potterton gold combi making whistling noise

[sloany72]

Hi everyone.
Just wondering if someone could give me a bit of help, had my boiler for 2years and two months now and I've just had this problem start typical when the guarantees just run out, when the hot water tap is turned on in the bathroom and the boiler kicks in it starts to whistle like a kettle for about 20 secs then stops and then starts again, it carries on whistling for a while even when I turn it off at the boiler any ideas of probable cause thanks.

 

[skhudy]

It's a good idea to get a boiler service (if you've not had one) and get it resolved at the same time. From looking at other whistling boiler posts sentinel x200 may help, if not, as I said, get a Gas Safe Engineer in.

 

[Agile]

Is that two years and two months without being serviced?

 

[sloany72]

hi thanks for the reply the boiler has been serviced every year and there's been no other problems.

 

[Agile]

As you have described it I would expect it to be caused by lime scale on the main heat exchanger.

I would treat that with acidic chemicals in a closed circuit loop. But some would only want to replace it which is an expensive part.

Putting X200 as suggested into the boiler primary water, initially with only one small radiator turned on the concentrate the effect in the boiler, might well cure it.

The question of why it has happened is difficult to answer but could be a lack of proper inhibitor at installation, filling loop left open, leaks needing regular topping up or I have seen it occur by incorrect water treatment during commissioning.

Are you in a hard water area like Harrogate?

Tony Glazier

 

[sloany72]

Thanks for the advice will get some x200 and give it a go, sorry for not replying back sooner been working away will post back with results
cheers

 

[sloany72]

just an update on my boiler problem, its been a week now since putting in the x220 and as of yet my whistling problem has not gone away, how long should I give it? and would another dose as suggested by the product label be advisable, noise getting on my nerves now it doesn't do it when heating is on or any other hot tap in the house just the hot bath tap the boiler sounds like a pressure cooker whistle but this is not happening all the time the tap is running any advise much appreciated thanks wayne

 

[Agile]

x200 can be left in the system.

Did you put it in the boiler only at first with the rads off?

Tony

 

[jeff the gasman]

Diverter valve can whistle on these.

 

[gigz]

Is the whistling only happening when a hot tap is open ? (I.E. Doesn't make any difference if boilers switched on or off)

 

[sloany72]

Hello and thanks for the reply's
Agile. I put the x200 into the system through a small rad.

Jeff. thanks for your advise will keep this in mind.

Gigz. tried your idea today and yes when the bath tap was turned on even with the boiler turned off the boiler was still whistling but its just when the hot bath tap is turned on none of the other taps the basin hot or the kitchen hot tap don't make the boiler whistle.

any more help will be much appreciated.

Wayne

 

[ianmcd]

no amount of x200 or any other chemical agent will make a difference, I would be looking at the flow restrictor and inlet water arrangement

 

[gigz]

The bit where the hall sensor sits needs changing/cleaning. Turn cold feed off under the boiler, open hot taps, take hall sensor off and using an 18mm spanner take the inlet cartridge out. I don't think its available as a spare (think you have to buy full inlet section)

 

[sloany72]

hi thanks for all the replies.
would this explain why it only does it on the hot bath tap just noticed that the hot pipework in the bathroom is 22mm would this make a difference as I thought it should be 15mm for a combi but then again its been fine for the last 2 years since the boilers been fitted.

thanks.

 

[Agile]

It is probably because only the bath tap creates enough flow rate to get the noise.

Measuring the bath flow rate and setting a combination of other taps should still get the noise.

Tony