Gas pressure falling and cooker affected when heating on

[Beanz]

I recently had a new combi condensing boiler installed by corgi reg. installer- radiators not replaced. Heating & water worked fine. After a couple of weeks I noticed the water did not heat up - I checked boiler & saw reset button flashing so reset system. Problem kept recurring - water heated when radiators on but not when rads. off. I then noticed that gas supply to cooker was diminshed when rads. switched on. Installer came to check problem but could find no fault with system or installation. His meter readings showed dramatic drop in gas pressure when rads. on. He said this was causing cooker to lose gas supply & boiler probs. He suggested that as no fault found with boiler system, the problem must be with the gas meter & therefore I must contact my gas supplier as he is unable to carry out work on the meter.
Can anyone tell me if this sounds correct - It seems a coincidence that the gas meter should be faulty just after having new boiler installed - or maybe this is the reason why my old boiler was ineffective in heating water as I never had the gas pressure checked before (never noticed a problem with the cooker before though)
Any advice welcome[/b]

 

[GforceJames]

When the new boiler was installed, was a new gas pipe ran from the meter to the boiler. Modern condensing boilers use more gas so if he just reused the existing pipe, when the boiler was running it would cause the pressure to the cooker to drop.

How long is the run of pipework from meter to boiler, what size is it, how many appliances connected and roughly how many fittings?

Most modern domestic installations require a run of 28mm copper unless they are close to the meter

James

 

[JB Gas]

call transco out they will have a look if it needs replacing they will if not call the installer back sounds like it could be the governer

 

[gas4you]

0800 111 999.

Don't understand why your installer didn't call them whilst he was at you property.

I always do, it is a 2 hour call out for a pressure problem.

 

[Beanz]

In response to Gforce James - No new pipe was run from the meter as the pipework to meter is boxed in & has not been touched. The existing pipework was 10 years old when original boiler installed. The meter has a 3m length of 15mm(approx) pipe leading to cooker & approx 7m length of 28mm pipe to boiler. 80 cm of new 28mm pipe connects boiler to original pipework. Boiler supplies 6 radiators & 1 shower; only other gas use is for standard size cooker.
The installer has said he will call to make further checks tomorrow. I will keep you posted. Any advice on what to query with the installer would be welcome!
thanks to all replies

 

[chrishutt]

The issue is whether the pressure drop is caused by inadequately sized pipework downstream from the meter or an upstream fault (such as incorrectly adjusted meter governor). It's easy to test the outlet pressure at the meter and then determine where the problem lies - why didn't your installer do this? Did he complete a Benchmark record as required? What does this say about the appliance inlet pressure?

 

[Agile]

Surely the installer measured the pressure at the meter outlet? Did he tell you what that was?

Are you sure he is CORGi registered? Have you checked his number on the CORGI site? Does it come up as his own name? He is not registered to work on the side if he is only registered to work for an employer.

Tony

 

[scatmanjohn]

Don't understand why your installer didn't call them whilst he was at you property.

I don't either...after all it is HIS responsibility.

To the OP...you have got a potentially dangerous situation and should call 0800 111 999 asap.

 

[Beanz]

Yes, installer is Corgi reg (I've checked). He measured pressure at gas meter & pressure dropped dramatically when heating switched on. He has said that it is likely to be the governor on the meter & supplier must be contacted. Installer is now away for few weeks so I am calling supplier on Monday - the gas supply has been switched off at meter now until supplier comes to inspect meter.
I'm just a little cautious as the installer has never installed this particular model of boiler ( but it was he who recommended this model to me as he said they were a very good brand). I don't know why he did not call out supplier today, when he came to recheck the problem - maybe because he was going away today - should the supplier come out to faults like this at week-end? Is it classed as an emergency? The installer did insist on turning off gas supply & telling me not to turn it on until supplier had called.

 

[Agile]

The transporter will come at any time over the weekend or at night!

There is a minor danger that ideally the boiler should be checked after the pressure has been corrected.

In the meantime I would say that it would be quite safe to use gas for cooking.

The practical danger is that if the boiler is on it could cause a gas ring to go out when it fires up.

There would be little risk in using EITHER the cooker OR the boiler.

However, as the transporter will come at any time within 2 hours you can just call them now and be back to normal shortly.

Ideally the installer should check the boiler sometime after the gas supply is restored and do the commissioning tests.

Tony

 

[chrishutt]

I am calling supplier on Monday.

It's not the gas supplier you should be calling but the gas emergency service whose number you have been given - 0800 111 999. You can call them anytime (do it now) and a guy will be with you within two hours. There is no charge for this service and the guys are happy to work Sunday shifts for presumably double time, so why wait?

 

[gas4you]

My local NG engineers often say 'couldn't you save all these and call us out on Sunday?'

As they are on call anyway and can't go out they all say they might as well be getting paid extra as well