Potterton Boiler problem / "Sludge"

[spudsnruf]

Recently, shower water started going cold quickly....I looked at the lights on my Potterton boiler, and saw that they were flashing red every second. I'd not seen this in the 5 yrs I've lived here, but found that just resetgin it meant I got hot water back quite soon after. Obviously, I cant keep re-setting it, so I called BG. They said it may be a sludge issue, and told me it wa sgoing to be £695 to sort it out, which would innclude fitting the MagnaClean system. (the boiler had a new PCB put in last yr following a different problem).

Its a huge amounf ot money for me, but does £695 sound right, and does it sound like the light going red is a sludge issue? The system is less tha 8 yrs old. I told BG I would think about it and get back to them. Am i being taken for a ride here? I thought it would be unlikely from BG. But never know!

Any guidance appreciated.

 

[gas4you]

Do we assume you have a Suprima?

BG are more expensive than most for a flush, but they guarantee it for life, so I am told.

Most independants would charge around £350- £400 for a flush.

Could be several other things including a dodgy pump or even the new pcb faulty on pump over run.

Why not get another couple of quotes/opinions from well trusted local installers/engineers first?

Did BG test your heating system water?

 

[JohnD]

if you have a Black Sludge problem, and you can do basic plumbing, then with a couple of afternoons work, and £15 for a bottle of X400, £100 for a Magnaclean, and £15 for a bottle of X100, you can make (a) a lot of difference or (b) some difference.

Either way you will be better off than you are now, even if you do end up having to pay for a powerflush later if the problem is not adequately resolved. But you might find thay you have fixed your problem, and you are £500 better off.

I've done a couple and IMO it is well worth doing.

BG make a lot of money out of powerflushes so they are not unbiased.

I am just a householder.

 

[spudsnruf]

Thanks Dave..yes it is a Suprima. I think I will get other quotes, but I've bad experiences of the last 2 I used (one charging me £150 for an aqqualis shower cartridge which I later found he bought for about £90, then another £100 to fit it...my own stupid fault in hindsight...but thats what put me off.). anyway...i'll put some faith back into local indies and try again....

JohnD...thanks for your comment also. I'm plumbing illiterate, so i wouldnt have confidence to take on the job myself..unless there was a step by step guide for my specifc system, and even then reluctantly. Appreciate your steer though.

 

[clf-gas]

I am just a householder.

With a fair knowledge of plumbing and heating it has to be said John.
Thought of coming out of retirement

 

[JohnD]

very kind of you to say so

but I might not be quite as old as you think I am

 

[mickyg]

Recently, shower water started going cold quickly....I looked at the lights on my Potterton boiler, and saw that they were flashing red every second. I'd not seen this in the 5 yrs I've lived here, but found that just resetgin it meant I got hot water back quite soon after. Obviously, I cant keep re-setting it, so I called BG. They said it may be a sludge issue, and told me it wa sgoing to be £695 to sort it out, which would innclude fitting the MagnaClean system. (the boiler had a new PCB put in last yr following a different problem).

Its a huge amounf ot money for me, but does £695 sound right, and does it sound like the light going red is a sludge issue? The system is less tha 8 yrs old. I told BG I would think about it and get back to them. Am i being taken for a ride here? I thought it would be unlikely from BG. But never know!

Any guidance appreciated.

What exactly did they do to come to that conclusion?? I find it highly improbable that a BG engineer can diagnose sludge as the single reason for a boiler locking out in the short space of time they are given for jobs. I have seen more red lights on suprimas then I care to remember and not once was a powerflush the solution. I suspect an easy way out of a job at your expense. I would not be looking around for qoutes for flushing the system, I'd be looking for a competent boiler repair engineer or calling back BG and asking for a different engineer.

 

[mrmarkup]

take a sample of water from heat exchanger.if it looks very black its sludge.
if not too discoloured call back BG to investgate fault.show sample of water to them.
ask for a service enginner not a salesman

 

[nickso]

i dont think ive ever been to a suprima with a sludge issue where the boiler doesnt sound like a steam train. if your boiler isnt noisy i'd be suspicious.

its unlikely to be the pcb either. version 3 doesn't fail and show a red light, if it does its almost certainly something else thats at fault.

if you are on contract to BG get back on to them to show you the water sample. if you are not get a second opinion. without mentioning what BG recommended obviously.

 

[nickso]

What exactly did they do to come to that conclusion?? I find it highly improbable that a BG engineer can diagnose sludge as the single reason for a boiler locking out in the short space of time they are given for jobs.

its not rocket science, you take a water sample and if its manky it needs flushing.....whats that 20-30mins?

 

[JohnD]

I know nothing... is it an Open Vented System with a Feed & Expansion tank in the loft? If so, does it have mud at the bottom? And does black water come out when you bleed the rads?

You aren't keen on plumbing. but do you know where the drain cock is, and would you be willing to use it?

 

[mickyg]

What exactly did they do to come to that conclusion?? I find it highly improbable that a BG engineer can diagnose sludge as the single reason for a boiler locking out in the short space of time they are given for jobs.

its not rocket science, you take a water sample and if its manky it needs flushing.....whats that 20-30mins?

A bit of black of water still doesn't tell you its the cause of the fault, possibly a contributory factor yes, but doesn't mean a powerflush is gonna solve it.

 

[nickso]

What exactly did they do to come to that conclusion?? I find it highly improbable that a BG engineer can diagnose sludge as the single reason for a boiler locking out in the short space of time they are given for jobs.

its not rocket science, you take a water sample and if its manky it needs flushing.....whats that 20-30mins?

A bit of black of water still doesn't tell you its the cause of the fault, possibly a contributory factor yes, but doesn't mean a powerflush is gonna solve it.

i didnt say it was the problem or the solution. you inferred a BG engineer doesnt have the time to do a water sample on a visit due to timings you probably have no idea about. i do know and was telling you you are wrong. if the water is black it needs cleaning out. IMO the most efficient way to remedy it, if not necessarily the cheapest, is to flush it and possibly use a magnaclean.