Ideal Isar HE30 PCB faulty again!! Need to rant

[ady1968]

My 3 year old HE30 pcb has blown for the 2nd time. The first one went a week after the warranty expired. I rang Ideal at the time to see if they would replace it as a goodwill gesture, but they wouldn't

Last week the hot water stops working and the display is showing an error code which equates to pcb replacement. I switched the boiler off for a couple of minutes and then switched it back on. Bang! and a strong smell of burning pcb.I rang Ideal customer services and explained that this was the 2nd time it has blown and that it is less than 12 months since the first pcb was replaced.

"Oh the pcb is only guaranteed for 12 months if fitted by an Ideal engineer!! Otherwise there's nothing we can do"

Is this a common problem or have I just been unlucky. There is no sign of any water leaks around the pcb.

I can't believe that a genuine Ideal product costing near on £200 is not guaranteed unless fitted by Ideal. Just wanted to vent my frustration at having to shell out more money on a boiler that is obviously not fit for purpose and a manufacturer with a real cr@p attitude to customer service.

 

[weareleeds]

Whoever fitted the replacement pcb should provide another one

 

[ady1968]

The engineer who installed the boiler in 2004 replaced the board last year and is now retired. I replaced the 2nd one myself. Although the supplier stated that it came with a 12 month warranty, when I received it it states that once the bag is opened the part is non returnable.

Is this the norm for these boards in general and if so, why? I work in the electronics industry and we return hundreds of faulty pcb's every year to manufacturers under warranty.

 

[gas4you]

The pcb is non-returnable once the bag is opened only if you had bought the wrong one, or just got it to test if the old one was faulty.

It does not mean you can't take it back if it's faulty.

This is very common with Ideal Isars etc, although the ones i've had go bang within a month of the boiler warranty expiring have always been fixed by Ideal after heavy complaining to my local Ideal rep.

Ideal are about the worst company for after sales service at present.