Lots of problems with Baxi 552 - wife starting to panic!

[GCarnegi]

Okay,
I've been putting getting my Baxi 552 back boiler serviced for a couple of years, but now the problems are starting to mount up.

1. Pilot light goes out two or three times in a week - but then it's okay for a few months. Thermocouple was replaced by last service 2 yrs ago. Pilot has a blue bottom half but is quite yellow and very flickery from about half way up. New CO detector is fitted right next to hearth. - sooty heat Ex? Flue problem? CO detector doesn't sound alarm although working fine by test button - also I think a good indicator is that I am not dead.

2. Doing up my bathroom I put in a towel rail instead of old radiator and the water was B-L-A-C-K. I mean I've had cleaner stuff out of my car engine!. Still, it doesn't seem sludgy, just black - is this a problem?

note... I replaced my central heating timer (old one could be heard humming three doors away!) with one of those new-fangled programmers (a Drayton LP522) - I'm pretty sure it was fitted okay as it has been working fine for the last 6 mths or so, since I fitted it. Warranty runs out June 06. Is it supposed to work with the Baxi 552 (I know they have similar names (Drayton 522 - Baxi 552) but I checked and the names are right.


3. I noticed about the same time as I disconnected my towel rail to tile behind it (not yet reconnected - isolated the pipes with shutoff valves) that my heating now ONLY comes on when I switch on the "hot water" on my programmer. Hot water is working fine. Note that heating DOES NOT work when "heating" is switched on by itself - just when "hot water" is switched on.

I've read in these forums that this could be because of a sticking 3-way valve (or the motor controlling it) but I've yet to find this valves location. (btw I'm gravity fed) Would it be near the hot water tank in the loft? If this was the case then surely the heating would ALSO work when "heating" was selected on the controller - it doesn't - I guess (or at least hope) that you guys know more than me about this! I guess it sounds like a programmer problem but that's only six months old. Can I test it - I'm pretty good with electrics and have all the meters etc? Maybe I can test the CH vs HW signals at the boiler end, somehow? Anyone have circuit diagrams for the 552?

Lets just say a Corgi engineer comes over any time I need him and removes the firefront for me so I can get to the boiler no problem. Lets also just say he then comes back and replaces it for me afterwards. Nice guy! Lastly, lets also just say that this particular Corgi engineer can't help me with diagnosing the problem as he, um... err... only knows how to remove and replace firefronts! nice but dim guy!

Wife is pushing me to replace the boiler (although I've no idea what with as I can't find anyone who sells the boiler by itself without the unnecessary firefront) but I don't think that would fix any of the above problems anyway. Am I right?

Many thanks for any assistance.

best regards
Guy Carnegie (nice but dim)

 

[DP]

If your wife had any sense, she should replace you and not the boiler. You are messing with something you do NOT know or understand.

You just hope that the boiler kills you and not scramble your brains (and then your wife has to look after you 24/7)

Stop being an idiot. Get the boiler serviced. It will run better, save you fuel AND WILL BE SAFE.

Good boiler. Not much to fail on it.

 

[scatmanjohn]

Hi....Listen to the missus...You have got some serious problems. The main one is you need your boiler servicing now.

Guy Carnegie (nice but dim)

Your words

 

[ChrisR]

Note that heating DOES NOT work when "heating" is switched on by itself - just when "hot water" is switched on.

That's what you'd expect with gravity HW. Would need replumbing - extra pipes with 3 port or 2 x 2ports

 

[GCarnegi]

Okay, I had the guy round to service the boiler and sort out the other problems at lunchtime today.

He replaced my 2 yr old thermocouple and cleaned the boiler thoroughly and also replaced the motor in the motorised valve.

I didn't see him actually TEST the thermocouple though. I checked it with a thermocouple tester from my work while holding it in the gas burner of the cooker and it looks okay. I guess it was replaced unnecessarily then and I shouldn't have to pay for the new one, right?

The readiators are exactly the same as before he came round, even though he replaced the motor which apparently wasn't opening the valve far enough (he could tell this by listening from my electricity cupboard somehow).

I did mention to him that I could understand a faulty valve/motor if the radiators got hot when hot water OR hearing were switched on. But that isn't what's happening.

What's happening is that the radiators heat up when HW is switched on but if HEATING ONLY is switched on then they DON'T heat up.

Is it possible that the valve with the new motor needs adjusting (honest mistake) or that he simply replaced the motor because that's the easiest thing to replace - kind of a "suck it and see" approach.

I dont' mind "suck it and see" as long as I don't have to pay for all the experimental parts.

Plumbing and electrics are just a series of valves, pipes and wires. It's not rocket science and everything is logical. If you look at all the symptoms of a problem then you're bound to find the root cause.

This Corgi plumber seems to have ignored some of the evidence and jumped to the wrong conclusion.

Just goes to show that a Corgi cerificate doesn't automatically make you a good plubmer. Don't get me wrong, though, I'm sure there are many Corgi engineers out there who are worth their salt, but it looks like this guy, to quote an earlier reply, was "messing with something [he did] NOT know or understand!"

best regards
Guy

 

[bripl]

before you dig yourself in much deeper think about it logicly[your words]worked ok before prog changed SO start looking at what you have done not the corgi guy who may of saved you and your family from illness or worse.i personally change the thermocouple on old bbus at each service saves a phone call in the middle of the night from someone who says IT WAS WORKING OK UNTIL YOU SERVICED IT seven months ago,t/c are cheap unless you buy a good quality one designed for lpg which last for years on nat gas

 

[ollski]

He replaced my 2 yr old thermocouple
I didn't see him actually TEST the thermocouple though. I checked it with a thermocouple tester from my work while holding it in the gas burner of the cooker and it looks okay. I guess it was replaced unnecessarily then and I shouldn't have to pay for the new one, right?

but you say the fault is intermittent....in that case sometimes its ok and sometimes it isn't. I would guess at the pilot assembly first an then the gas valve if a good clean out didn't sort it, but your guy seems to be trying the cheapest possibilities first.

The heating problem, if it is still the same, sounds like either the actuator needs replacing or there is a wiring fault / error.

 

[Soggy_weetabix]

You have described a poor pilot light flame picture.

In your expert opinion (as you have tested the t/lead) its not that is it, but you have ignored the pilot light is at fault. Did you test the mili voltage the t/lead was generating from the pilot light? Did you observe the effect the main burner has on the pilot and any possible flame impingement?

NO, and you know why...

1, you have not got a clue how your boiler works
2, plumbing "aint rocket science is it"

Listen to the wife. I do and it makes for a quiet life.

A Corgi cert does not make you a good plumber, but it makes you safe with gas...something which your not.

Whilst I agree you may have had an engineer with no experience of your boiler (which is poor customer service) is does not make him a bad plumber.

Mind you, I am CORGI registered and a good plumber.

David