Mexico 2 Pilot light

[clubsport]

Hi, this is the first time I have posted on here, but I found the information on here invaluable when I did a de-scale on my system a few months ago.

I have a boiler problem, it is a Stelrad ideal mexico 2 probably about 15 years old.

Everything has been working fine of late, but Thursday night I came home to a cold house as the pilot light had gone out.

Following the re-ignition procedure I managed to get the pilot back on, the system fired back up heating water and radiators....the only thing the pilot light goes out after 20 mins or so.....I have done this a couple of times to get some heat and water.

As of this morning I cannot get the pilot to light at all, I have a plumber coming to look at it on Monday 16th evening, I just wondered if anyone would be able to give me a few pointers as to what the problem may be.....many thanks.

 

[nsrxr00]

Hi there, your problem probably relates to a faulty / burnt out thermocouple sensor that is used to detect a heat source from the pilot light & sends a signal to the gas valve to say yes we have a flame. This device is a safety device & is commonly replaced with every service, or should be if your service engineer is any good!! being a plumber my self I would always replace this item as they are very cheap around a few quid!! When was your boiler last serviced!! Probably need a through service by the sounds of it which is best left to a qualified engineer. If this fails to be the problem, ( but probably will ) it could also be the Gas valve control unit, This is quite an expensive item around 60-100££ hope it is the thermocouple..

 

[clubsport]

Many thanks for the response NX.... Over the fun the plumber quoted exactly the same possible 2 sources of the problem, which is encouraging!
He told me the thermocouple is approx £5 which sounds a relative gift.
The boiler was last serviced 2 years ago, I should see if I can get him to give it the once over. Could you give me an idea of approximate cost for the boiler service cost please? ...thanks again.

 

[nsrxr00]

Boiler servicing usually depends where u r in the country. Being in scotland myself I usually charge from around 50£ 2 100£ depending on boiler & where your plumber is coming from!!!! your boiler being a simple standard boiler should only take around 30-60 mins to service if no major parts need replacing! ask your plumber before he arrives to how much he charges! small one man band plumbers prices can some times have varied prices, where the bigger companies like british gas ect will have a standard charge to cover all types of boiler, sometimes quite higher than anyone else!! Good luck!!

 

[ollski]

If it's an open flued mexico you may be paying the higher end...lots of self employed plumbers try hard not to touch open flued appliances these days.

 

[boxster]

i charge £55-00 first appliance and £35-00 per add.

So if you have a boiler and fire its £90-00
if you have a boiler cooker fire and another fire its £160

I love servicing conventional boilers i dont who told you that but its fine. Its only a flue test, vis inspection, stable flue runs, termination and sealed joints to check. I dont charge any extra for a open flue.

Your problem could be a thermocouple or a gas valve

supply and fit a thermocouple £ 55-00 per half hour and the thermocouple is around £7-00

Your gas valve is £55-00 per half hour plus £139-00 if you can still get them.

If your boiler cuts off it may be a blocked pilot which needs a clean maybe its burning yellow and cant support the thermocouple charge. which in that case should take 2 mins.


but back to your problem it may just need the pilot cleaned no parts needed. MAYBE VALVE, MAYBE THERMOCOUPLE. but on them boilers its just the pilot blocked

you see you said you cant get the pilot light to light at all now this indicated a blocked pilot assembly. should take 3 mins from opening your front door! have a go yourself, find your pilot light and get a long rubber hose and put one end of the hose on the pilot thats the bit where the flame come out and the other end in your mouth and BLOW! then try and light it it should be fine. still get it serviced as there are check that need doing such as burner pressure and gas test

 

[clubsport]

Many thanks for the responses guys, a great help with respect to service prices.I am in a conservation area of a london borough, so I am prepared for high prices..Ouch!

Boxster thanks for the tip on cleaning a blocked jet...I don't think it is that, I didn't really explain myself properly.. Now when i hold down the gas regulation valve and press the ignition I can get the pilot to light...The thing is as soon as I release the gas reg valve i have been holding down...the pilot goes out! Last night when i did this i would get the pilot to light and then stay alight once i had let go of the gas reg valve,,,then i could fire the system up as normal,,,with the pilot cutting out after 20 mins......
I have tried a few times to get the pilot on, but as soon as i let go of gas reg..out it goes...Roll on Monday evening when the engineer arrives armed with a thermocouple........thanks again guys!

 

[boxster]

sounds like thermocouple or gas valve, i hope its only a thermocouple

 

[ollski]

nobody told me it......when I was self employed I prefered the peace of mind of not doing many open flues (apart from bbu's) and working for a large company I know none of the engineers will take on open flued appliances on the side. Lots still do I'm just saying be prepared to pay higher for o.f.
Thermocouple 95% fsd 5%.

 

[boxster]

oh, i can see why, i know there high risk but as long as its done by the book there ok. However thats not always the case a change in wind can be a problem and how many have you seen where the flue doesnt get past the 600 mark before it bends. I have even seen boilers with elbows on top , it even made it into the corgi mag.. lol

 

[ChrisR]

If you're paying £7 for a thermocouple you're maybe getting better ones than me (£0.80p!). But I don't change them every service. The original ones are often better than the universal ones, some outlast the boiler. I have had them (£3 variety) fail in about a year. DP is in Vokera land and has never had to change one of theirs.

 

[boxster]

80p thats a good deal!!! i pay around 7.00 some are even 15.00

I never do a thermocouple as part of a service only because i hate being taken for a mug. when i book a service in i ask them on the phone any problems ... of they say yer my pilot light doesnt stay on, i explain a service wont fix it you need a part and a sperate price as a service price is for what it is, a service. when i go to jobs and they dont say anything its gets to me... maybe i raise the price i know its wrong but its annoying when they do that. BESIDES i check eveything to make sure its working before i start as i have had oh well it was working before you came Never again....

 

[ChrisR]

DO know what you mean. Mexico GV is V4600A1130 I think. How many you want?! You're paying more than you need , boxster .

 

[boxster]

i buy in bulk from a local dealer.. around 40 at a time, honeywell, super uni, standard uni, apollos, ect...

i pay £22 for grey button 240v gas valves but retail is £97-00 so thats a nice profit

 

[ChrisR]

Do you know Abcot, Antares?