Another Noisy Baxi Bermuda 401

[jourdan]

I have a Bermuda 401 back boiler with tasteful early 80's fire front. Recently it has started to make banging noises when the CH system is warming up, like its kettling, The noises started suddenly one day and now seem to be getting worse, although the CH system does warm up.

Now the bad bit!

I've had the front off and found that there is a small crack across the top of the burner, i.e the bit with lot of holes in where the gas come out. Also there seems to be quite a build up of combustion deposits, particularly on the Heat/ex. Basically its looking a bit sorry for itself.

I'm guessing my only solution is a new boiler, but it would be reet expensive to swap for a complete new combi system as my house has three floors, and I'm reet poor! can I get a direct replacement for the boiler and a new fire front, or will I have to sell my body to medical science and get a whole new system installed? I'm hoping to nurse it through the rest of this winter at least.

I am an engineer (hence the poorness), so there's no need to pull any punches.

 

[kevplumb]

grt it serviced

PROPERLY

 

[DP]

You are not as poor as CORGI gas engineers who have to pay every Tom Dick or Harry and be called rip off merchants by many too.

 

[RapidAssistant]

My parents also have a Baxi Bermuda 401, installed way back in 1980 - the heat exchanger cracked last week, - the exact same symptoms as you - we had airlocks coming in to the system all the time, and stuff dripping onto the combustors.

Just had the heat ex replaced courtesy of the local council - so you can get these old boilers repaired without any need to rip the whole house apart to install one of those dreaded (and may I say over-rated) combi systems.

 

[ChrisR]

Er, burner and heat exchanger are rather different things when it comes to replacement, burner is easy.
Nasty job cleaning all that soot out, and you might fiind a couple of other small bits need repalcing but £200 should cover it.

The banging & kettling is another matter and it may not be so easy. May be pump, gentle chemicals, some degree of flush. Hard to tell especially withthe boiler not working. You mustn't use it wiuth a cracked burner or you could wake up dead tomorrow.