Boulter economy

[lro007]

hi...I have a problem with my boiler...when I moved to this rented house last March, the boiler was still working fine...then I didn't noticed that it's oil level had came to critical level but my wife still kept using it unknowingly...and just recently noticed that it my have ran out of oil. Thus, I had it top-up the other day, but afterwards when I turned it on, it won't produce heat even with our water. I could hear that its running but there's also an on & off sound clicking at the red box inside. I saw in the paperwork attached in it that it was last serviced 2004 so I'm worried that I may need to ask my landlord to probably buy a new one...we haven't told him yet coz we're trying to check first if we could resolve it by minor mending, but if not then he'll have to sort it out(coz he lives abroad now). I'm really not knowledgeable with boilers so I can't say anymore about its problem other than what I had observed & heard as above. Hope you could help us, coz we need heating very urgently...Thanks in advance for your help / advice.

 

[kevplumb]

check the filter on the oil inlet pipe

 

[lro007]

hi...thanks for your quick reply. Is that filter the one that shaped like small pot connected in between the pipes and outside the boiler? Because i did already tried to check if the heating oil is flowing without problems within the pipes entering the boiler...and there's oil coming in to the pipe going to the red box or is that the motor in it?...

 

[lro007]

My boiler still not working, eventhough it's already been checked by a local technician here in my area. When he first came to see what the problem was, he told me it just needs cleaning coz it was not been serviced for more than 5 yrs now. So he came back the next day and cleaned it inside out, and had it worked. But after he left and few hour more, it stopped producing heat again, and we heard a strange sound from it...it sounds like a car's cambelt came off and kept on rubbing onto something while the machine is running. So, we had the technician came round again after few days of agony with the freeze at home, he said he'll replaced the pump but have to order it, which took him another week before he came back and put that new part on. But after putting it, he still could not work it out why the boiler is not heating up and we could still hear that strange noise coming from it. He seemed could not locate what's causing that noise, so he told us he'll come back before christmas as he will call Boulter company to ask about the problem. But until now he stiil haven't called us back despite daily messages we left with his number. Although I'm thinking he might not attend any call service at the moment due to holidays or he might not contacted anybody yet from Boulter due to holidays as well. The problem now is we're freezing cold due to winter season here and we could not find anybody at the moment due to holidays as well. I hope you could help. Thank you so much for your time.

 

[casius66]

Should be down to your landlord to ensure the boiler is working, ideally getting it serviced every year and then getting it fixed when it's broken.

Does the boiler go to lock out when you hear the noise?
Did the engineer check for water in the oil when changing the pump?

 

[lro007]

thanks for your post...the engineer did came back and he tried to check out all the things you have suggested on this site related to this topic...afterwards, the boiler started to heat up...he said he'll try to come back on the following day to check the smoke its burning outside as it was already dark at that time...we had it turned on for 5 hours as it was really freezing and the boiler seemed working fine as it was heating very well. The next day when I turned it on again, it failed to produce heat again, the engineer came and checked something on the boiler and after an hour, its heating but not warm as before. The engineer said he'll turn it off and said not to turn it on again becuse its dangerous for us, apparently the boiler is not burning oil properly and the smoke it produces is black color. He said he could not do anything more, and suggested that my landlord need to buy a new boiler. So that's what had happened with our boiler and now we'll just have to contend with using portable electric radiators as my landlord is still trying to look for a new boiler. Thank you for all your time and advices...

 

[Terrywookfit]

This bloke is clueless.
Find someone who is competent.

 

[casius66]

I agree with last post.
Why not ask your oil supplier to recommend someone if they don't have their own in house guys?

 

[lro007]

thanks for your replies...yes the engineer was an OFTEC recommended...my landlord is now trying to look for a new boiler and he's thinking of changing to gas boiler now...

 

[Tibbot]

thanks for your replies...yes the engineer was an OFTEC recommended...my landlord is now trying to look for a new boiler and he's thinking of changing to gas boiler now...

No-one is Oftec recommended; just registered. Should the same amount of care to find a repairer be used to find a good installer; be prepared for as much grief with your new one.

 

[Burnerman]

Its absolutely none of my business but I think things are going on a crazy direction...all your boiler seems to need is a service by a competent person. The boiler is obviously heavily sooted up, and the clicking noise you hear is the control box - or rather the photocell- seeing a flame out condition and trying to reignite the thing.
The boiler engineer is clearly a moron - but there are plenty about who aren't.
John

 

[casius66]

I'm amazed the landlord is happy to go down the new boiler path without investigating further - couple of hundred£ Vs couple of thousand£. My experience is they want least outlay for most return.

The boiler just needs a competent boiler man out to it and they aren't necessarily Oftec registered.

If you get your oil supplied by one of the big oil companies they will have service engineers and it's worth getting a 2nd opinion before going the new boiler route.

 

[Tibbot]

The boiler just needs a competent boiler man out to it and they aren't necessarily Oftec registered.quote]

Or you could check for engineers who have worked before OFTEC became mandatory for self certs. in 2002. In recent years many have joined the profession which hasn't grown nearly as fast as new memberships.

 

[lro007]

thank you guys for all your advises...yeah, I will suggest to my landlord to try to get another engineer to check it out again for a different opinion.