Help with Vaillant Combi Boiler

[dena007]

My elderly parents are having problems with their boiler-Model no. VCWT3W - around 18 years old

It keeps firing up, even though the heating isn't on, and they're not running any water, also, the occasional gas smell.

They have contacted someone out of the yellow pages who said that Vaillant are 'a nightmare' & that he didn't want to help!

I then contacted someone that a colleague recommended who called around to look at it & suggested they buy a new one but that it would have to be a new Vaillant as the fittings are unique to Vaillant, and that he wouldn't be able to fit it.

I've checked some web sites & can get a new boiler for around £1000 but I'm very weary about who to get in to fit it

Does anyone have any recommendations? My parents live in Paignton, SW Devon.

Many thanks!

 

[chrishutt]

My guess is that there is no problem at all. This boiler has a setting (first on left of three switches on control panel) which maintains a small hot water store in the boiler, which will light up occasionally to bring this up to temp. If there is a hot tap leaking/dripping, this will happen more often. To stop it, just move the switch to the diagonal red/white position.

If this doesn't resolve the problem, you need to find someone who knows how to repair Vaillant T3W combis. Such people do exist, even in Torbay. Forget Yellow Pages - get a list of local Registered Gas Installers from Corgi and work your way through it, but be sure to ask specifically if they know this boiler.

 

[dena007]

Thanks for that, I'll try it tomorrow, but I still feel there may be a problem because of the gas smell? Also, my mum is adament that the flame in the pilot window is more blue than normal?

Would you happen to have a link of where I can obtain a list of Corgi engineers?

Thanks very much

 

[ollski]

Thanks for that, I'll try it tomorrow, but I still feel there may be a problem because of the gas smell? Also, my mum is adament that the flame in the pilot window is more blue than normal?

Would you happen to have a link of where I can obtain a list of Corgi engineers?

Thanks very much

Bluer the better but if you have a smell of gas you must call transco on 0800111999 straight away. Problem may just be the microswitches playing up.

 

[corgigazza]

http://www.corgi-gas-safety.com/

Do a search to find corgi engineers in your area

Went to house wed to service boiler and when removed case, smelled gas straight away previous engineers that serviced did not correct the leak nor the person that installed the boiler, customer said had smelled it since first installed 4 years ago. Found gas connection union loose tightened up and found/fixed fault in 2 mins.

 

[ollski]

http://www.corgi-gas-safety.com/

Do a search to find corgi engineers in your area

Went to house wed to service boiler and when removed case, smelled gas straight away previous engineers that serviced did not correct the leak nor the person that installed the boiler, customer said had smelled it since first installed 4 years ago. Found gas connection union loose tightened up and found/fixed fault in 2 mins.

Had the same a couple of years ago on a service. They opened the front door and the smell was so strong we thought it must be some sort of spice, dropped a tighness test on and it went 20 to 0 in 2 seconds!!. Gas supply to inlet was not done up at all and nobody had touched the boiler for 18 months , think the only reason it never went up was it must have been above the flammability limit

 

[dena007]

Cheers for that info, have just managed to locate the guy that originally fitted the boiler - although retired, he's promised to go around & check it tomorrow, we shall see!!