Reassurance reqd following burning boiler and many BG visits

[stem]

Sorry for long post, but it's a long story.

My elderly mother has a Glowworm CXI 30 combi, installed 2 years ago by BG and serviced annually by them. 2 months ago it needed re-pressurising. I opened the valve & water leaked out from the boiler and the pressure stayed the same. As a service was due in a month she waited untill then.

BG visit 1 for annual service. Engineer advised a new valve was needed.

BG visit 2 new valve fitted, didn’t solve the problem, another part was faulty (don’t know what) he ordered it and left.

BG visit 3 second new part fitted it didn't solve the problem but as the pressure was above 1 bar left the boiler on – Then about 1 hour after BG left there was a burning smell and kitchen was filled with smoke. Mother in a panic rang BG who referred her to Transco/National Grid. They told her not to turn the electricity off (even though mum insisted it wasn't gas fumes it was emitting) so the smoke continued to pour out until the fuse blew. Man arrived disconnected the gas supply and referred her back to BG. After he left water started pouring outside of house via the pressure relief. Got a call from my mother in tears so I went and turned off the mains water supply to the boiler.

BG visit 4 the engineer came smelled the burning said new PCB required and left.

BG visit 5 fitted new PCB, but burning turned out to be a small black plastic circular motor (divertor?) that was melted. He ordered part.

BG visit 6 Fitted new motor turned on the water and re-commissioned the boiler but didn’t know why the pressure relief had been running before.

Whilst my mother is elderly, she is quite smart and has noticed some differences in the way the boiler operates as follows:

1. When a hot tap was turned on in hot water only mode, the boiler display used to switch from displaying pressure to temperature. Now the pressure display remains and the temperature doesn’t display. Occasionally the temp flashes up for about half a second when the tap is turned off. (Temp is displayed OK when heating is running)

2. When the water pre-heat is not selected, a motor (fan or pump she thinks) kicks in from time to time about once every 1-2 hours for a few seconds. This she says only used to happen when in pre-heat mode.

3. The green boiler on light that used to be highly visible can’t be seen when looking directly at the boiler from the front, you have to look from the side to see it. This may not be important but the same light turns red as an indicator of a fault.

BG visit 7 to investigate items 1 to 3 above but said Glow worm had probably changed the design of the board.

Because of this she is now frightened to use the boiler and is washing in cold water and talking about managing with just her gas fire in the winter. So if anyone could confirm above items are OK, then I will be able to put her mind at rest. If they're not OK I'll get back to BG.

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Agile]

The light sounds as if the LED was pushed slightly out of position or not correctly aligned during installation. I dont think you should accept second rate service and they should be asked to correct it.

I am not quite sure what you expect us to say. What I can say is that a good independent engineer would have correctly identified the problem and replaced the correct part the first time.

but...

With a BG Contract you pay a fixed annual fee and have the advantage of an engineer calling mostly the next day or earlier. Some of their staff are not very experienced at fault finding and they often change parts until they get the right one.

Whilst that may be tedious for you ( and me ) thats not really your concern as you are not paying any extra for all the parts they change unnecessarily.

Few independents can match their fixed rate annual deal or even their fixed price repair. This is because their bulk purchasing power enables them to get spares at a fraction of the price we have to pay. Furthermore averaging across their customers the annual cost of spare parts is probably only about £20 per installation. Well covered by their annual fees!

Tony

 

[stem]

I am not quite sure what you expect us to say.

Thanks for your answer Agile. What I'm really asking is can I reassure my mother that in its present state it's working as it should be ie that the temp shouldn't be displayed when running hot water and the pump/fan comming on at regular intervals in non pre-heat is as it shoud be. Perhaps I should have just posted this rather than the whole story, but I thought something in it might be relevant.

 

[DP]

I would suggest the temperature should be displayed during HW mode too as it is the design feature. It might be prudent to call Hepworth Heating (makers of your mum's boiler) and seek confirmation from them.

It might also give you peace of mind by getting someone (who knows this boiler, not just pretends to) to examine and appraise you what the present state is. Quite often when one and all have been at a boiler changing different items, on occasions (possibly unintentionally??) certain components might not get fitted.

Fixed a boiler earlier this week where a vital part and an O ring were not fitted or removed. Missing spring could have started a fire in the boiler if boiler did not have water in it (due to leak or other reasons)

 

[ollski]

As far as I can remember the pump should spin up for a minute every 24 hours or after a power break and the temperature is only displayed in heating not water demand. If the heating is on constantly there is a link still connected on the board that shouldn't be.

 

[gas4you]

Tell BG that you are totally ****ed off with their lack of service and ability to fix your mothers problem. Tell them that time is of the essence and unless it is fixed correctly within 7 days you will report them to CORGI and get Glow Worm out directly and forward them the Glow Worm bill for immediate settlement.

It really sounds as though your mother has not had an engineer out who knows what he is doing

 

[JB Gas]

If they can't fix that one tell them to replace it you would be well within your rights.

 

[Soggy_weetabix]

Replace the pressure reducing zone valve (ie the internal filling loop)

15 minute job.

David