Potterton Suprima 50

[ashdene]

worst boiler ever made, ours has been nothing but problems, even after having the new circuit board thingy.

the light on ours is always faint red / flickery. but it seems to be heating the water and radiators at the moment so leaving well alone.

It's either in Infra red mode or the PCB is faulty again. It will run indefinately in this state. The only problem being you won't know what it's doing or if it's stopped and showing a fault code.

Apart from the PCB the Suprima is a great boiler, one of the few that will do 20+ years if moderately looked after.

thanks for that.


what is infra red mode?

To get it out of this mode hold the reset down for at least 10 secs!

Can you suggest anything I can try before I shell out for another 5111603 PCB, as i said I have 240v at the switched live but just get an orange flashing light??

 

[gazthepottertonengineer]

Nah I had 1 the other day doing exactly the same and that was pcb I'm afraid!

 

[ashdene]

so even the 5111603 boards can go wrong then?

 

[gaswizzard]

This is the LED sequence......

Mains off = no LED
Mains on no external call = continuous orange light
External call but boiler temp knob turnd off = flashing orange
Temp knob turned on = flashing orange/green
Burner on = continuos green
Boiler temp satisfieid = flashing green.

If the led sequence is differnt than that of above then post back exactly what the LED sequence is showing.

Is this the 50L (flow switch) or 50?

Check 240 volt across switched live and neutral @ boiler terminal strip.
Check 240 volt across red and blue at 6 pin plug on control board , if 240 volt is present then time for a replacement board.

I have the 80 in my own house which has been and still is a great little boiler (12 years), ok i've fitted a couple of PCBs and a fan but other than that it's good , got a third board going on very soon , the dreaded lockout is becoming more frequent.

 

[gazthepottertonengineer]

so even the 5111603 boards can go wrong then?

Yes not half as much but everything can go wrong!

 

[ashdene]

This is the LED sequence......

Mains off = no LED
Mains on no external call = continuous orange light
External call but boiler temp knob turnd off = flashing orange
Temp knob turned on = flashing orange/green
Burner on = continuos green
Boiler temp satisfieid = flashing green.

If the led sequence is differnt than that of above then post back exactly what the LED sequence is showing.

Is this the 50L (flow switch) or 50?

Check 240 volt across switched live and neutral @ boiler terminal strip.
Check 240 volt across red and blue at 6 pin plug on control board , if 240 volt is present then time for a replacement board.

I have the 80 in my own house which has been and still is a great little boiler (12 years), ok i've fitted a couple of PCBs and a fan but other than that it's good , got a third board going on very soon , the dreaded lockout is becoming more frequent.

Thanks for your reply, the boiler is a 50 with the upgraded 5111603 board not a 50L so has no flow switch.
The sequence of lights i get is perfectly normal when the boiler is going through its sequence however after the boiler water temp has reached its set point on the boiler stat, it switches off and flashes green (normal). But then when the rads start to cool down I would expect the boiler to relight but it doesn't it just changes from flashing green to flashing orange and just sits there doing nothing, the boiler doesn't even attempt to go through its fan purge or attempt an ignition, it will sit like this for ages until the rads are almost cold and then it will just light up perfectly out of the blue, heat up nicely and then repeat the whole process again.

There is 240v at the switched live so its being asked to light but something is telling it not to. I have not seen any red lights yet, just orange and green.

At what point do i need to check for voltage across the 6 pin connector, does it need to be calling for heat, switched off or running etc????
cheers

 

[gaswizzard]

At what point do i need to check for voltage across the 6 pin connector, does it need to be calling for heat, switched off or running etc????
cheers

Calling for heat (240 volt at switched live).

 

[ashdene]

I have 24o volts at switched live on the terminal strip, but when do i test for 240volt at the 6 pin coonector

 

[Agile]

There would be a suggestion that I could make to a gas reg person which MIGHT be relevent to your problem.

However, even the new PCBs dont always seem as trustworthy as we would expect.

Do you have any ability to measure the temperature with a contact thermal meter?

Do you have the ability to measure DC voltages safely and accurately?

Tony

 

[MeldrewsMate]

I assume from the comment about the overheat 'stat and the flow temperature sensor that you've already had the casing open. This is considered as interfering with the gas system (as the casing forms part of the flue on room sealed boilers). Best to have this boiler checked-out by a Registered Gas Installer (Gas Safe registered).

Having got that off my chest I have some advice. Have you got the later Suprima with the flow sensor fitted to the pipework just above the PCB area, on the RHS of the boiler? If so it could be this stopping the boiler from being reliable. Can't say if the advice I got from Potterton two years ago is universally offered, but they said "disconnect it and short the two wires together"...effectively eliminating it from the (overheat) circuit.#

So a defective flow switch will give the same interruption as an overheat.

Of course, if you don't have a flow switch then apart from the moan at the start (compulsory for Meldrews) this post will have been no use whatsoever.

Happy New Year.
MM

 

[ashdene]

Thanks for the advice guys, yes ive had the casing off im afraid, I am totally competant at this kind of thing as ive spent the last 11 years working on gas turbine engines, although i admit I do not hold a domestic gas license
I can measure any temps, votages etc and have all the tools required to do so if you would kindly help me a little more

My boiler does not have a flow switch as it is not the 50L model it is the 50.

If the boiler was tripping out on overheat, would this not bring up the red lockout light? I am only seeing an orange flashing light when its supposed to be firing

 

[gaswizzard]

Ashdene what are you actually asking for? , if you are competent in testing electrical equipment then why are you still asking when it has been explained in the above post.

Have you varified 240 volt across red/blue at 6 pin plug when external controls are calling for heat? (240 on sw/l)

If 240 volt on sw/l and not on 6 pin plug then a harness fault , if 240 volt on sw/l AND red/blue then board is goosed.

Never known the water flow switch to sit above PCB , the L model used the water flow switch which is situated on the left hand side of boiler , this is wired in series with the air pressure switch and not the O/H.

 

[ashdene]

Ashdene what are you actually asking for? , if you are competent in testing electrical equipment then why are you still asking when it has been explained in the above post.

Have you varified 240 volt across red/blue at 6 pin plug when external controls are calling for heat? (240 on sw/l)

If 240 volt on sw/l and not on 6 pin plug then a harness fault , if 240 volt on sw/l AND red/blue then board is goosed.

Never known the water flow switch to sit above PCB , the L model used the water flow switch which is situated on the left hand side of boiler , this is wired in series with the air pressure switch and not the O/H.

Thats what i was after mate and im very sorry if ive been a pain in the arse, just wanted to try and get to the bottom of the problem before shelling out for expensive parts, ive just put my meter on it and i have 240v at switched live and 240volts at red and blue on the 6 pin block so i guess my PCB is "goosed"

Thanks very much guys I appreciate all your help