Problems with Ideal Classic FF280 Boiler

[chippy]

Hi All

Seasons Greetings and Nadolig Llawen from Wales

I don't know much about Heating Systems so please bear with me.

I have an Ideal Classic FF280 Boiler which appears not to be staying lit when it should be.

Yesterday, my wife tells me it would only stay on for a minute or so and then turn itself off. She could make it relight by switching it off/on but the same thing would happen.

Today, I have turned the thermostat on the front of the boiler up a notch and it is staying lit for longer but still switching off every five mins or so. Turning the house thermostat down and then up again starts the boiler up again.

I can't actually remember whether it always 'cycles' like this or if the house thermostat is asking for heat, the boiler stays lit constantly.

Some further info, I noticed a small amount of water on the top of the boiler casing which appears to have come from a bleed off pipe. Looking at the stain on the case, this is not the first time it has happened.

I guess I'm looking for a bit of advice if at all possible on the following questions:

1 - Should there be a light visible in the window at all times or just when the boiler is working?

2 - Is the boiler working OK, it's just that it's cold weather and the thermostat needed turning up a bit?

3 - Is the water leak something I need to get sorted urgently?

4 - Is it safe to leave the boiler switched on at all?

Sorry about the long post, but I thought the more info the better - I guess it's question 4 I really need answering!

Many thanks for any advice

 

[ChrisR]

1. No - no permanent pilot
2 tired pump may mean it's getting hot and turning off sooner than it should
3 sooner or later - what pipe exactly???
4 almost certainly OK, unless water is getting into the burner/electronics

Thanks for making the questions easy to answer!

 

[chippy]

Thanks for the quick reply, Chris.

The pump does make a bit of a noise on start-up.

The leaky fitting is a Y-shape and is on the Pumped Return Pipe. It has a square key nut on the end - the drip is from a piece of pipe which looks designed to have a hose fitted to it.

The obvious thing to do would be to try to tighten the square nut, but as it's not clearly loose I don't want to make matters worse!

Thanks again.

 

[Breesey]

The obvious thing to do would be to try to tighten the square nut, but as it's not clearly loose I don't want to make matters worse!

Thanks again.

You could attach a hose to the drain off and just open the the valve (with the square bit) to allow a little bit of water to pass through then tighten it up again. This might clear any debris that may be caught in the valve causing it to leak. Or it could be perished in which case you'll need to change it. . .

If the pump is ok possibly a thermistor is faulty or the heat exchanger furred up causing boiler to shut down early. What happens if you turn the boiler thermostat right up?

 

[chippy]

Thanks Breesey

May well give your suggestion a try, but probably makes sense not to try Christmas weekend - just in case!

The boiler thermostat is pretty much right up now. Scale 1-6, was set around 4, today approx 5 1/2.

 

[ChrisR]

The leaky fitting is a Y-shape and is on the Pumped Return Pipe. It has a square key nut on the end - the drip is from a piece of pipe which looks designed to have a hose fitted to it.

That'll be one of these

then.

My advice would be DON'T TOUCH IT!!!

Not unless you're ready for it to get a lot worse! It might simply do up, but the rubber inside might have gone hard and brittle and break up when you try to do it up. This often happens when they're put close to boilers, as they spend a lot of time VERY hot.

Meantime you could put a hose on it to keep the water away from the boiler.

Sometime you'll possibly have to change the washer - buy a new identical drain cock and you can screw the whole brass bit in with the washer already on it. If you do it with a hose on the outlet and lots of towels you can do it live - if it's cold!

 

[chippy]

That was my worry exactly, Chris.

A job for the New Year I think.

We've got some heating working for now with the boiler thermostat turned up a smidge. Hopefully that'll see us though Xmas.

Thanks for all the help.