Combi pilot flame keeps going out

[wiffers2003]

Hi,
I'm new to this forum and am hoping for some guidance.
I've just moved house and our Potterton Performa 24 combi boiler (3 years old) pilot flame has managed to go out 5 times in two weeks. Its fairly easy to reset but very annoying as we find ourselves checking the light everytime we turn on a tap.

Also, our shower pressure is pretty rubbish and i read on here that combi boliers should give a good shower pressure. Its a mixer shower and to get the temp useable the water pressure has to come through quite slow otherwise it's only warm or goes completely cold (which is not pleasant when you are all soaped up !)

I understand that the water has to go through slower to be hotter but can't understand why Potterton would sell a boiler that could only "just" heat the water at a reasonable rate. We also have to boil the kettle to wash up as it takes ages for the hot to come through, so the kettle gets pored into warm water.

Any help would be very appreciated.
Many thanks, Carl

 

[Nixt]

Potterton haven't sold a boiler that 'just' heats the water to a reasonable rate, your boiler might have a fault. The combi does not produce high water pressure it delivers hot water at mains pressure (no higher than is available at your property). You can download the user intructions from their site and check the basics. Then you may wish to post back for help.

 

[baxpoti]

pilot flame has managed to go out 5 times in two weeks.

There is no 'pilot' on this boiler!!!!!!!!!!

This boiler will deliver approx 10lt/min at 35ºC rise

 

[Agile]

A common cause of ignition failure on your model is the gas valve minimum pressure setting.

This requires a competent CORGI engineer though.

It should have been checked on a PROPER service but many dont!

Has your boiler ever been serviced?

Tony

 

[wiffers2003]

Thanks for your replies.
i noticed in the manual that the gas pressure should be 20mbar, however the guy who installed it 3 years ago wrote down that it had 12mbar.
Going by your other comments i think i'll get it serviced by potterton and see if they can adjust the pressure.
Maybe if the pressure goes up to 20mbar, then i'll also have a bigger flame to heat the water quicker as well for the shower !!!!
Does that sound about right?

 

[Gasguru]

I think you're getting confused. The 20 mbar refers to the nominal inlet pressure to the boiler. The installer wrote down 12 mbar which will be the burner pressure (which from memory is about right).


Is the pressure gauge needle on about 1 Bar?

If the boiler has the "enhanced" overheat stat the boiler could be locking out due to overheating.

 

[wiffers2003]

Oh ok thanks Gasguru.
The pressure guage is at 1.
Not sure about the enhanced bit i'll have a look in the manual and get back to you.

Is there another way i can increase the pressure to the shower, or is it likely that the boiler could be blocked somehow which reduces the flow rate?!?!? The cold pressure is fine, really forcful, but it really slows down when you turn the guage to the correct warm useable temp.

 

[Agile]

Yes, what is the "enhanced o/h stat?

Is it a ( cheaper ) auto reset one?

Tony

 

[Gasguru]

Unless I'm mistaken (and I easily get confused with all the different Baxi/Potterton combis in recent years), the Performa 24 and Baxi 80eco had the overheat stat on the flow pipework.

If an overheat occured you had to open up the boiler and manually reset it. The replacement stat doesn't have the manual reset button and is wired into the ignition sense lead. Hence an overheat will go to lockout requireing a reset on the front panel after cooling a little.

 

[Agile]

Thats what I thought, an auto reset o/h stat.

I did not realise they were then connected to the ignition lockout out circuit.

If you were really naughty you could fit an auto reset o/h stat in place of the manual reset. That would make it just like the other 99% of boilers.

Tony

 

[wiffers2003]

Flame went out again today and had to reset it.....again !

I've checked the manual and it doesn't mention an "enhanced" overheat stat, just a normal overheat stat.

How comes it needs to be reset if there is no pilot flame, Baxpoti wrote above that there isn't a pilot flame.....i'm confused.

 

[Agile]

It needs to be reset because the boiler has overheated.

There is no pilot light!

You need to find and fix the CAUSE of overheating.

Tony

 

[wiffers2003]

I just noticed while passing that when CH is on the burner only lights for 10 seconds then goes out, then immediately relights for another 10 seconds and goes out relights etc etc.
Is this the normal operation to heat the CH water, as it seems stuck in this on-off cycle. It does stop the on-off cycle once the CH water has heated, it just seems strange that it only stays on for 10 seconds.
When DHM is required the burner stays on constantly.

Thanks again
Carl

 

[gas4you]

Don't really know these but I would check the CH thermistor/ntc.

 

[dom2466]

How did you get on fixing you problem?
am very interesd to know the out come of this as i am a plumber ad taining in gas installation and repairs. all this really helps me thanks