Baxi Duotec Plate Heat exchanger.

[Swiftyx2]

Hi Folks,
I have Corgi Homeplan insurance for my central heating.
My hot water has started to play up so I ring Corgi the engineer comes out says debris in plate heat exchanger.
And guess what not covered by Home plan.!!!!
Is this a big job or something a mechanical engineer could take on??.
(I service robots and machines for a job).
I have found the part online so my question is should I attempt myself or leave to professional heating engineer.

Thanks any advise would be much appreciated.

Regards

Steve.

 

[ianmcd]

Easy enough job and you will not be working on anything gas so nothing to stop you doing it yourself, dont be surprised if when you change the PHEX though that you still have the same problem, more likely to be the Div valve cartridge on that boiler

 

[Swiftyx2]

Hi Ian,

Thanks for your reply.
I am very interested in your comment as the Div valve cartridge would be covered by the insurance?.
Problem description, water warm not hot unless you slow water flow, very noisy boiler. The service engineer and repair engineer from Corgi both said plate heat exchanger?.

Any info to argue with Corgi greatly appreciated.

Steve.

 

[gasbusters]

What a bonkers warranty if they dont cover the heat exchanger, wheres your plate hex? In the garden up the tree? Nope, in the boiler? Yes, we insure the boiler, but not that part. Wtf

Isolate cold in, drain boiler, unscrew, take out, using brick acid, about a tenner, WEAR GLOVES AND GOGGLE, leave it in for 30 mins, flush out with hot water, repeat, i always repeat. Tap with rubber mallet gently.

Flush through with lots of cold water, lots to clear out all acid. Put back together and should be ok.

 

[bazdaman]

Does the temp display rise rapidly to 80c plus?

 

[Swiftyx2]

Gas busters, Corgi are saying it’s either blocked with sludge or debris from pipes and the not covered?. Crazy and that’s me finding another insurance.
I have seen a new Part for £40 so should I just fit a new one instead of cleaning old one?.

Bazdaman, I will have a look and let you know after work.

Thanks both.

 

[gasbusters]

Gas busters, Corgi are saying it’s either blocked with sludge or debris from pipes and the not covered?. Crazy and that’s me finding another insurance.
I have seen a new Part for £40 so should I just fit a new one instead of cleaning old one?.

Bazdaman, I will have a look and let you know after work.

Thanks both.

£40 for a new one seems waaay too cheap, its only going to be one thats been cleaned.

Your better of cleaning your own one. Brick acid is used by a lot of engineers, its very powerful.

Basically your plate heat exchanger will be blocked with scale, its almost always the case. Same as an electric kettle has scale build up over time. The brick acid dissolves this quickly and effectively leaving it shiney and new looking.

Now unless the insurance lot came and took it apart, theres no way they would know its blocked with sludge and debris. Its a cop out on their part. The hex will probably be the top 3 or 4 parts that require attention on a boiler. They know this so find excuses to avoid dealing with it. These insurance policies are a scam.

 

[Swiftyx2]

gasbusters,

Thank you for your help.
I am going to take on the insurance and see how I get on.
If I don’t succeed I will try the “brick acid” method.

Thanks again.

Regards

Steve.

 

[ianmcd]

with the heating cold, run a hot tap and when the boiler fires feel the flow and return pipes at the boiler, if one is getting hot it is the diverter valve that is faulty

 

[bazdaman]

with the heating cold, run a hot tap and when the boiler fires feel the flow and return pipes at the boiler, if one is getting hot it is the diverter valve that is faulty

Blocked plate forces heat down flow pipe