Biasi boiler problem

[elevate100]

Hi guys,

My girlfriend has a Biasi Prisma 24SE boiler 1996, Type C which has been causing problems for months now and was hoping someone could point me in the right direction as money is tight and cant afford to risk calling out anyone who is just out to make a quick buck and not sort out the problem.

The kitchen and bathroom sink hot water works fine (hot and plenty of pressure although the water is misty in colour) but when trying to run a bath the water remains cold when turned on full. However when turning the hot water tap down to a slow trickle the water then becomes hot but takes hours to fill a bath!

Not being in any way competent with boilers or plumbing any help would be much appreciated as she's starting to smell a little!

[/i]

 

[Agile]

We charge a fixed price diagnostic fee of £84 in our local area and any parts required are extra.

We always sort out the problem!

Does that fall within your definition of making a quick buck?

It will not be exactly within your definition as we fix all boilers which we attend!

Tony Glazier

 

[mrgas]

Your boiler may be working correctly.
It is only a 24Kw boiler which will only heat a small amount of water at a time, about 9lts/min.
Your bath tap possibly passes more water than the boiler can heat up.
Fillng a hot bath with a 24Kw combi will take some time

 

[Agile]

A 24 kW boiler will heat about 8 litres per minute at the time of year.

It will take about 14 minutes to fill to about a standard 150mm!

Of course many people like it filled to about 300 mm or more!

Tony

 

[glasgowgas]

check your flow rate coming out of your hot tap. turn off combi, find a measuring jug or similar, you are looking to pass through tap approx 1 litre of water in 6.5 seconds. once you achieve this water temp rise is about 35 degrees C

 

[elevate100]

Many thanks for your time guys, as for the bath taking longer to heat up i can understand but we're talking about 2 hours to half fill a bath which in any situation is ridiculous! plus its only started happening in the last several months. I did notice that the boiler does seem to continually light and then stop while trying to run the bath, not sure if this is in any way connected or not?

We charge a fixed price diagnostic fee of £84 in our local area and any parts required are extra.

We always sort out the problem!

Does that fall within your definition of making a quick buck?

It will not be exactly within your definition as we fix all boilers which we attend!

Tony Glazier

That depends Agile, i've been ripped off many times by paying out for parts that i later found out wasn't required! and as a mechanical/electrical engineer myself i know that by changing numerous parts you can eventually cure any problem which doesn't take any great skill but does make 1 person richer and another poorer which is why im always hesitant to call out anyone that hasn't been recommended by a friend, hence trying to get as much information as to possible causes before shelling out on call out fees.

 

[mrgas]

Sounds like you might have cold mains water cooling your hot near the bath. Shower mixer Maybe non return valves or mixer tap problems.
Measure where abouts your hot water turns cooler

 

[Gasguru]

Turn hot tap on full and gas rate the boiler..see the FAQs, post results.

Use a measuring jug and set the flowrate at the bath tap as posted before...a 35 degree rise should give an adequate bath temperature.

Shut off the cold feed to the boiler...2nd isolating valve in from the right. Turn on bath tap...does water stop?

 

[Agile]

That depends Agile, i've been ripped off many times by paying out for parts that i later found out wasn't required!

Can you name just ONE firm who you think has ripped you off?

How did you find out afterwards, many times, that parts fitted were not required?

If those parts were not required then what had repaired the boiler?

Tony

 

[elevate100]

Many Thanks for the response Gasguru i will give that a go and post results next time im round her house.

Can you name just ONE firm who you think has ripped you off?

How did you find out afterwards, many times, that parts fitted were not required?

If those parts were not required then what had repaired the boiler?

Firstly Agile what possible difference does it matter what company it was and how is that relevant to the problem?

Secondly it wasn't a boiler problem i had but central heating problems, and i found out because the exact same fault happened a week after i'd paid out for a new water pump, the second company i called in found a blockage in the pipes causing the problem and was told the pump was not the fault, also i was charged for a new pump and was informed that the one fitted was second hand and at least 8 years old!

The fault had not been found, it had been temporarily overcome by the fitting of the pump and dozens of dents in my pipes where the first so called engineer had hit them with a spanner to try to free the blockage. As i said in the beginning im not in any way suggesting ALL companys are cowboys but being in the trade myself i know there are good competent engineers and those that fly by the seat of their pants, and with money being tight im trying to find the best way to get the problem fixed the first time with minimum hastle and costs.[/quote]

 

[Agile]

That depends Agile, i've been ripped off many times by paying out for parts that i later found out wasn't required!

You said that you have been ripped off "many times" !

It now sounds as it was really only once!

Its always interesting to hear which companies are giving poor quality service.

However, what you describe seems to be to be just a wrong diagnosis rather than intentionally and fraudently ripping you off.

Fitting a used pump and charging for a new one is fraudent though and you should have asked for part of the charge back. Even more reason you you to name them so that no one else reading here gets caught by them.

Tony