Ideal Combi Response 120 packed up

[drdr]

My daughter has one of the above boilers. apparantly it will not light. It has been regularly serviced. She is reluctant to get someone in at this time as she is afraid it could be very expensive. Is there a likely cause for this failure, if so is it in the cheap or expensive category to fix?

 

[ChrisR]

There must be a dozen common reasons why these awful boilers don't light. Unfortunately it would NOT be the rarest if the heat exchanger has sprung an internal leak and is soaking everything inside, meaning a new boiler. If it's more than 5 years old, consider the writing to be on the wall, writ large.


Commonest reasons:

- Low pressure
- Apparent low pressure ; if it's been low the detecting switch sticks and holds the boiler off, while emitting a spooky orange glow from behind the rhs of the panel behind the fold down front

 

[Paul Barker]

yes I concur.

The kindest thing to say to you is, go and see the bank manager and get quotes for a new boiler.

 

[corgiman]

Here Here

rubbish things

 

[drdr]

Thanks for the responses - does not look too good. I would guess that the boiler is a little under 5 years old. I was interested in your point ChrisR of

- Low pressure
- Apparent low pressure ; if it's been low the detecting switch sticks and holds the boiler off, while emitting a spooky orange glow from behind the rhs of the panel behind the fold down front

This area has very low pressure - the dial showed only about .5 bar, although water came out of the taps quite quickly and the water board said that they were delivering pressure above minimum required.
If the detection switch is simply sticking can it easily be freed or would new parts be required?

 

[Rob]

DrDR, top the boiler up to 1 bar using the filling loop.
Remove the front case and see if the LED on right hand side behind the panel is lit.

If so the silver/white pressure switch with 3 wires needs replacing or cleaning out.

 

[gas4you]

DrDR, top the boiler up to 1 bar using the filling loop.
Remove the front case and see if the LED on right hand side behind the panel is lit.

If so the silver/white pressure switch with 3 wires needs replacing or cleaning out.

Agree with above, the orange glow you can see is the low pressure warning light. They often drop out of the holder that keeps them in place where you could see them directly. Pressure switch is known problem on these, especially if fuses keep blowing.

Come to that the whole boiler is a known nightmare problem

Be sure to note the 3 wire connection terminal numbers before removing

 

[Agile]

They often drop out of the holder that keeps them in place where you could see them directly.

Actually they dont have any viewing window.

You can only see them through cracks etc if you can turn off all the lights.

Its better to run this boiler at 1.5 Bar. Ofter the LP switch will react a few hours after the pressure is topped up.

Tony

 

[drdr]

Well, thanks for all those replies, even if it is not what we wanted to hear. Based on what you have jointly said my daughter has decided to cut her losses and go for a new boiler. Unfortunately neither of us has a clue as to what a suitable alternative would be. In fact I do not even know what the btu output of the Response 120 is. What I do know is that when it was working it did warm the house quickly.
If any of you were replacing a COMBI boiler of that output (whatever it is) what equiviant would you go for? We don't want to go from the fire even to the frying pan! So something more reliable is essential.
I have been told that she should go for a condensing boiler....
Also as another consideration, eventually she wants to install another bathroom so it would be nice (not essential) if the system could cope with two showers.
Thanks for all your help sofar.

 

[ChrisR]

120,000 Btu/hr, = approx 35kW.
Enough for a typical 4 bed detached.
High power is good for HW delivery, assuming you have the mains to source it.
Several combis are similar power, but not as small in dimension.

2 bathrooms from one combi usually doesn't work, especially with poor mains.

You need to measure your mains pressure and flow.

WHich would be reliable? No idea. Come back in 5 years.

 

[Gasman1015]

Have you actually increased the pressure on the boiler as advised, by using the filling loop to a minimum of 1 bar.

 

[John_D]

Condensing is requirement since Apr 2005 on gas this means most mfg have new designs and not history. Only Keston have been condensing for years what about their C36

 

[gas4you]

Continental manufacturers have also had condensing boilers working over there for years, just not been sold in uk.

Ideal had the minimiser for years, that turned out as big a disaster as the Response

Let me press my pre-programmed F12 key- Fit a Vaillant- there it still works

 

[John_D]

This area has very low pressure - the dial showed only about .5 bar, although water came out of the taps quite quickly and the water board said that they were delivering pressure above minimum required.[?quote]

if she has only got the minimum pressure it is unlikely that a combi was a good choice and is not going to be better for twin bathrooms

 

[gas4you]

I assumed this was the system pressure guage on the response, not an independent test on a cold tap.

Vaillants will deliver full flow down to 0.5 bar but I would not recommend any combi on this low pressure if indeed it is the cold mains we are talking about.

If pressure is adequate then a mains unvented would be thwe best choise with a system boiler, but the most expensive