boiler completely shut down :(

[sunny84]

Hello there, had a new baxi combi boiler put in last october and on friday night i had the heating on everything was fine then sat morning - no hot water so i had a look and the display was totally off, it wont switch on or off its like its completely dead - any ideas. i hope this isnt a major job because i only had it put in to save money as my old back boiler was costing me a fortune in repairs and .... typical

 

[doitall]

Have you checked the fuse in the switch/plug and a the breaker.

 

[sunny84]

The engineer has just been out - he said its not the boiler its a fuse thats gone when the electric ran out but he cant touch it. thing is the electrics are really old - not been changed since the house was built in the 1960s. he said the whole electrics might need replacing and now im in a complete panic i cant afford that id have to live without heating and hot water! my dad is going to check the fuse wires tonight

 

[doitall]

An engineer that can't change a fuse wire

Perhaps you should get Dad to show you how to do it.

 

[sunny84]

Yeah he wouldnt touch it said he wasnt allowed to do anything with the main electric box!!! he made sure he stayed for his tea and biscuits before he left tho and told me to "get your dad to have a look then"!!! cheers!

 

[nickso]

not being funny but it is your house and your fuse, perhaps you should learn to replace the fusewire yourself.

 

[Agile]

It seems to me that he was not prepared to touch it because of the very dangerious state of the wiring.

I went somewhere like that last week where all five ways of the old consumer unit had cartridge fuses and all of them had been "repaired" by winding wire round them!

 

[dcawkwell]

Switch power off at fuse box.
Pull cartridge out where the fuse has gone.
If you don't know which it is take each out in turn and examine.

Get fuse wire of correct rating for that cartridge it will be marked on the cartridge e.g. 5Amp 20amp etc and a small screwdriver replace wire.

What could be easier.

Are we saying that if British gas or npower turn up to fix a boiler and it
turns out to be the fuse wire they won't replace it? Good grief.
The very least I would have done was wire it to a plug and tell them
to get an extension lead while they fixed the wiring in the house.

 

[doitall]

Actually it would be interesting to know how the engineer discounted the boiler without electric to test it with.

 

[Phill Peck]

 

[Phill Peck]

a heating engineer and an electrician are 2 very different thing although you do get the some qualified in both.

if your engineer was not confident/competent in electrics then you cant blame him for not wanting to get involved in what you describe yourself as "really old" wiring . if it was me and i didnt like the look of your electrics i would have wired your boiler on a flying lead and plugged(with 3amp fuse) into a circuit breaker so i could be sure the boiler was working this would then give you a working boiler and time to decide what to do about your electrics.

some fuse boards can have breakers plugged in, take one of your fuses to a electrical merchants with the make of your board and they may be able to sell you some. personally i think you are aware that your electrics may need attention and from a safety point of view you should probably have them checked but i am aware that these things can be expensive.[/quote]

 

[Boilerman2]

I find it hard to imagine a "SERVCE" Engineer with NO ELECTRICAL SKILLS???? 70% of Breakdowns are in someway electrical !!

 

[doitall]

I find it hard to imagine a "SERVCE" Engineer with NO ELECTRICAL SKILLS???? 70% of Breakdowns are in someway electrical !!

I don't see how you could do servicing with no electrical skills.

 

[Phill Peck]

Boiler repairs would be electronics not electrics

I don't touch electrics other than working from a spur

In this situation I would say there is a reason why the fuse blew and I don't have the correct equipment to test that It is safe so I wouldn't be happy to reconnect

 

[durhamplumber]

Boiler repairs are electronics!! What a load of nonsense.Checking continuity,voltages to components,resistances etc,basic electrics,nothing to do with electronics,me thinks you must be looking to take a rise out of us!!