Back boiler question!

[Faz2726]

Right i am decorating the front room and am dying to get rid of the dated fire that is in front of the back boiler. Have done a lot of research and people say you cant remove the fire and just have the back boiler.

My question is why ?

I have removed the fire myself and its only a gas pipe and electrical connector. So i cant see how they have to have each other to work. Is it a case of legally you cant do it or can u not physically ?

Before people say replace the whole system , im not going down that route.

Any help or more info would be great.

Cheers Ben

 

[powell30]

Well Ben firstly you just broke the law and may well have put you and your family at risk. Unless you are competant and by your questions you are not you can't break into a gas line. By disconnecting the fire and (presumably) reconecting you need to do tests to ensure it is safe and gas tight. Have you done these?

The fire and boiler for the purposes of this discussion is a single appliance and must be treated as such. You could possibly get a new fire front dependant on which back boiler you have.

 

[stem]

I'm puzzled by your post. Does an exposed gas back boiler look more attractive? Or were you thinking you could cover it? Also what has happened to the hole where the flue of the gas fire was?

 

[namsag]

The reason being the boiler is designed to pull in a certain amount of air for combustion and to aid products of combustion to flow up through the flue.
The appliance has been designed as one unit in respect of this by removing the fire it alters air flow through the flue.

 

[marcr]

dying to get rid of the dated fire

what, literally?
The gaping hole in the flue is why not. You need to tackle this safely.

Alternative fire fronts might be available for your back boiler.Also, Baxi are launching a condensing back boiler with electric fire front.

Make sure that whilst redecorating you don't cover up any purpose provided ventilation for it which would be equally unsafe.

 

[Faz2726]

Firstly im not breaking the law 'compitant' is a very loose term! don't worry i know how to check for gas leaks!

I am also aware that this boiler needs good ventilation , if i was to cover it over it would be in such away that it can still breathe and gain access.

So if the gas pipe going to the fire section was blanked off why would the boiler not work behind? i know they are ment to be one system but i want to know exactly why they have to be together. Maybe ignition?

 

[namsag]

So what part of if removed it affects the air flow through the flue do you not understand

 

[petit_pablo]

The fact that you are asking these questions about a back boiler suggests you arent "competant" to be working on the boiler.

Im hoping you arent too close to me

The fire and boiler are designed as 1 appliance. You now have 1/2 an appliance and presumably an open ended gas pipe

 

[Nige F]

I am also aware that this boiler needs good ventilation , if i was to cover it over it would be in such away that it can still breathe and gain access.Ii want to know exactly why they have to be together. Maybe ignition?

It`s to do with safely removing the burned gas fumes....

Part of the flue on top of the boiler is a "draft diverter" like an inverted funnel. This is a common feature of old boilers- whether back boilers or free standing- The flue depends entirely on being complete and the hot gas "exhaust" rising up and out - no powered bits ...No fail-safe device.

Back boiler combo`s have the flue from the fire as part of the draft diverter setup - and must be used with it in place - even if the fire is never used. I stopped working with gas when CORGI was introduced - just continued with plumbing/drainage/maintenance .So I know nowt` about modern boilers. and touch no gas appliances.

Welcome to the world of the Gas Engineer

I can`t laugh @ them this time because you DO have a potentially dangerous situation

 

[Faz2726]

Cheers NIge finally someone has answered my question , instead of going 'they are surposed to be together' obviously not know exactly why!

And for those that are worried i only took the fire off to clean, its all together now!!! Also thats the least of your worries i work with bombs and missiles for a living !!!!!!!

Run while you can !
Anyhow thanks everyone for you help.

 

[Agile]

I also have to say that you are not competent to work on a gas boiler installation when you dont know enough about them to know they have to be operated together.

As far as missiles are concerned, could I remind you of the Kirsk, the Russian sub where the explosives were ignited following a leak of peroxide propellant and blew the whole ship up?

I suppose you would also say that the Russian crew was also competent ?

Tony

 

[Faz2726]

you seem to be missing the point i was asking the question of why can it not be done?! it does not take a ' rocket scientist' to disconnect a gas pipe and reconnect and check for leaks , then pressure test it!

It seems very easy for people to say you cant do it but im sorry i have slightly more intellect and want to know exactly why you can't do this !

Take it you know that the Kirsk incident was due to rust! this also happened to us on HMS Sidon 1955!

 

[kitch0978]

did u carry out a spillage test on fire? please do.................

 

[Agile]

Yes, I was aware of the likely cause of the peroxide leak and I watched the NGeo reconstruction program as well ( as I do all the aircraft disasters ).

You reminded me of a Steve Curry who joined the BBC after being a navy submarines weapons electronics engineer. He was the only one out of 26 on deck who got shot in port at Aden. He had to leave the BBC later though.

A Gas engineer would test the gas supply to the boiler/fire and then operate the fire and do a test to ensure the products of combustion are safely removed by the chimney.

Its not terribly important exactly WHY the boiler or fire cannot be operated on their own. If the manufacturer says it must not be done then we must not do it !

Tony

 

[andytheplumber]

Just because you work with Bombs and Missiles does not make you and expert in gas and back boilers. This is obvious from you post.