Help please, twin keston 130 boilers !!

[charlesa61]

Hi Andrew,
to tell you the truth I am concerned about throwing yet more money at these b****y things !
I think I'm going to chuck them out and replace with something else. I have got my Honeywell engineer friend looking into it though while I decide what to do.
Lucky it's not cold !!
Best wishes
Charles

 

[muggles]

Very sensible! Hope your Honeywell engineer friend has an understanding of the workings and delicacy of gas valves...

 

[Agile]

I would also be very surprised if both valves had failed at the same time. Most Keston owners have British Gas cover to keep them going at the lowest cost.

Possibly one boiler failed and was not noticed but not two at the same time. Also surprising that there is no spares available somewhere. But boiler parts are expensive and people have to accept that.

In any case, I have never been to a Keston with a failed gas valve and from what I remember a particular part of that can be replaced. Heat exchangers, PCBs and fans but never a gas valve.

Doe anyone know if a Keston 80 used the same gas valve? Sounds as if I may have a valuable part in my store!



Tony

 

[muggles]

I believe it's the same valve for the entire range Tony

 

[charlesa61]

I used to have a British Gas service contract but a few years ago they refused to carry on as they said that they couldn't get the parts. My Honeywell friend specialises in fixing aircraft electronics so he is not a gas specialist at all !
I'm giving him both valves to have a look at (more for interest than anything else) as he is a very bright guy generally.
They have given me SO much grief these b****y things that I ought to put them on the hard standing and beat the living daylights out of them with a sledge hammer !
However I thing that it would be more sensible to put the numerous newish parts, that I have paid extortionate amounts for, on Ebay to recoup a tiny bit back.....
Best
Charles

 

[Agile]

The gas valves need to be tested IN SITU within the boiler.

I would be extremely surprised if either one has failed.

So many boiler engineers don't seem to do the most simple of electronic tests and just make a guess.

Tony

 

[charlesa61]

Thanks Tony, my boiler guy has already done this ( I think !). He said that he had done all the tests suggested by Keston and they all came back with faulty gas valves.
I am afraid that I don't really know what I am talking about here as I am just the poor s*d that unfortunately owns the things but I am extremely grateful for all the help on this forum.
Thank you everyone.
Best wishes
Charles

 

[Agile]

I went to see a Keston 130 for a landlord after British Gas had not fixed it for three days.

They had replaced several parts on the usual BG "its the xxxxx, will order one and fit it tomorrow" basis and come tomorrow and it did not fix it.

I concluded that it was the PCB at fault but was concerned by the jumpy landlord and frankly did not want to get involved with anyone like him. He then had the Keston replaced by a new Vaillant after BG had taken four days with no sign of getting it working.

Oddly to me, although my conclusion was the PCB was the fault, BG had not replaced it and showed no apparent intention of doing so. It seems their reasoning being that it had been replaced about a year ago. To me, when a part was last replaced has no significance during fault finding. Particularly something as potentially unreliable as a boiler PCB.

Tony

 

[jonus1972]

Said Honeywell (not heating dept!) engineer here. So I'm hearing that the valves are reliable. Since BOTH died together it sounds like a power surge has killed BOTH PCB's doesn't it? This is a pain since no part swapping will help. Are there any schematics for the PCB's around? Any help Gratefully received.

 

[charlesa61]

Don't worry John, I've had it with these boilers !!
Cheers
Charles

 

[Agile]

Why do people still imagine that there are "power surges" that abound?

Might just as well say its the "little people"!

Also it does not take long to become aware that many heating people often blame a particular part when they don't really know what is wrong.

Would be nice to point him towards a seller of the gas valves and get HIM to buy one to replace it and see his face when it does not fix the fault.

 

[jonus1972]

Well that was helpful. Thanks Agile.