ideal mexico cf440 blocked flue

[essexplumber]

My mate has a f/s Mexico slimline CF440 with an open vertical flue. He has noticed an odd smell around the boiler so I said I would take a look.

The boiler operates fine and the flame appears to be constant and blue but there is a spitting noise coming from the burner around a minute after flame startup, there is a noticable combustion smell in the cupboard so I have isloted it and told him to leave it off.

I'm gonna phone my G/R mate later and ask him to confirm my suspicion that the flue is blocked.

Does this sound right?

Thanks in advance.

 

[simond]

Spitting noise might well be a cracked heat exchanger dropping water onto the burner.

Either way you were right to suggest he turns it off until someone qualified takes a look.

Could do with some more boiler replacements!

 

[essexplumber]

Pretty sure the H/E isn't split, observed the F/E for the time I was there and no movement at all. The dripping only occours when the burner is on and no water has been seen around the boiler at all.

What else could cause the flue to condensate and drip? I thought maybe the cowell could be letting in rain but it was happening on Friday when it was dry and sunny.

 

[gaswizzard]

What else could cause the flue to condensate and drip? .

External flue runs , flue height , flue diameter , weather conditions etc etc.

Possibly just a case of condensation of flue gases (due point temp) , either way a check should be carried out.

 

[FiremanT]

With respect Essex Plmr, you should withdraw now, and get your mate to visit, rather than talking. If there is a smell, it is a fairly sure indictor of spillage, and a RGI would have ID'd it. You are on dangerous ground.

And i'm not sure why others are appearing to be prepared to offer further advice on this.

 

[gaswizzard]

And i'm not sure why others are appearing to be prepared to offer further advice on this.

Who would that be Fireman? , because it doesn't appear to be Simond.

 

[Agile]

Fair enough, you have gone to see it, correctly identified that its dangerous and turned it off. Thats all fine.

However, there is clearly some fault and it does need to be identified by a competent RGI and dealt with as required.

Its irrelevant at this stage what the problem is caused by. All that is required is to turn it off as you have done.

Tony

 

[FiremanT]

Fair enough, you have gone to see it, correctly identified that its dangerous and turned it off. Thats all fine.

However, there is clearly some fault and it does need to be identified by a competent RGI and dealt with as required.

Its irrelevant at this stage what the problem is caused by. All that is required is to turn it off as you have done.

Tony

No. Tony. he just told the client not to use it. He can't do anything else as he isn't an RGI

 

[essexplumber]

Which is exactly what I've done so I don't see where the problem is.

I'm OFTEC so I know where I can and cannot operate in terms of regs.

I merely wanted my diagnosys confirmed. Thanks for the replys though guys.