Baxi Solo 3 PFL40 - Faulty please help!

[chiefwiggumpi]

Hi

New to this site just come across it and need your help please.

I have the above boiler and today it has stopped working correctly and wondered if anyone can help.

Its run via siemens timer and when the hot water was due to come on the boiler on light illuminates, the fan on light illuminmates and all seems normal in terms of its start up. No strange noises or rattles and i can hear the fan thats when it goes wrong.

The pilot on light doesnt illuminate and neither does the burner on light. The burner therefore obviiously doesnt light and the boiler work properly. It seems to sit in this state where the boiler on and fan on lights are on but the pilot on and burner on lights dont. This doesnt work with either the hot water or central heating. Read the manual and reset the boiler to no avail.

Anyone help please???

 

[seco services]

check the aps

 

[chiefwiggumpi]

sorry im hopeless with boliers what does aps mean?

 

[seco services]

air pressure switch.
its up near the fan. if your not sure what your doing then maybe best to get someone who know's the boiler

 

[chiefwiggumpi]

I thought thats what you meant and youre right i fully intend to get a corgi engineer in i was simply trying to get an idea of what the problem might be/cost so i can brace myself!!!

Ive read the manual and fault finding points me to the APS (about £40 i reckon) or the fan (about £140 i reckon) which would help me when im stood there and i get told its a new burner for example when its not and oh by the way APS is faulty scenario or maybe ive just watched too much tv! I suspect the APS or pipes leading to it maybe blocked? It seemed to be getting worse over past week and i was a bit parnoid something wasnt right then yesterday only way to get the pilot and burner to work was to turn on the central heating get the pilot/burner working then turn off the central heating on the timer and leave the hot water on then today boiler on fan then it just sits there...

Just want to be forearmed if you can help??!!

 

[seco services]

shouldn't make any difference if you turn on hw/heating as the boiler won't know this the boiler just knows its getting a live signal.

but it shouldn't take an engineer 10 mins to locate fault.
aps faulty, tubes blocked or fan.

 

[chiefwiggumpi]

thanks i guessed it shouldnt make any difference....

as for your diagnosis thats what i suspected aswell either of the three you mentioned just hope its blocked tubes !

I dont suppose it could be anything else could it from what ive said so like i keep saying im forearmed a bit?

 

[seco services]

no won't be anything else.
i find the fans on these get abit sticky but useally nothing abit of lub won't do.

 

[chiefwiggumpi]

thanks im going to get a corgi engineer in as soon as i can.

should i be suggesting either of those three to the engineer or is that just going to wind them up not that i enjoy telling people what to do just want to be helpful?

 

[seco services]

it can get their backs up.
just be prepered if he's trying to make more of a job out of it than what it needs.

don't fall for the boiler parts are obselete.

 

[chiefwiggumpi]

Thanks i should hope not its only 5 years old and to had to be repaired twice already....not impressed with it!

Your advice is greatly appreciated and ill just watch and be armed of the possibilties and await the result from the engineer. Thanks once again for your help

 

[seco services]

surprise useally a good boiler.

 

[gas4you]

I've had very little problems with the Solo 3 range, just the newer ones

 

[mikely]

I recently had similar problem with a Baxi Solo WM 50. The pipe ends at the air pressure switch had split, so not air tight. Simply trimmed off 10mm, pushed back on and all worked. This is less likely cause as your boiler is only 5 years old, mine is 17. The pressure switch is easily accessible on the WM50, don't know about the Solo 3.

 

[chiefwiggumpi]

Just a bit of an update....i was all set to call an engineer today when i accidently overnight left the timer to come one for CH. So when i woke i noticed the heating then i realised the pilot/burner must be working so when i checked i was right?!

Confused i turned off the CH and turned on HW +1 button and sure enough the HW came on (pilot/burner). Left it on for 1/2 hour then turned it off when i left.

Now im confused....came home tonight watched the burner on and fan on come on then waited for it to light and burner kick in but guess what it didnt! Any ideas why it work this morning not last night and not tonight? Is it likely to be a blocked/split pipe from the aps or more likely the fan?