Another great experience

[vard0]

About a year ago we moved into a new house. We bought a new boiler and had it fitted by a local plumbing company. The job was a good one and we have not have any major problems with the boiler at all.

A few days ago we got a letter from them saying that the boiler was due for its annual service and that we should have this done so that we don't lose the warranty on it. We arranged for a service and they sent someone over this morning.

At the end of his half hour visit we were left with no hot water and no central heating. Every time the boiler tries to fire up it goes into error mode. He said that he managed to get water onto the "HT leads" and that the boiler wouldn't work if they were wet. He also said that by they should be dry by this evening and everything would be working again.

Well unfortunately I have just tried it and it is doing exactly the same thing. Even more frustrating than having a non-functioning boiler that was working perfectly this morning is the fact that I had to pay 80 quid for the privilege.

Are wet HT leads a common problem and was his advice that they would dry out after a few hours correct? I dread the thought of a weekend without CH or hot water and then having to get them in again on Monday.

 

[gremlin16]

1 Are wet HT leads a common problem. No but why are they wet?

2 . and was his advice that they would dry out after a few hours correct?

Why did'nt he just dry them.?

How can he just leave you with a non working boiler?
Cant be much of a service engineer.

You need to call them back!

ps what make is boiler?

 

[vard0]

The boiler is a Worcester Bosch Greenstar CDi

 

[gremlin16]

Every time the boiler tries to fire up it goes into error mode

What fault code is showing?

 

[Agile]

£80 for a service is quite high!

We only charge £55 for a conventional boiler and £65 for a premix which needs a flue gas analysis.

Whilst anyone can spill a little water the usual thing to do is to dry it with tissue paper and then finnish off with a hairdryer borrowed from the homeowner or the neighbour.

Those who often spill water carry a dryer with them.

I think he should have done more to solve the problem before living.

Tony

 

[gremlin16]

Whilst anyone can spill a little water the usual thing to do is to dry it with tissue paper and then finnish off with a hairdryer borrowed from the homeowner or the neighbour.

do you recommend spraying a bit of hair laquer or a bit of gel to finish off

 

[Gasguru]

Why do the public pay these cowboys? If the boiler wasn't working when he left he could not have checked the combustion or whether it was operating safely. If it's not resolved by Mondayt contact corgi and Worcester (AFAIK some installers have a deal with them for the longer warrranty). If the boiler does start to work it still needs the combustion checking and for gas leaks since the burner will have been removed so may not be safe to use.

......and £65 for a premix which needs a flue gas analysis.

Really Tony?

Ever done the Greenstar Juniors? Does that price include the gaskets?

I spent 2 Hours cleaning out an Energysaver the other day. No clearance between the burner and primary heat exchanger makes it a real fun job.

 

[Corgigrouch]

Ever done the Greenstar Juniors? Does that price include the gaskets?

The Juniors need not be stripped down every time.

 

[gremlin16]

The Juniors need not be stripped down every time.

WB informed us that providing the co was right or was possible to correct co then there was no need to strip the burner.

So who's right

 

[baxpoti]

I think he should have done more to solve the problem before living.

When did he die?

 

[Corgigrouch]

Provided that the pressure at the test point is within tolerances than there is no need to strip the burner. There is is a test point just above the fan so it can be checked though if the combustion was out of spec and couldn't be corrected, then I would strip the burner.

 

[vard0]

Every time the boiler tries to fire up it goes into error mode

What fault code is showing?

The fault code that is showing is F7

 

[Gasguru]

You will find they specify a fan pressure reading in the MI. Dependent on that reading determines whether a full service should be carried out. However just because it scrapes through (and supposedly doesn't require a service accorcing to the MI) what will it be like in another year?

From my experience (having seen many Juniors) each boiler varies considerably; some boilers that have correct CO2 readings AND pass the fan pressure reading (by some margin) have traps significantly full of oxide and extensive clogging in the lower reaches of the heat exchanger.

I have seen some with the HTG temp always set to max (ie not condensing so much) in a household of only 2 having the condense trap nearly blocked and extensive corrosion on the lower baffle requiring a full cleanup after just 1 year from new. After that they appear to settle down a bit.

On the other hand I've come across other Juniors that have condensed a lot more (HTG temp just set sufficiently high to heat the home) with a young family (lots of baths etc) and after 3 years of no servicing have been spotless inside.

There is just no pattern to the findings. It would seem to me that Worcester have a wide variation in the specification for their heat exchanger alloy...perhaps they are still looking for the correct mix.

 

[Corgigrouch]

I have often looked at the debris that I find in the bottom of the trap and wondered if it really was corrosion or just casting sand.. The heat exchanger is a pretty tricky casting and almost impossible to get everything out... Assuming that they use sand for casting, they may use wax, but it was just a thought

 

[Softus]

gratuitously rude post removed

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