Keston boiler - repair or replace?

[dogfonos]

Hi,

I have a Keston 50 boiler plumbed into a gravity fed system. It's 11.5 years old and it's broken down again. Until now, I've managed to fix breakdowns with little outlay as they've mainly been of the leaking variety (and subsequent electrical shorting problems) - all pretty straightforward. This time however, the fault finding diagram points to failure of the RAM ignition control unit. Ooer, probably nothing I can fix so will likely need a replacement control unit - sounds expensive.

I've grown inexplicably fond of the Keston over the years perhaps because I've felt more like a carer than a user, like nursing an elderly pet. But has the time come for that final visit to the vets or is there life in the old dog yet ?

Views from experienced gas fitters much appreciated.

 

[GaytonTonner]

Get an ign unit. The boilers are reliable because there is not much in them. They are simple. It was Kenston's very first boiler about 15 years ago. They only ever made condensing boilers when the mainstream would not touch them as they had no idea.

The leaks? What were they?

 

[simond]

Well, it's hardly a Triumph Spitfire is it?

It wasn't an innovative boiler, condensers were being made in the UK at least a decade earlier.

If it is your restoration project, fair enough. I'd have scrapped it 10 years ago.

 

[GaytonTonner]

Well, it's hardly a Triumph Spitfire is it?

It wasn't an innovative boiler, condensers were being made in the UK at least a decade earlier.

If it is your restoration project, fair enough. I'd have scrapped it 10 years ago.

Your exposure to early Kestons is limited.

Keston only made condensing boilers from day one. They were very reliable and put condensers on the map in the UK, like Alan Sugar did with his word processor computer. He never invented it but made it popular. Developers put Keston in their larger houses with selfbuilders using them a lot.

The Keston 50 is/was a good boiler. This one is nearly 12 years old and will, go another 12 years with no major problems. There is not even a pcb board it is so simple. I wish someone made a boiler like that now. The later more complex crap Keston came out with, like the Celsius, ruined their reputation.

 

[simond]

Your exposure to early Kestons is limited.

I didn't know we were acquainted.

 

[dogfonos]

Thanks for your replies GaytonTonner and simond.

Boiler problems, to date, as follows:

(1) Auto air bleed/vent leaked from actual vent point and from body connection to water pipework (soaking the flow high limit thermostat - dried out OK though and worked fine when tested afterwards).

(2) Only found out about first problem because mains fuse (in switched spur supply) blew due to fan motor being 'reluctant' to start. Keston gave helpful advice (eventually) and I replaced capacitor for a tenner and it worked fine.

(3) Boiler failed to start. Turns out that the plastic thread on the water pressure switch fitment had broken even though it looked OK (sensor was really detecting cabinet air pressure and therefore remained open circuit).

(4) Water leaked from bottom of boiler casing - lots of condensation inside. Found joint between heat exchanger and plastic flue pipe leaking. This is a glued joint! Cleaned joint and applied specially chosen Araldite resin - not 100% sealed but good enough. Struck me as a bit of a bodge - Keston should have engineered a better solution than this.

(5) Water leaks on 3 rubber hose joints to plastic flue/condensate pipework (beneath heat exchager). Added my own jubilee clips. Leaks reduced but still not 100% effective. Placed drip tray inside cabinet. Tiny amount of leakage means drip tray never needs emptying.

(6) Not the boilers fault, this one - Condensate line froze up. Fortunately (?) line parted company from boiler condensate outlet pipe so boiler continued and dripped water onto floor instead. Not spotted for a few days as the boiler is in it's own external 'room'.


To my mind, I thought this number of problems in 11.5 years was poor but having read others horror stories, with all boiler makes, I'm not too dissatisfied. It seems we have to set our expectations of boiler reliability and longevity very low these days. Or do these customer reviews I’m reading distort the true picture? Are people more motivated to publish a scathing review than a glowing one?

I chose the Keston simply because the design appealed to me - it seemed pretty simple and I liked the stainless steel heat exchanger. Some boilers of that time (1999) sported a second heat exchanger (aluminium of all materials!!) and I'd only just heard about domestic boilers throttling gas/air flow to suit demand – neither appealed (more to go wrong) so I avoided them.

In case I've misdiagnosed the fault, I've decided to phone Keston tomorrow to confirm the fault before I go any further.

 

[mickyg]

Views from experienced gas fitters much appreciated.

Sorry GT, seems your views are not required

 

[Boilerman2]

I've never heard so much B******s! about Keston! they have NEVER made a good boiler the original "Torpedo tube" heat exchanger was constantly failing I do not know of a Single MK I Keston that has had heat exchanger replacement at regular intervals! we had a site in cambridge in warranty they were 170's Keston engineer came to look at "Warranty" issues and within 1/2 hr decided that all 4 Heat exch were fooked! we had to change the beggers though

 

[nighttripper]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I too have a Keston 50 with a problem. The sight glass has either broken or melted and the escape of hot gas (I assume) caused the thermal fuse to blow. But I can't figure out what caused the sight glass to fail. The heat exchanger and burner seem OK. I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

 

[transam]

keston made ??? a very good boiler , probably about the only decent boiler thay did make ?? IMHO & that was the Keston Thermomatic combi However I was informed on here a while back that Keston never actually made it , in fact they had nowt to do with it apart from buy it in & put there name on it !

a while back there were some pictures in the trade press showing some boilers that had gone seriously pear shaped , burnt through casings , issues of safety were raised ect they never named the boiler but well they looked like ??????

 

[Agile]

Your exposure to early Kestons is limited.

From what I can gather from what you have said your only involvement is having that make in your house!

Simon and the other professionals who give replies on this forum visit them regularly to effect repairs and I would suggest that we are better placed to come to a comclusion as to their reliability.

Tony

 

[GaytonTonner]

Your exposure to early Kestons is limited.

From what I can gather from what you have said your only involvement is having that make in your house!

I do not have a Keston.

Simon and the other professionals who give replies on this forum visit them regularly to effect repairs and I would suggest that we are better placed to come to a comclusion as to their reliability.
Tony

I note one boiler. Which was a well designed, simple and OK. The rest were trash as I noted.

 

[Gasop]

Your exposure to early Kestons is limited.

From what I can gather from what you have said your only involvement is having that make in your house!

Simon and the other professionals who give replies on this forum visit them regularly to effect repairs and I would suggest that we are better placed to come to a comclusion as to their reliability.

Tony

GT, MM, WS, DD, etc. etc. has never admitted on line to having owned a Keston but did have a Netaheat which he serviced one morning whilst having a shave

 

[dogfonos]

Just to close this thread by saying that I phoned Keston and talked through my problem (the one with the Keston 50 boiler, that is). It confirmed my own findings so I purchased a new ignition control box. Not a like-for-like replacement unit as original manufacturer (RAM) was no longer in business. Hmm? Keston describe it as a conversion kit and provided new adaptors/connectors and wiring instructions with it. Very simple, fitted in ten minutes and it works fine...until next time.

The prevailing opinion was to ditch the boiler rather than repair. And that's what I intended to do until I looked into the cost of a new boiler. Ouch! £116 for a new ignition control seemed a lot more bearable. Also buys me time to research/choose a new boiler and fill the piggy bank for when the time comes.

Thanks all.

 

[Agile]

This other thread might give readers useful info.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=206335

The older RAM units had a soldered in fuse on the PCB which would blow if the fan took too much current. Later boilers include a fan relay to isolate fan current from the PCB.

I am not sure that RAM is no longer trading. They seem to be US based and supply ignitions for the commercial laundry market.

Tony