PLEASE HELP ME WITH MY DODGY BOILER!

[dodgypottertonsuprima]

Help.... 3 years ago I had a Potterton Suprima 40 installed. Ever since it has been a pain in the backside. Always breaking down and so far almost every part has been replaced. I think it has only been in use for about 6 weeks in it's entire life. I have spent a fortune on the damn thing and am thinking about just writing it off and getting a new one but don't fancy the expense! Can anyone give me an idea of what might be the latest problem?
When you switch it on it starts up ok then about 15 secs later it goes bang, bang, bang etc and goes out? not very technical I know!

Any advice would be gratefully received. Having typed Potterton Suprima into a search engine it seems they are a pile of poo!

Thanks!
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Lynda, moderator

Moved to plumbing, as a boiler is not an appliance

 

[2face]

pump maybe !
there is a circulation problem something is stopping the pump running or the pump is duff ?

 

[dodgypottertonsuprima]

Thanks for your respaonse. We have already had 2 new pumps so I thinks it is time to ditch the useless piece of junk and invest in a new boiler that is not a Potterton!

 

[Paul Barker]

The current suprima is OK, the older ones had a dodgy pcb but there is a new wiring loomb pcb kit that fixes it.

Your problem may have nothing to do with the boiler, you might wreck any new boiler just as you have wrecked this one.

 

[namsag]

Suprima is a pile of s**te... board has been redesigned about 3 times who is to say current board isn`t going to play up in a year and at around £ 200 i would put this to a new boiler. Does sound like a circulation prob and pump gets its power through the board Can never understand how potterton got away with not having a free to customer recall on these boilers

 

[Paul Barker]

Isn't gasthepottyengineer around to defend them?

I've fitted a few in the two years and had no problems.

I've fitted the replacement pcb kit to the older one and had no problems.

 

[kevplumb]

Suprima is a pile of s**te... board has been redesigned about 3 times who is to say current board isn`t going to play up in a year and at around £ 200 i would put this to a new boiler. Does sound like a circulation prob and pump gets its power through the board Can never understand how potterton got away with not having a free to customer recall on these boilers

we are impressed with them then

 

[simond]

I would check that the motorised valves are operating correctly - and if you have 2x2ports, check there is a bypass fitted and it is working.

If this is all to the book, then either get Baxi round on a fixed fee or bin the bl~~@@ thing. What amazes me is BaxiPot calling one of their new HE boilers a Suprima; I would have thought they would have wanted to bury the name

 

[dodgypottertonsuprima]

Thanks to those who offered helpful advice. I have someone from British Gas coming over in the morning so hopefully they can sort it out!

I response to me breaking it..... I can assure you I have not done anything to it. I always get a CORGI registered plumber in........ Don't suppose you work for them? Also have you tried typing Potterton Suprima in to Google? Not many happy customers there!

 

[Paul Barker]

Sorry I wasn't explicit enough, the boiler is only part of your system, if there is a problem elsewhere it will finish off the next boiler also. Best find the problem.

 

[dodgypottertonsuprima]

Thanks for the response. I have had a new pump fitted today as it had apparently seized up. Considering this was the last thing we had fixed before it packed up a week later I can't understand what can be happening! Is there a reason why the pump could keep giving up?
We had a full inspection today from British Gas so I am hoping if htere was another reason why it keeps packing up they would have discovered it? Or Not?!

 

[Paul Barker]

Magnetight?

 

[dodgypottertonsuprima]

Um what is that please?!
I should explain that my husband is absolutely terrible at any form of DIY even painting so it is all left to me and although I might be reasonable proficient with most stuff (my dad has self built all my life so I have picked up a lot!) plumbing is another world to me.
I am considering a course though I think it would be very handy!

 

[dodgypottertonsuprima]

Having had a new pump today i'm still not sure it's working. It has just fired up and gone straight out again. Think I need to call someone out again!!

 

[JohnD]

If your pumps keep (?) jamming it may be that there are corrosion products circulating in the water. Corrosion also causes gas in the radiators.

The black iron oxide is called magnetite (it will stick to a magnet, unlike red rust).

If you have BritGas in they will probably tell you that you need a powerflush (they tell most people that, it costs hundred of pounds) to get the sludge and grit out. Other people usually charge about half the britgas price.

You can also get a device called a Magnaclean fitted on your circulating pipes, costs about £100 plus fitting. It is a kind of sludge trap with a magnet in it that traps all the circulating black stuff so it can't harm your pump or clog your boiler. One of these plus a chemical clean will probably cost less than a powerflush. After cleaning you need to add a corrosion inhibitor to prevent any more corrosion.

You can do a chemical clean, rinse and add inhibitor yourself, it is easy as long as you have a drain-off point and don't mind climbing into the loft.

I am not a plumber and have had very few CH probs... but I did have a black sludge blockage once.