Problem Boiler

[Joanne266]

Central Heating Boiler: Glow-Worm Fuelsaver MK II

I have just had my boiler serviced by British Gas, it was working fine before-hand, but now that i've switched my central heating back on, the boiler is making a "banging noise" when the blue flame goes high, then when the flame fades back to normal, the banging stops. It happens about every 10 - 15 minutes.

I called British Gas back out and he is going to order a temperature control (the noise only happens when the temperature control is set to number 4 or 5), he says he isn't confident that it's the control and thinks it might need to be power-flushed (cost approx £600), however, he says the boiler is about 10 years old and he doesn't recommend the power flush and they are quoting me £2000 for a new system.

Any thoughts / recomendations as both of the options above sound very expensive to me, considering the boiler has been working fine before the service!

Thanks.

 

[gas4you]

I don't quite understand what you mean by 'blue flame goes to high' then 'fades back to normal'

Are you describing the main burner lighting then going off and leaving pilot light on?

These boilers are old and do not modulate.

if it worked fine before the service then it should be fine afterwards. The need for a powerflush would not occur just because it was serviced. The engineers name wasn't Tony by any chance

Did the BG bloke change anything in your airing cupboard? the pump speed perhaps? If it is banging loudly then this is a circulation problem. Overheat should be cutting in if thermostat is not working on 4 or above.

£2000 seems very cheap for BG to replace a boiler I would expect this to go up to at least £3000 once their 'suit' has visited you

 

[nickso]

hm i would resist the two quotes and insist on a repair as far as reasonably practical.

i cant see what he could have done to the boiler to warrant any three of the repair options he has given you. has he tested what temperatures the boiler is reaching or done any other tests?

 

[Joanne266]

The other tests he done according to the paperwork he left are as follows:

Burner Pressure Mbar: 11:00
Ventilation Satisfactory: Yes
Flue Satisfactory: Yes
Appliance Tightness: Yes
Combustion Performance First Test: 0.0003
Combustion Performance Last Test: 0.0003

The blue flame i mentioned getting higher when the banging noise occurs is the pilot light.

 

[gas4you]

Must be one hell of a size pilot light to overheat boiler and cause banging

 

[DP]

The figure you quote are supervisory. Boiler does not appear to have been serviced, ONLY checked.

What is the make and model of the boiler?

 

[Soggy_weetabix]

These Boilers a very prone to blockages in the heat ex.

Last month, I had my mums heat ex in the garden, D Block in hand.

Ill now be shouted at but the heat ex is clean as a whistle

Dave

 

[Joanne266]

The make and model is Central Heating Boiler Glow worm Fuelsaver 50B MK2.

I'm paying British Gas for the annual service of the boiler, not for them to check it, the paperwork provided today after him checking it is the same as the paperwork he provided yesterday after he supposdly serviced it.

Don't know any technical terms for the pilot light, but it's currently set at no 3 and it's working fine. When set to numbers 4 or 5 the banging starts every 10 - 15 mins.

 

[Joanne266]

Gas4You - the engineer didn't go near the airing cupboard - the boilers are in a garage on the ground level of the house, the banging of the boiler is so loud it can be heard from the other side of the house. Banging noise lasts about 5 seconds, but radiators seem to be working fine. When i rang British Gas last night to report the problem they asked if i'd bled the radiators recently, which i did last night, but it's made zero difference. [/quote]

 

[lookinn]

You sure the pump is running. Looks like low water flow through the boiler if it is that bad. In any event do NOT USE British gas for a new boiler. They are so expensive. They get commission on stuff they sell!

 

[gas4you]

You are talking about the main burner! Did you see BG strip and clean boiler or was it just an annual safety check with a 'probe' just put in flue?

 

[Joanne266]

Just an annual safety check. He didn't take anything apart - wasn't really there long enough to do that. Concentrated more on my hot water boiler if anything. The pump seems to be fine as far as i'm aware, all the radiators are heating up just fine. The only noise is from the boiler.

 

[gas4you]

Another BG rip off. Lead customers to believe their service contract actually includes a service Every year will get about 1 month later on the check, He is just guessing at the boiler stat if no tests were done

 

[Joanne266]

Your right about the one month later thing. it was actually due in October 06 and they just got round to it on Wednesday!!!!!

 

[nickso]

Another BG rip off. Lead customers to believe their service contract actually includes a service Every year will get about 1 month later on the check, He is just guessing at the boiler stat if no tests were done

i agree he possibly hasnt checked the boiler stat, i think it sounds more and more like kettling/sludge but its hard to say from here. i certainly would have checked the temps.

the service interval is relatively irrelevant. the contract year always stays the same unless the customer changes it so a service will always be done within the contract year. if they had enough guys in your area it would slowly creep back like it did in ours for a while. its down to each individual engineer as to how much of a service they perform.....most dont do a lot. fuelsaver doesnt need much anyway......if it did indeed do 0.0003 then it will be pretty spotless inside.

Your right about the one month later thing. it was actually due in October 06 and they just got round to it on Wednesday!!!!!

you should have phoned them then....its as much your responsibility as theirs.

They get commission on stuff they sell!

if by "they" you mean the engineer, he gets £10 in a voucher/points scheme....hardly setting the world on fire.

Banging noise lasts about 5 seconds

makes me think the stat is out or its full of sludge

When i rang British Gas last night to report the problem they asked if i'd bled the radiators recently, which i did last night, but it's made zero difference

ignore the callcentre staff's advice...they haven't a clue and are merely reading from a cue sheet.....or worse still pretending they know anything.