Potteton combi diagnosed dead for the sake of a spare part.

[Cluesome]

Hi,

I have a gas combi boiler Potterton Lynx 1 that works well except for the airflow sensor (diagnosed by ex-BG.) From reading this site I have worked out for myself that this is a common fault and that the part is obsolete.

So, this inevitably leads me to the question: can anyone help me get my hands on one?

I just do not have the cash to replace and I've gone one winter already, I'd like to at least try to find this part.

Any help or hints greatly appreciated. Even if anyone knows of a boiler breaker either near to Edinburgh or further afield.

Regards,
Phil.

 

[ollski]

I doubt it, 3 years ago they were very difficult to obtain, now I would imagine they are impossible. You may be lucky and find one being dismantled but they are few and far between these days.

 

[buster52]

post a picture and the part number I will hunt around in my old stock I may have one of these there, cant promise mind but also talk to the local stockist there should be some thing thats Simula enough there not exactly rocket science and will not damage anything if the fan is not running the boiler will not fuction so any air flow that will fit should do the job

 

[ChrisR]

I beg to differ Buster. If you use something "similar" which gives an indication of air flow, when it could be inadequate, you get bad combustion, CO and the rest.

The air flow sensor is a resistance thing, if it isn't right you could easily have the boiler running without the fan.

It's not on (and illegal) to replace safety components with the wrong part.

 

[buster52]

yes that could happen which is why I say talk to the suppliers there are more than one machine using the same airflow switch and they may have change to a model thats still being sold its worth trying

and an airflow switch should not open without a fan running
simply connect a multi meter on test mode an use a piece of tube to create the slight air pressure needed to test the functionality and then visually check before using the appliance
you should have seen some of the stuff I found after going behind and cleaning up after the so called gas board for over 30 years that was illegal and unsafe but no authority ever took them to task for that

 

[ollski]

yes that could happen which is why I say talk to the suppliers there are more than one machine using the same airflow switch and they may have change to a model thats still being sold its worth trying

and an airflow switch should not open without a fan running
simply connect a multi meter on test mode an use a piece of tube to create the slight air pressure needed to test the functionality and then visually check before using the appliance
you should have seen some of the stuff I found after going behind and cleaning up after the so called gas board for over 30 years that was illegal and unsafe but no authority ever took them to task for that

It's not a standard aps it's an airflow sensor. Tony is usually on by now saying how it is a modified version of something they used on a cooker when he were a lad.
As I say, it's unique, obsolete and has no substitute.

 

[buster52]

I am not going to get into a major discussion over this but I do have over 30 yrs of replacing these parts day in day out and a good place to ask if they still exist is heating replacement parts in wembley there guys where very knowledgeable when I was working

 

[ollski]

I don't doubt your credentials buster and checking them out is worth a shout but over the last couple of years it has been a notoriously impossible to get part.
I'd be checking the leads though, these are much more prone to failure than the sensor itself.

 

[mickyg]

there are more than one machine using the same airflow switch

not that I'm aware of..name one?

an airflow switch should not open without a fan running

it doesn't "open" it uses a resistance reading

use a piece of tube

there are no "tubes"

but I do have over 30 yrs of replacing these parts day in day out

Obviously not this part you haven't!

 

[namsag]

Buster the part is nothing like an air pressure switch . It is like the old glow coil igniters that used to be on gp40`s and majorca 2`s .
30 years in the game you will know what part i mean

 

[mickyg]

...........abusive nonsense ........... Mod 10

Why can't you just admit your wrong and you don't know what your talking about?

 

[Onetap]

Buster the part is nothing like an air pressure switch . It is like the old glow coil igniters that used to be on gp40`s and majorca 2`s .

Sounds like it might be a hot wire anemometer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anemometer#Hot-wire_anemometers

They are used in the air flow meters on VAV actuators and car fuel injection systems.

I've no experience of them on boilers, but I'd think the chances of getting a non-standard part to function properly are somewhere between none and bugger-all. I'd be inclined to scrap it.

 

[ChrisR]

getting a non-standard part to function properly

SInce he doesn't know the original specs he has no idea of what "properly" would be.
A piece of resistance wire would "work" but be dangerous.

 

[Terrywookfit]

They worked much better as an airflow sensor than as an ignitor though

 

[Deleted member 105431]

R.I.P LYNX 1.