Newly installed Worcester 28i hot water problem

[crobar]

Hello,

I have had gas central heating fitted this week with a Worcester Greenstar 28i junior being fitted. I have found however that the boiler seems to be very insensitive to the hot water flow. When I turn on the hot water tap you can get a little hot water for a while (I believe being left over from the last time you got the boiler to turn on) but eventually runs cold. The burner does not turn on and the green light stays off.

If I turn the tap on very heavy, the boiler will come on and heat up the water.

If I then reduce the flow again but keep it running the water runs cold again eventually and the burner does not come back on. When I say reduce the flow, I don't mean to a tiny trickle either, it's still a decent flow.

What is likely to be the problem? My installer is coming to finish a few bits and pieces of the job on Monday what should I expect him to do to fix this?

I'm a little worried as I've been a bit unhappy about some other aspects of the work he's done.

Thanks

 

[pipshady]

has it been like that since he installed it?

 

[crobar]

Yes, only commissioned on Friday (yesterday) so he may not even have noticed this

 

[pipshady]

could be a faulty flow switch on the boiler, however it could also be your flow rate, has he mentioned this? or checked it before installing the boiler? what else have you been unhappy with with his work?

 

[crobar]

Yes, he checked the water pressure before installing, and there is quite a high flow rate, at least water comes out of the taps at a much higher rate than I would normally ever require when turned on full blast.

The other things I've not been that happy with is to do with how he cut and lifted floorboards to get access to and fit pipework. When cutting floorboards he just stuck a circular saw into the board end and cut into adjacent boards on both sides in most places. Also in a couple of places quite big chunks have been broken off the edges, presumably when prising them up.

Obviously I knew boards would have to be cut, and it will never be quite the same as before, but there seemed to be a general lack of care when this was one of the one things I specifically told him I cared about, while being quite flexible about the possibility of damage to some other things.

Also in one room a radiator was placed beside a door initially, and plumbed in when the door didn't close! This wasn't done by the main man himself, and was rectified, but still! They also broke a cup without telling me, which sounds petty, but all makes me wonder about the stuff I don't know about, i.e. the plumbing.

I have no particular reason to doubt the quality of the actual plumbing work though really.

 

[pipshady]

ok, sounds like flow rate is not the issue so it could genuinely be a problem on the boiler, it does happen so it can t be ruled out, personally i cannot help diagnose the problem, i have very little experience with fault finding these boiler apart from leaks and servicing, but i m sure someone else on here can point to specifics!

it sounds like the engineer has been a little careless and not listened to your requests, they could have been genuine mistakes, i know i have had trouble lifting floor boards but i have discussed every step with my customers or at least explained why i have changed from their requests!

 

[crobar]

ok, well, thanks for taking the time to reply. I will see if he can sort it out on Monday.

 

[hansthebear]

check hot and colds arent crossed

 

[crobar]

hi hansthebear, how would I check this?

 

[crobar]

Also, to add some further information, I have now measured the flow rate when it won't turn on. I filled a 2L jug from the tap in about 50 seconds without the boiler turning on, so at least 2L/min. What minimum flow rate should I expect it to work to?

By slowly turning up the flow until the burner came on, it doesn't seem to work until about 4L/min.

 

[pipshady]

most combis need around 11 l per min

 

[crobar]

11L/min minimum flow rate, really? I think this sounds like the maximum not the minimum. That would fill my sink in under a minute I'm sure.

 

[simond]

11 litres a minute to bring a combi boiler on?

What is your particular gas specialisation?

The advice to check the water inlet / outlet is good.

 

[pipshady]

pardon me, my bad! i knew i remembered 11 from somewhere but now thinking of it thats ridiculous and excessiveto bring a boiler on! sorry!

must think before typing