Potterton Kingfisher end of life?

[jacobyte]

I have a Potterton Kingfisher CF50A boiler which is older that the 23 years we have lived in the house, and which has been serviced annually by a gas-safety registered engineer and has worked very reliably all that time. This year I had to ask a different registered gas man to do the service, which he declined to do, instead telling me that I need a new boiler. He pointed to a white powder which has appeared down the edges of the heat exchanger gaskets, said that this will lead to leaks, and that a repair is no longer feasible due to the boiler's age.
Does this seem reasonable, or am I being persuaded to spend a small fortune unnecessarily?

 

[namsag]

Sounds very like someone is looking for work, When they do leak on these you usually get plenty of warning.

 

[mrgas]

Id second that. May not be the most efficient but ever so reliable. Get yourself an engineer that will service it. It is important to regulary service these boilers. I look after quite a few still giving good service and perfectly safe.

 

[gassafeman]

Your being spun a line here!

Good solid boiler.

Paul

 

[jacobyte]

I have a Potterton Kingfisher CF50A boiler which is older that the 23 years we have lived in the house, and which has been serviced annually by a gas-safety registered engineer and has worked very reliably all that time. This year I had to ask a different registered gas man to do the service, which he declined to do, instead telling me that I need a new boiler. He pointed to a white powder which has appeared down the edges of the heat exchanger gaskets, said that this will lead to leaks, and that a repair is no longer feasible due to the boiler's age.
Does this seem reasonable, or am I being persuaded to spend a small fortune unnecessarily?

Thanks for all your replies. It looks very much as if my initial scepticism was justified. I'll stick to the old box, and continue to have it serviced annually.

 

[tonybhoy]

Personally I'd get a second opinion mate. With the greatest of respect but we're all sitting here on a PC so you really need someone to take a look.

I condemned an Ideal Mexico RS 125 last year because the seal between the combustion box and the HEX was knacked and Ideal said that the seal was no longer available and even it it had been replacing the seal would have required major works and would have been uneconomical to do.

In the meantime get yourself a CO detector, Costco are doing them for about a tenner.

 

[Boilerman2]

It does on the surface seem that the OP is being fed on Bullsh*t, but of course the Engineer that has looked after it for the 23 previous years, may have been very lapse.
We had a self employed Gas Engineer on our patch, the bloke was issuing Landlords certs, with BBU's and No Ventilation, uncapped service pipes etc etc etc, He was a Nightmare! even getting his Corgi Reg revoked didn't stop him

 

[bengasman]

...He pointed to a white powder which has appeared down the edges of the heat exchanger gaskets, said that this will lead to leaks, and that a repair is no longer feasible due to the boiler's age.

There is some truth in that.
It will eventually leak.
By that time it will probably not be economically feasible to repair it.
But until it actually leaks, there is no reason to replace it, unless you are bothered with the extremely low efficiency.
As this boiler is little more than a cast iron pot over a fire, I expect leaksealer will prolong the lifespan by another couple of years when it does leak.
In the meantime, ask the RGI that is going to service it to add a litre of inhibitor. Cost about £15 and may slow down the deterioration another couple of years extra.