtightening and breakage. I've been using Copaslip for many years and it's great on exhaust manifold nuts where the grease burns off and leaves a non-seize copper powder on the threads and washers. It is no better than grease in applications that don't get hot, though.

durhamplumber · 9 Nov 2020

ianmcd said:
2 hours to get the stub out

Bloody ell Ian....you are more patient than me..how did you get it out? Just in case......

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BAXI Main ECO Elite burner screw broken (Heat Exchanger) PIC

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