Jaguar 28 Combi - intermittent hot water in the shower!

[langauld]

Hi all,

Have found a few similar questions on this forum regarding Jaguar boilers, so decided to post my own to see what you make of it!

For a couple of months now, we've been having trouble with our hot water. We live in a rented property so have had to seek advice on getting plumbers out to fix it via our landlord, and thus far we've still not got it properly working.

Dealing with intermittent hot water when having a shower was just about bearable (sometimes nice, not gonna lie!) during the warmer months but now it's getting cooler the last thing you want when you're having a shower is to be blasted with cold water first thing in the morning.

To demonstrate the issue, I've recorded a little video of what the display on the boiler shows when the shower is running, and the noises it makes. It's showing the error "F3", which in the manual states as meaning "Heat exchange blockage - Check main heat exchanger, Check domestic heat exchanger".

We had a British Gas engineer round to look at it just over a month ago and he said that he couldn't really do much due to not having much access (the boiler is boxed in, in the corner of the kitchen), but did change a couple of washers over which resolved the problem for about 5 days or so. He didn't know what he did that made it work, but it worked. Fluke, eh!

Does anyone have any inkling as to what the problem might be, and if it would be fixable in the boiler's current "boxed in" state? Or will I have to liaise with the landlord to get the wooden boxing ripped out (something I don't think he'll be best pleased about - but to be honest, who in Britain can live go about their days without having hot showers or baths?!).

Thanks for any advice - and sorry for rambling on!

 

[Agile]

Usually blocked plate HE.

They are not easy to change on that model without proper access.

Its the idiot landlords fault if he allowed it to be boxed in in a way that prevents it from being repaired.

Results from nupty installer not cleaning the system properly.

If you pay your rent you are entitled to have it working properly.

Tell him its time he sorted it out. Its not your responsibility.

Tony

 

[langauld]

Usually blocked plate HE.

They are not easy to change on that model without proper access.

Its the idiot landlords fault if he allowed it to be boxed in in a way that prevents it from being repaired.

Results from nupty installer not cleaning the system properly.

If you pay your rent you are entitled to have it working properly.

Tell him its time he sorted it out. Its not your responsibility.

Tony

Thanks Tony (funny, that's our landlord's name too!)

We have arranged for another BG engineer to come out tomorrow evening, although I'm going to hazard a guess from what you've just said that he'll say the same thing the last engineer did - can't fix without access.

I'm tempted just to rip out the sodding wooden wall myself, it's getting to the point now where we're so fed up of having cold showers. And the rent isn't cheap either, as it's a grade 2 listed property. We deserve better for the money we're paying.

Might call the landlady now (landlord is away I think) and ask her permission to rip out the wall tonight (or tomorrow with the engineer's help, if he's game!) so we can get this fixed before it gets into freezing weather.

 

[dcawkwell]

It's nice that the boiler tells you the problem.
Just needs an engineer to fix it.
I would have taken great delight in ripping all the boxing
off.

Just waiting until the boiler at my sisters goes wrong.
That is all tiled in. I warned her not to do it but would she listen.
Women.

An alternative is to get an engineer to powerflush the system.

 

[langauld]

It's nice that the boiler tells you the problem.
Just needs an engineer to fix it.
I would have taken great delight in ripping all the boxing
off.

Just waiting until the boiler at my sisters goes wrong.
That is all tiled in. I warned her not to do it but would she listen.
Women.

An alternative is to get an engineer to powerflush the system.

Awesome, thanks for the tip. I'll suggest both of these options to the engineer when he gets here.

Since starting this thread I've spoken to the landlord and have given him a set of keys to let himself in tomorrow whilst we're at work, so he can rip off that boxing around the boiler before the engineer arrives. Hopefully then we'll have it fixed once and for all - getting beyond a joke having no real hot water for over a month, can't even run a luke-warm bath as it doesn't heat it for long enough!

 

[Agile]

I never get involved with woodwork! I always ask that it is removed before I get there. I just explain that I am not a carpenter!

Once or twice I may have made an exception if the coffee was very good.

Tony

 

[andystew]

was hoping for a bit of advice please about my jaguar 28 boiler, got a leak from both ends of the diverter valve, is it a big job to replace them? they don't look too easy to get to.
have seen the part online at http://www.halfpriceboilerspares.co.uk/prothermboilerspares.php
would it be easier to replace the diverter valve and water valve or not much differance.