Comission before Powerflush?

[rjm2k]

Just had a new WB 30si installed and it turns out the guy has comissioned the boiler before powerflushing the system, I'm assuming it should have been done before letting that water into the boiler? The reason was that the company powerflush machine was on another job so wont be arriving until tomorrow! Is it likely this will have caused any damage for the short time it's been like this? Sounds like he's run the heating to make sure it works (which I will have to do again for a short time to make sure it works), after that it wont be used until after the flush.

 

[gas4you]

Won't make any difference.

 

[John506]

Ideally for the boiler's sake it would have been good to flush the system before the new boiler was all connected up, but it's not law that it you have to flush it.

If he fitted a new boiler the drain down of the system would have got rid of alot of sludge if your system is badly corroded.

If he is coming back pretty soon to flush it, I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[rjm2k]

Thanks, assuming he actually performs the flush then it should be ok, how can I tell if it's been flushed?

Now there's just the complete eyesore of wiring he put in, is there anything to say the boiler can't be hooked into the light circuit, it's protected by a 3amp fused spur, would be alot more convenient than the current mess. Then there's the missing bleed nipple from one of the radiators which 'dissappeared' when he was working on it I hope he finds a replacement for!

 

[spacethegas]

show a picture ?

 

[Agile]

Is it likely this will have caused any damage for the short time it's been like this? Sounds like he's run the heating to make sure it works (which I will have to do again for a short time to make sure it works), after that it wont be used until after the flush.

Its not clear to me if this is a combi or a heat only.

It is unwise to run a combi on CH before the system is flushed but a heat only will make little difference.

You dont seem very trusting of the installers competence!

If its a combi then you fiddling with it before the installer has finished is not going to help and if a combi is likely to get dirt into the plate HE.

Is there plenty of space on the left of the boiler in case this model requires it to get the plate out to clean later?

Tony

 

[rjm2k]

It's a combi, I was just surprised that the instructions keep stating that the system must be flushed before installation yet he didn't, apparently because the flushing machine wasn't available. I am trusting of his competence, just not his tidyness! He's done an excellent job and been thorough in finding a drop caused by a slight leak in my gas hob. Wasn't so keen on his apprentice who turned up this morning and started to try and snap the rubber covering which is supposed to be fitted to the outside of the flue, in addition to placing one of my tools in his toolbox mind!

I was a little surprised at his confusion about a mystery "extra" pipe which came out of the boiler "early, before the electronic valve and everything" until I pointed out it was most likely what kept the bathroom radiator hot even when the heating was off just hot water on, I guess he hadn't seen many of those type of installation?

I haven't fiddled with anything, he left the heating running when he went home so the only thing I did was turn that off (down to the frost prevention level) as it was too hot in the house with it on at the moment.

This is a poor photo of the wiring, I've asked if it's possible to run it down from upstairs so it's pretty much hidden by the pipes rather than sprawling across my kitchen wall like this.

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• rjm2k
• 1 Oct 2008
• 2

 

[gas4you]

Not too clear in this pic, but the flex from the double socket should be 2.5mm2 and the socket should be a ring main and not a spur.

 

[rjm2k]

Not too clear in this pic, but the flex from the double socket should be 2.5mm2 and the socket should be a ring main and not a spur.

Thanks, I don't know the size of the flex but it's whatever the boiler comes with as he hacked a bit off the end and used it to patch to the mains socket, it's a Worcester Bosch Greenstar 30si. Come to think of it, I have some mains twin and earth in the garage and I'm 99% sure the flex is not 2.5mm is this a real issue even though it's on the wrong side of the 3amp fuse surely there will never be more than 3amps drawn on it?

No idea if the socket is a spur or not, I'll have a look at some point but in the past I've found sockets which I expected to be on the ring to be spurs! As long as I get the Powerflush, Benchmark and whatever other certificate I need I can sort the wiring and then tiling out myself after a few weeks of it running ok. I don't really want to leave the flex like that as my young nephew could decide to investigate and pull it out, plus it looks ugly, such an approach might be ok tucked away in an airing cupboard but not in view above a kitchen worktop. I have asked him to do something about it so fingers crossed when I get home.

What's with breaking a hole into the front of the fused switch and then using silicone sealant to fill round it, don't they make them with proper front exit holes? I can't imagine there is anything holding the outer flex in there, just the screws holding the actual wires.

 

[diverdee]

was he called bodgit or scarper !!

 

[diverdee]

should have a benchmark filled in gas safety sheet and minor works electrical form

 

[gas4you]

It does make a difference if it is not 2.5mm2. The boiler flex is probably 0.75mm2, or 1.0mm2 at best.

The flex between the socket and the fused spur has to be able to safely handle the maximum amount of current that the switched fused spur could supply if someone changed what it is used for ie 13 amps,

He was obviously not Part P registered to carry out wiring in the kitchen then

 

[rjm2k]

Thanks for your help, no idea if he's part P registered or not TBH, the company is Corgi, Fmb, Corgi electrical etc etc registered so I think he was just being lazy. Thankfully he's done what I asked and run some 2.5mm T&E down from upstairs which means it's all tucked away at the far side of the boiler nice and tidy. He's left a ROBIN Minor works for for the electrical, filled in the Benchmark in the back of the installation guide including his corgi number which I checked online. Also filled in the claim your 2nd year guarantee form from WB despite being told the company who installed it guarantee for 5 years.

No gas safety cert yet and no Building regs compliance. Then again, I haven't paid anything other than the deposit yet!

I daren't think what he's wired the 2.5mm cable into upstairs but suppose I will have to pay a visit to the fuseboard to work it out at some point.

I guess this is an example of the wonderful world of certification or "red
tape", you can qualify someone till the cows come home, but actually getting them to do a proper job is another thing, thankfully with some pursuasion this time it seems to have worked out ok. He could have issued that Minor works form for the underrated, loose wired first attempt he did, just a meaningless peace of paper really

Anyway, here's the improved installation with the trailing underrated wire removed and the switch now under the boiler

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• rjm2k
• 2 Oct 2008
• 2

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• rjm2k
• 2 Oct 2008
• 1

 

[rjm2k]

Ok, just spoke to the manager there, apparently I don't get a gas safety certificate as the benchmark and other certificates cover it. I will be getting a Corgi cert which says its ok with building regs, WBosch cert and an extended 5 year guarantee since the installer was WB accredited. Lots of paperwork!!

 

[tonybhoy]

Looks like a nice job yer man has done there however I ,personally,would have fitted drain valves to both the flow and return under the boiler seeing as they both rise right away. I know there is a drain in the boiler but.....