ravenheat

[carltovey]

I have a ravevenheat 85HE Combi .I have had problems trying to get HW to ignite and i have now removed external thermostat and put the loop wire in its place, changed clip on thermostat and wet HW stat changed 3 way diverter valve and switch.
With HW set to summer open tap and now it fires up and heats up (sometimes refires a few times)
If i set swich to winter and turn up built in temp control the boiler ignites and rads warm up when i turn down the built in temp switch the boiles turns off but there is still something running (low) sounds to me like a fan if i move switch to summer it does not make the noise (fan) Reset and put back to winter (temp switch at lowest) boiler semi ignites for a few seconds then goes off and leaves the constant noise (fan) any ideas????

I am awaiting a friends recomendation for a trustworthy enginner to have a look.

 

[Agile]

Good to hear you have called an engineer.

As you seem to have a lot of time on your hands then find out exactly whats wrong from him and let us know.

 

[Moonmaiden]

Another very helpful post Tony.....!

But please do post your engineer's solution as I have a very similar problem with my Ravenheat but can't afford the engineer!!!

 

[Agile]

Another very helpful post Tony.....!

But please do post your engineer's solution as I have a very similar problem with my Ravenheat but can't afford the engineer!!!

I think you are being sarcastic?

But what exactly do you expect me to do?

Drive up the M1 to Brum for two hours, give him a free diagnosis so he can repair it himself, and then drive back? Most of a day and about £30 of fuel?

I could just do free boiler repairs all year long, spending say £6000 on travelling and £20,000 on spare parts.

But why should I ? No one even does a small task for me free let alone major skilled repair work?

You say you cannot afford an engineer to repair your boiler. But why not get yourself a job and earn a salary like 90% of the rest of the population have to?

 

[Moonmaiden]

No I certainly don't expect you to go and fix it for free yourself Tony.... but the reason people post on these forums is because it is a DIY forum and they are looking for advice to help them do the work themselves if possible.

FYI, I did have a job up until 31st August when I was made redundant. I have since got 'off my arse' and have started working self employed as a cleaner as decent salaried jobs are pretty hard to come by in this economic climate. I also have a part time weekend job. Doing this has ensured that I haven't had to sign on as unemployed and leech off such hard working individuals such as yourself but it doesn't exactly leave a lot of spare cash for employing the skills of qualified professionals. I could, however, have been very precious about it and sat on my arse until a job more suited to my qualifications came along...!!!

Why post on a DIY help forum if you are so clearly unwilling to offer your expert knowledge for free?

 

[carltovey]

agile you are an A******e.

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

agile is right for your own safety don't touch a gas burning appliance, you lot would be the first to say to the hse "well the gas man said I could do it like that" **** off you twit

 

[BlueMoonMole]

Gas Installation and Use Regulation 1998 state your not allowed to remove the cover of the boiler unless you are competent to do so.

The above statement does not mean "unless you have read it on a forum, and have a good idea of what your doing"

It literally means, there are certain checks you are required to carry out when exposing the inside of an appliance, refer to section 26(9) for the checks, often referred to as a FAGS (Flue,Air,Gas & Safe operation).

If you don't possess the knowledge, experience or equipment to carry out these checks. You may well be putting yourself and others at danger.

THAT is why Agile has a stone in his shoe.

We are here to give advice, at our own will, to aid others in the safe repair and maintenance of their heating systems. We are not here to teach you.

Any advice we give is intended to aid the competent persons whom are carrying out the repairs.

 

[Moonmaiden]

Gas Installation and Use Regulation 1998 state your not allowed to remove the cover of the boiler unless you are competent to do so.

The above statement does not mean "unless you have read it on a forum, and have a good idea of what your doing"

It literally means, there are certain checks you are required to carry out when exposing the inside of an appliance, refer to section 26(9) for the checks, often referred to as a FAGS (Flue,Air,Gas & Safe operation).

"3.—(1) No person shall carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or gas storage vessel unless he is competent to do so." (The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998)

I think you are taking far too literal a view of the Gas Regs. Nowhere does it state that you cannot even remove the front cover!

Firstly, they apply to anyone working on gas appliances for reward (which a DIYer working on his own boiler is not!) and secondly, they only apply to the gas side of the system: gas supply, combustion chamber, flue.... Anybody can legally replace components on the water side of the boiler; pump, heat exchanger, thermistors etc...

I personally wouldn't touch anything on the gas side myself and always call an engineer in if I am not confident that I am competant to carry out the repair even on the water side. That's common sense...

But that old chestnut "it's illegal to work on your own boiler" is a myth and has no legal foundation in British law!

 

[Youllneverguess]

How do you know you are competent?

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

you are not allowed to disturbe the combustion of a gas burning appliance so there for you are NOT allowed to change the main heat exchanger

 

[Youllneverguess]

Some pumps are within the combustion chamber too.

 

[Moonmaiden]

Some pumps are within the combustion chamber too.

I did say "on the water side" so I guess that it was implicit in this phrase that exceptions such as you mention would not apply.

How do you know you are competent?

After more than 20 years of regularly carrying out a variety of DIY tasks, having been brought up in a household where this was normal. By having fully renovated an old detached property including full rewire and installation of central heating system (final fix done by registered engineer) I kind of figure that I'm pretty competent at most tasks. (Can't plaster though.... I'm rubbish at that!)

But as I said earlier.... I don't work on the gas side myself... because I don't consider myself to be competent at that and an accidental gas leak can have far more serious consequences that a water leak! My brother, on the other hand, does and often carries out repair work on the gas side in his own home (he is also the European Health & Safety manager for a large multinational company so I'm guessing he's not a reckless sort of a guy!!)

 

[Youllneverguess]

Well he obviously is reckless. The phrase - physician heal thyself springs to mind. I know policemen who frequently break the speed limit. I also know doctors who smoke 20 a day and accountants and lawyers who pay VAT registered tradesmen cash in hand.

I am sure you are a very handy individual. But how do you KNOW you are competent.

Blind luck doesn't count. Unless you have been assessed you don't know.

If you were to come across say a Vaillant Eco Tec Plus in say, a cash strapped friends house and it needed the pump changed. Where you only have to remove the front cover to do so.

Would you consider yourself competent?

I am not having a go. Just progressing the debate.

 

[sooey]

(he is also the European Health & Safety manager for a large multinational company so I'm guessing he's not a reckless sort of a guy!!)

Oh well that's alright then.

He sounds loaded though so why don't you ask him to lend you a few bob to get it fixed?