baxi 551 back boiler problems

[damon6969]

Hi guys,
I have been having a problem for a couple of weeks with my back boiler about blowing off the wall when first igniting, it only happens when it's been off for a few hours.

Today I have had a plumber out who witnessed it this morning and concluded it was most likely a problem with my pilot light. He stripped the boiler and cleaned the pilot valves, heat exchanger and various other parts and finished up by increasing the pilot flame. Everything was put back together then boiler turned on and everything seemed to be fine.

However as my heating and water came on tonight it did it again on first ignition, again no problem after first ignition if you turn water and heating off and back on again.

I have telephoned the plumber who is now saying it must be a problem with the gas valve itself and can get me a new one and fit for £150. I have already paid £80 for service today and now not sure if the guy actually knows what he is talking about at no time today did I actually see him pressure test what was going through the system and when I asked him on the phone if this could be the problem he got quite shirty with me.

Any help please, Damon

 

[bazdaman]

Please get a different engineer, if its what it sounds like to me then 26/9 checks would have picked it up and they have to be carried out if its stripped down!

 

[Richardthe3rd]

Hi guys,
I have been having a problem for a couple of weeks with my back boiler about blowing off the wall when first igniting, it only happens when it's been off for a few hours.

Today I have had a plumber out who witnessed it this morning and concluded it was most likely a problem with my pilot light. He stripped the boiler and cleaned the pilot valves, heat exchanger and various other parts and finished up by increasing the pilot flame. Everything was put back together then boiler turned on and everything seemed to be fine.

However as my heating and water came on tonight it did it again on first ignition, again no problem after first ignition if you turn water and heating off and back on again.

I have telephoned the plumber who is now saying it must be a problem with the gas valve itself and can get me a new one and fit for £150. I have already paid £80 for service today and now not sure if the guy actually knows what he is talking about at no time today did I actually see him pressure test what was going through the system and when I asked him on the phone if this could be the problem he got quite shirty with me.

Any help please, Damon

It's an old boiler Damon & frankly if it needs a new gas valve, that's par for the course. I don't see how this repair could be done any differently. Another £150 is a lot cheaper than a new boiler & while it's annoying, sorry but that's tough.

If by pressure testing you mean tightness testing, that's not going to diagnose a faulty gas valve.

 

[dcawkwell]

Sounds like the gas isn't igniting straight away until it has to got
explosive amounts.
Perhaps too much pressure at the burner.
I would get someone else in.

 

[bellairaphon]

Did he leave you any paperwork?

Nath

 

[Richardthe3rd]

Please get a different engineer, if its what it sounds like to me then 26/9 checks would have picked it up and they have to be carried out if its stripped down!

Oh yeah, please enlighten us, what's a 26/9 check?? Would that fully check a multi-function gas valve? Solenoid, pilot, regulator etc etc??

 

[JBPHS]

I agree with bazdaman.

I'd advise you to get a second opinion. Why has he had to increase the pilot? If he had any doubts about the gas valve, he should have raised these before he left the job, not second guessing afterwards when he thought everthing was ok.

James.

 

[JBPHS]

Please get a different engineer, if its what it sounds like to me then 26/9 checks would have picked it up and they have to be carried out if its stripped down!

Oh yeah, please enlighten us, what's a 26/9 check??

A gas safe engineer would understand.



James.

 

[bazdaman]

Please get a different engineer, if its what it sounds like to me then 26/9 checks would have picked it up and they have to be carried out if its stripped down!

Oh yeah, please enlighten us, what's a 26/9 check?? Would that fully check a multi-function gas valve? Solenoid, pilot, regulator etc etc??

Are you for real you clown

 

[Richardthe3rd]

Sounds like the gas isn't igniting straight away until it has to got
explosive amounts.
Perhaps too much pressure at the burner.
I would get someone else in.

I agree DC, however, the chances are the boiler was a bit manky & in need of a good service anyway. Perhaps he had difficulty establishing a pilot? Regardless, it's an intermittent fault, so I wouldn't blame the guy outright, he's serviced the appliance for 80 quid, which is fair.

 

[Richardthe3rd]

I agree with bazdaman.

I'd advise you to get a second opinion. Why has he had to increase the pilot? If he had any doubts about the gas valve, he should have raised these before he left the job, not second guessing afterwards when he thought everthing was ok.

James.

He serviced a BBU & left it in working order. No one can tell to what extent the explosive ignition was, we were not there.

 

[Richardthe3rd]

Please get a different engineer, if its what it sounds like to me then 26/9 checks would have picked it up and they have to be carried out if its stripped down!

Oh yeah, please enlighten us, what's a 26/9 check??

A gas safe engineer would understand.



James.

Jaz son I'm a RGI & I can also read, it doesn't say he 'increased the pilot'.
Have any of you young pups ever worked on BBUs??

 

[JBPHS]

I agree with bazdaman.

I'd advise you to get a second opinion. Why has he had to increase the pilot? If he had any doubts about the gas valve, he should have raised these before he left the job, not second guessing afterwards when he thought everthing was ok.

James.

He serviced a BBU & left it in working order. No one can tell to what extent the explosive ignition was, we were not there.

True we were not there, so his 'service' may not be what I call a service. One thing he hasn't done is repaired a fault (something I class as different to a service). Someone on here must think that explosive ignition is a sign of the appliance functioning safely.

James.

 

[Richardthe3rd]

Please get a different engineer, if its what it sounds like to me then 26/9 checks would have picked it up and they have to be carried out if its stripped down!

Oh yeah, please enlighten us, what's a 26/9 check?? Would that fully check a multi-function gas valve? Solenoid, pilot, regulator etc etc??

Are you for real you clown

Chris, you can be a gobby wee turd, which is a shame as you are clearly quite well informed.

 

[JBPHS]

and finished up by increasing the pilot flame.

What does that mean Richardthe3rd?

Please show me some respect that I deserve by at least spelling my name correctly. I may forget to stop my computer from auto-correcting your name to what Steelmasons and many others on here aptly name you.

What do you mean by young pup?

A note to Damon, there is a closed forum on here called the Combustion Chamber for registered gas safe engineers. I believe that Richardthe3rd has attempted to join but has failed, bearing in mind that the requirement to enter is a gas safe registration number.

James.