Baxi Bermuda 552 fire won't ignite - safe to leave?

[VogonPoet]

I've just moved into a new house which has a Baxi Bermuda 552 fire and back boiler heating system. The fire operated OK the first time I tested it and hasn't been on since.

Today I had to turn the electricity supply off to do some electrical work and it occured to me that doing so might have extinguished a pilot light somewhere - so I turned the electricity back on and tried the fire. And tried again, and again. It will not light.

I can see a pilot light burning somewhere behind the fire so I think the back boiler side of things is operating normally. I just can't get the fire itself to ignite. This isn't really a problem for me as I rely solely upon the central heating and leave the fire switched off, I'd just like some reassurance that it is safe to leave it as is.

I think the fire uses a piezo igniter, so am I right in thinking there is no pilot light on the fire side of things - so as long as the knob on the side is turned off I don't have to worry about a small, unlit stream of gas escaping into the room?

 

[Agile]

The fire ignites when you turn the knob and it activates a pizo spark generator.

So its safe to leave until you can get it serviced/repaired.

BBUs need servicing every year and as a new owner I would recommend that's done soon as you don't know the history.

Tony

 

[Sirbendy]

I think you're right - the fire is piezo ignition. Ours can be a pain in the arse - if you click it and it fires, then you accidentally release it before the thermocouple is ready, it makes you wait and wait before it allows a relight.

I would be surprised if it allowed a gas stream without an active burner - I'm fairly sure that's why you need to hold it down and click initially, to override the gas cutoff while it lights.

I could be talking utter cobblers, of course..I'm only an IT tech, heh.

Oh yes, and I agree - get it fully serviced, and get a CO detector too - sage advice given to me 2 years ago when our "new" house had it's first BBU service in what the guy reckoned was a "ruddy long time".

 

[Agile]

Sounds like Bendy has a later BBU model with safety device in the fire.

I don't think the early ( most ) of them had any.

Tony

 

[VogonPoet]

Thanks, that has set my mind at rest. I'll look into getting the whole lot serviced as you suggest.