Potterton Boiler Problem

[Kaybar]

I have a Potterton Kingfisher MF RS100 boiler about 8 to 9 yrs old which has stopped working.
6 months ago it had a new fan, circuit Board and Gas valve replaced.
This time the gas engineer thought it was the fan, he replaced that and tried a new circuit board but it did not work. He said the gas pressure is low to the boiler (13mbars). He feels the fault lies with the flue saying the 'inner and outer flue have met'. He has put a warning notice on the boiler and said will get back to us. Does any one know if they are going to bother trying to repair the flue or condemn the boiler? It is on an incurance policy. He complained about access to the boiler as it is built under a work top.

 

[bengasman]

Not sure what he meant by: inner and out flue have met. Corrosion, leak, buckled?
What does it say exactly on the notice?

Heating insurance is no different from other insurances in the fact that companies are a lot more interested in receiving money than delivering good service; replacing the fan and the pcb after that had already been done this year does not indicate that either of the 2 guys really knew what he was doing. Condemning the boiler can be an easy way out of a difficult fault.
Do not agree, and insist on precise, written specification on what grounds the boiler is condemned if they do so.
Get on the phone on monday morning , and don't take no for an answer; keep asking for someone higher up the ladder until you get satisfaction.
Make it crystal clear that you will get an independent expert to verify all they claim if they don't fix your boiler pronto.

 

[kevplumb]

13 mb hope that was burner pressure

 

[Boilerman2]

Sounds like you need to get a proper Engineer in!!
if 13Mb is the inlet pressure, then you have a problem this should be checked at the Gas Meter, if 13Mb there, good news, as its the Transporters problem, if not, it indicates undersized or blocked gas supply pipe to boiler.

I would start by employing an Engineer that knows what he is about

 

[Kaybar]

Sounds like you need to get a proper Engineer in!!
if 13Mb is the inlet pressure, then you have a problem this should be checked at the Gas Meter, if 13Mb there, good news, as its the Transporters problem, if not, it indicates undersized or blocked gas supply pipe to boiler.

I would start by employing an Engineer that knows what he is about

If the pressure at the boiler is 13Mb and the pressure at the meter is higher- does this mean a new pipe (which will cause a lot of damage to floors etc.) or can it be unblocked. Also gas supply to other appliances eg cooker would need to be checked? Also not sure how to find a proper engineer who will not rip me off.

 

[Boilerman2]

First of all it is unusual for a gas pipe to be Blocked/undersized as 99% of gas engineers are dedicated, honerable people, it's the 1% that are the problem, I suspect that you have had the 1% to diagnose your problems with the boiler.

Talk to your neighbours, they may be able to recommend a local independant service company that will be able to rectify your problem without trying to rip you off

www.gassaferegister.co.uk
is responsible for maintaning the register of gas engineers they will be able to find a registered engineer near to you, but always check that the engineer that attends can produce a current gas Safe Card, which on the reverse shows that he or she is competent to work on central heating boilers GOOD LUCK

 

[bengasman]

I would highly recommend asking friends, neighbours etc. for a recommendation. He must of course be registered like indicated above, but the problem is that it won't tell you if he has got a month's experience or a decade.

 

[Boilerman2]

Neighbours recommendation BACKED up with a Gas Safe Card, is as good as it will get

 

[bengasman]

No GSR card, no work, that's for sure.

 

[dreadnoughtheating]

In a previous existence as a Tech Officer with a large social Housing group, we fitted shed loads of the Potty kingfisher MF's, when they first came out.

Well, only until the PCB's blew the GasValves or viceversa, I kid you not the then local potterton service guy was a regular on the streets round here,

Had the local rep and Service manager swearing on the lives of their offspring there was not a known problem. (this was before the days of the internet and forums such as these).

Happened to go to an unrelated training day with some other TO's from various other housing groups and guess what? Yup, they all had similar stories to tell.....

I hope that BAXI group have changed since.

DH

 

[bengasman]

I hope that BAXI group have changed since.

DH

They have. It is now baxipottertonmainbroagandafewmore.
But I guess you knew that part.

 

[Agile]

If the meter is OK then the pipe to the boiler is undersized.

However, that will not stop your boiler working! Its just so bad that it should be classed as At Risk.

As we keep on pointing out the insurance firms have to employ staff/contractors who cannot be paid very much so thats the only place an inexperienced or underperforming person can go to work.

Once I was called by a lady whose boiler had been condemned by one of those firms and she called me to have a look. I found the only problem was air in the system. They admitted their mistake and reimbursed our diagnostic fee.

A good independent has his reputation to uphold.

Tony