Please identify my boiler noise (sound recording included)

[BeelzebubUK]

For the last couple of weeks my boiler (Ideal Classic FF260 on an open system) has started to make a whiny/whistling noise when it fires up.

It lasts for a few seconds and then goes away.

I've made a recording of the noise (Sounds a lot louder than the recording makes it) :

http://www.excedian.co.uk/Uploads/Boiler.mp3

I normally have the boiler set to about 5 out of 6 heat setting but I found that lowering the setting was reducing/eliminating the noise but its been getting worse so right now I have to have it under 2 to make any difference.

If its set to a higher temperature it sounds to my untrained ear that the water may be kettling inside.... I'm assuming thats related to the issue ?

To add to the history I had a powerflush done to the system in mid November and also had a leaky pipe fixed soon after so both times the system had to be drained but inhibitor was added afterwards.

I did try last week draining the expansion tank and adding more inhibitor and boiler silencer but thats made no difference.

Searching the forum and google produces several possibilities (heat exchanger/trapped air/its an Ideal so just get rid of it etc.

Hoping that the sound recording will help narrow it down. Thanks for any help.

I am intending to get the system replaced with a combi boiler but not until late Summer probably so hoping theres a cheap fix for this that will last 6 months or so.

 

[patsmotors]

Well it could be localised ketteling or a gas/air mixture fault,ask your agent who maintains your gas boiler.
you have one of the best boilers ideal made and as long as it is looked after correctly it will last for years.
how many rads on your system.if your boiler is ketteling it could result in fan failure due to excess heat left in heat exchanger transferring to cooler metal which includes the fan.
the pumped return tapping in the heat exchanger can become partially blocked due to deposits,the design of this tapping/injector is basically just drilled holes with a dead end where crud collects.
so say it needs to pass 22mm of return water back into the heat exchanger and it collects less,it could be - half and so the boiler complains.
so you need an experienced gas boiler person to sort it out.


good luck.

 

[BeelzebubUK]

Thanks for the reply. I have 2 half sized, 4 single, 2 double and a towel radiator.

I'm covered by Scottish Power so I've booked an engineer for next week to take a look. Will update when they've fixed it.

 

[BeelzebubUK]

Just an update. Boiler engineer had a look on Tuesday but could't identify the problem.

He checked the flue and the boiler for leaks as he was fairly sure that the noise would be caused by a bad air/gas mixture but couldn't find anything. Only thing he noticed was the fan was a bit noisy and said he could see a slight gap between the 2 halves of the fan housing. So hes ordered a replacement fan first off to see if that fixes it.

 

[mickyg]

its the fan, a bit of 3 in 1 worked in would probably have quietened it down, you wont get air/gas mixture noises on this boiler its just a SE boiler.

 

[45yearsagasman]

That sounds to me like resonance within the main burner. It is not unknown on this burner type. It may be cured by a good clean, but replacing it is another option. Get you man to check that the burner locating lug is actually fitted into its locating hole.

 

[BeelzebubUK]

Thanks for the advice. This is all done through Scottish Power (free boiler care) so I'll have to wait for them to come fit the fan and i'll pass on the info to the engineer (assuming the fan isn't causing it)

I was able to demonstrate the noise pretty clearly while the engineer was there and he did say he'd not seen this particular problem before. Although he did say if it wasn't the fan then we'd try replacing the burner. He didn't want to order everything as Scottish Power would probably reject the repair due to cost so was going to do one part at a time.

 

[BeelzebubUK]

Realised I'd never updated this.

The 3rd engineer to take a look at it wasn't sure either but he did two things before he left.

1) Banged the burner to loosen up any debris (last engineer had taken it out and cleaned it though)

2) Made sure the front casing was put back on tight

Several months later and the noise has not come back. So I'm suspecting that there was a minute gap in the casing where air was being drawn through ?