Ideal Mexico - Intermittent Main Burner Lighting Issue

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Plymouth
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I have a Ideal Mexico Super 2 CF60 Boiler. It has developed a fault which I originally first noticed as luke warm radiators and tepid hot water.

On further Investigation I noted that the main burner ignites, runs for a minute of two and then stops leaving the pilot flame running. The main burner will not re-ignite even though the hot water and central heating controls are on demand. I confirmed this by testing the voltage at the gas valve, which was 235V, but the main burner will not ignite.

Eventually almost randomly the main burner will ignite, but again how long it runs for seems almost random. It never seems to get hot enough for the boiler thermostat to operate.

Has anyone any ideas ? I suspect that the Gas Control valve is faulty - time to get a Corgi out I suppose.

Also can anyone explain what the purpose of the supressor is across the Gas Valve, my theory is that it smooths the switching on and off of solenoid for the main burner.

Thanks

Steve
 
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I would guess the supressor is to stop electrical interference from the valve switching.radio interference :idea: I have seen those old gas valves tapped gently as things inside stick.....that was when they were current manufacture.and non CORGI plumbers were allowed to do gas installations.I never got registered so don`t do gas now.. I`ll let you draw your own conclusions re. tapping ;)
 
Gota say it sounds like the gas valve . If you have tested with a multimeter & got 235 volts the valve should be open. Its not the boiler thermostat or you would not have voltage at the valve. It will either be the gas valve sticking inside but i would guess the solinoid on the gas valve is about to give up 4 good. If it 8 or 10 years plus its done its job. It should cost ya about £120 + to hav it fixed if u know a good guy. recomendations r the best way to go. Thats if its the valve i think it is Grey button Honeywell 4600C.
 
Last one I did was a 4600a, something like £40 to £50 plus vat in the right quaters for the part. A dead easy boiler to change the gas valve on, should find someone to do it for basic call out. Wouldn't harm to get the valve self, take full responsibilty for whether it works or not and save the middle man markup.

Boiler should be worth a new gas valve.

super 60 I fitted one to other week will be coming out in the spring, great news for me a perfect condition boiler same type as I have at home.

Idiot customer has bought the government line. I don't argue with people, just tell it how it is, if they miss it they miss it.

Survival of the fittest.
 
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Thanks for the speedy replies guys.

I'll take your recommendations, get hold of the valve and find a Corgi fitter to fit it for me.

Just for your reference the valve is a Honeywell V4700E1031 which has Khaki Green button on it.

So far the cost of a direct replacement is looking like around £75 + VAT, also I am not sure if a direct replacement is required, or perhaps a cheaper Honeywell will do the trick, a Honeywell V4700E1064
for instance which is £50 + VAT.

Any Ideas ?

Thanks

Steve
 
Don't go there mate. Get the direct replacement £75.00s ,ok cos ur boilers well worth it.Wrong valve may not get u the required burner pressure or not a slow start. Think your self lucky its not a combi.
 
removed. Removed it while i checked v4700e is green push button gas valve with small round cylindrical solenoid . 9 times out of ten all it will need is the solenoid cost no more than£ 20 an take 2 mins to fit it and does not involve disturbing gas joints or pressure settings. Held in place by an l shaped clip that just pops off....... also even though you have found gas valve with similar identification numbers and they will look the same it may well have different tappings for pilot supply etc
 
Actually I think Namsag is correct.

I had already gotten hold of a replacement gas valve, but after reading Namsag's post I decided to take the solenoid off the new valve and fit it to my existing valve, and hey presto it works. The main burner stays lit until the thermostat operates.

So now I am extremely glad that I posted to this forum, and very grateful for the replies I received.

I will return the valve I purchased on Tuesday and get hold of a replacement solenoid.

Apparently the replacement solenoid part is 45900406-003 and is red in colour but the one on my old valve and the new valve is black, can any one comment in this ?

Thanks again

Steve
 
No difference because of the colour. But buy a solenoid first an fit it onto the valve you have taken it off(no one will know) otherwise they wont take it back.
 
Sorry Namsang my last response was badly worded.

It was my intention to hang on to the new valve until I had a replacement solenoid, and then return the valve with it's original solenoid.

Thanks again
 
Just spent over a week, changed a PCB board that turned out not to be the problem, and three diff plumbers to track the problem on my Ideal Mexico Super RS440 boiler. The problem was tracked to the gas valve which had power to it but main boiler was not lighting from the pilot light.

I then ordered the valve which was a Honeywell BGC E26395 Type VR460 1C
This with VAT and postage was £149. With the three plumbers it has been over £500.

The boiler is around 8 years old and I understand that parts do wear out. I changed a PCB board three years ago. That was around £125 two visits and around £380. But I am now interested to know that it could just be the solenoid on my gas valve and it might be repairable for a very reasonable price. I was also told that the other problem on it could be the diaphragm.

Is it worth troubleshooting the gas valve repairing it and keeping it as a back-up. I am asking because the last, most efficient, and seemingly most knowledgable indicated PCB boards and gas valves appear the most likely components that give problems on these boilers, and they are expensive.
 
We don't give DIY gas advice on this forum any more.

You seem to have encountered some very expensive RGIs although that may be as a result of your attempts to DIY the repairs yourself.

A fixed price repair is usually about £290 so spending £500 you were either ripped off or as I rather wonder you managed the repair badly.

You should never have to pay a professional for a part which is not required to effect a repair.

Tony
 

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