Problen with Halstead Ace Combi Boiler

[MrBo]

Hi all

Had Halstead Ace combi boiler installed about 3.5 years ago.
For the last two years or so, sometimes when a hot bath is run, about five minutes after its finished, the boiler starts making "spluttering" noises for about five minutes and a few drips of water appear at the bottom of the casing. Sometimes the boiler then "locks out" requiring a reset. This is starting to happen more often. My CORGI installer cannot seem to identify or fix the fault.

Any hints to what this might be? Am I allowed to ask for recommendations for engineers in the south manc/cheshire area who might tbe able to work with me to get this fixed?

Thanks.

 

[ChrisR]

Hot water flow switch is sticking on, or the diverter valve is sticking in HW position

 

[MrBo]

Hi all

Had Halstead Ace combi boiler installed about 3.5 years ago.
For the last two years or so, sometimes when a hot bath is run, about five minutes after its finished, the boiler starts making "spluttering" noises for about five minutes and a few drips of water appear at the bottom of the casing. Sometimes the boiler then "locks out" requiring a reset. This is starting to happen more often. My CORGI installer cannot seem to identify or fix the fault.

Any hints to what this might be? Am I allowed to ask for recommendations for engineers in the south manc/cheshire area who might tbe able to work with me to get this fixed?

Thanks.

Also, I forgot to say, the pressure drops away down as well - usually have to add more water to the system...and I have to bleed the radiators quite frequently also, as the air seems to build up quite quickly...

 

[Rework24]

the boiler starts making "spluttering" noises for about five minutes and a few drips of water appear at the bottom of the casing

do the drips appear on the left hand side of the casing?

I have a halstead ace boiler and recently experienced the same problem, it was the automatic air vent!

 

[MrBo]

the boiler starts making "spluttering" noises for about five minutes and a few drips of water appear at the bottom of the casing

do the drips appear on the left hand side of the casing?

I have a halstead ace boiler and recently experienced the same problem, it was the automatic air vent!

Yes, towards the back of the unit on the left hand side. Is the automatic air vent easily replaced - expensive?

 

[Rework24]

best way to know for sure if it is the automatic air vent is to removed front panel of the boiler (one screw at the top) and left side panel (2 screws on top and 2 at the bottom) both the panels are white!

You will see a small hole at the top, if the water is dripping out of there it is most probably the automatic air vent.

I'm just about to replace mine when i can get part on tuesday, part is £20 and instructions can be found in boiler manual (if you dont have one you can view it online at www.halsteadboilers.co.uk)
plumber quoted me £75 labour + part + VAT.

 

[MrBo]

best way to know for sure if it is the automatic air vent is to removed front panel of the boiler (one screw at the top) and left side panel (2 screws on top and 2 at the bottom) both the panels are white!

You will see a small hole at the top, if the water is dripping out of there it is most probably the automatic air vent.

I'm just about to replace mine when i can get part on tuesday, part is £20 and instructions can be found in boiler manual (if you dont have one you can view it online at www.halsteadboilers.co.uk)
plumber quoted me £75 labour + part + VAT.

Could it also be what Chris thought above?

 

[Rework24]

it could be, this is a dignosis from your description of the fault, only way to know for sure is to pay a plumber to carry out a fault find.

British gas do this for about £150 i think

 

[MrBo]

Further to this problem - just trying to understand it.
If I have to keep topping up the water to the closed system - presumably when the spluttering etc is happening, I should detect water running down the discharge pipe (dont know the correct name for this). Otherwise how else would the water be escaping from the system/system depresurising.
There is not enough dripping out of the case to explain this.

Thoughts...

Also is it possible that the automatic air vent could fail over and over? Might this indicate another problem.

Apologies if I'm trying to describe something which isn't describable!

Thanks

MrBo