F5 error code and cold rads.+BG!

[Ajbrox]

Hi. We have just moved into our new house (5 bed detached, built around 1991) and are having some heating/boiler issues! It's currently running a glow worm ultra power sxi with a ext control unit. All seemed well other than a few non working rads (tried bleeding but no air in them). We were getting hot water and CH when needed. Anyway I came home a couple of days ago jumped in the shower to find the water was only lukewarm, went to the boiler and its flashing F5 overheat fault code, so reset via the front panel reset button and it fired back up...lasted around 10 mins then cut out back to F5. This has happened around 10 times in the course of 2-3 days so decided to get British Gas to take a look as the previous home owner still had a running home care attached to the property. They agreed to visit and upon arrival proceed to explain how this has been a problem property and have power flushed the rads. Fitted various boiler sensors, used chemicals, (I have all he paperwork) seemingly to no avail in an attempt to what they claim is to de-sludge the pipe work (plastic pipe all through buried in the wall by the way) looks like 10 mm to me coming up to the rads. Anyway they claim to have done all they can and the next step is to completely re-pipe the house in copper as a solution at a cost of £5000+? This sounds crazy to me. Is there another solution? I managed to get it out of the BG tech that they hadn't actually power flushed the system as you can't power flushed plastic piping but they had done the rads?? All very confusing and I'm in need of some advice thanks for any help you may offer.

 

[Ajbrox]

Forgot to add, BG cleared the f5 code, added some chemical to the boiler, topped up the water. And tested the overheat valve which they say is fine? And just to use it and see how we go on...

 

[Agile]

The plastic tube, can you measure the outside diameter?

Even if repiping was required, an independent is likely to do it for far less, probably a lot less than £1000 if the floors can be taken up easily.

But its difficult to guess what is wrong on an internet forum.

Tony

 

[cross thread]

restricted plastic is a issue that is best resolved by re piping

 

[Ajbrox]

Thanks for the reply. I'm pretty sure the rad ones look 10mm.there is some exposed stuff going to an extension over the garage which looks about 13mm with all press fit connections...

 

[Ajbrox]

Here's one of the connections in the garage leading up to the ensuite

 

[Ajbrox]

Just been down to the utility room 9 hours after BG did the "work" it's flashing F5 error again! Any ideas anyone?

 

[Phill Peck]

The plastic tube, can you measure the outside diameter?

Even if repiping was required, an independent is likely to do it for far less, probably a lot less than £1000 if the floors can be taken up easily.

But its difficult to guess what is wrong on an internet forum.

Tony

£1000 to re-pipe a 5 bed detached house?
BGs price might be a little high but I think £1000 is optomistic

 

[Dan Robinson]

You gotta love Tonys random price declarations

 

[james0james]

Does it go to F5 fault code when just running off hot water ?

 

[FiremanT]

The plastic tube, can you measure the outside diameter?

Even if repiping was required, an independent is likely to do it for far less, probably a lot less than £1000 if the floors can be taken up easily.

But its difficult to guess what is wrong on an internet forum.

Tony

£1000 to re-pipe a 5 bed detached house?
BGs price might be a little high but I think £1000 is optomistic

That's another gutted customer. Tony said it would be A LOT LESS than a Grand. And we all know that Tone wouldn't talk out of his arze.

 

[Phill Peck]

The plastic tube, can you measure the outside diameter?

Even if repiping was required, an independent is likely to do it for far less, probably a lot less than £1000 if the floors can be taken up easily.

But its difficult to guess what is wrong on an internet forum.

Tony

£1000 to re-pipe a 5 bed detached house?
BGs price might be a little high but I think £1000 is optomistic

That's another gutted customer. Tony said it would be A LOT LESS than a Grand. And we all know that Tone wouldn't talk out of his arze.

Of course not he'll do it for £84

 

[Ajbrox]

Does it go to F5 fault code when just running off hot water ?

Hi, yes seems to. We haven't had the actual radiators on much at all other than to test them and obviously because it's not that cold. But When the radiators were on for a test for a good few hours it never went to F5. However it came on timer this morning for just the water and probably did 20 mins before F5. I reset it, then 10 mins later F5 again! I just keep resetting it for now. To be fair we don't seem to be short of hot water...seems odd to me?

 

[james0james]

Maybe a visit from the makers service engineer could pin point the fault,not that I want to spend your money but a second opinion is often helpful.

Imagine spending £5k + with BG and the fault has not been fixed

Best of luck.

 

[Ajbrox]

Yeah I have considered that option. We at the point where we have a trusted plumber/gas engineer but he's on hols for another week or so. We will wait for his opinion and I can post back here with any new findings or hopefully a solution that doesn't involve tearing my new house apart! For now I'll limp on with reset after reset. Ta anyway