Replacing combi boiler central heating pump - fair cost

[Gasguru]

Those pump connectors are poorly molded, very tight to fit properly and often make an intermittent connection.

99% of combi repairs do not require a system drain down or the radiator isolating valves to be used...those that do are either inexperienced or dragging the job out.

AFAIR the early pumps were Wilo and the later ones Grundfos. Ferroli only seem to sell the complete extortionately priced Grundfos pump including the back casing to upgrade from the earlier Wilo pump.

You could try https://www.euroboilerparts.co.uk/circulating-pumps-13-c.asp for a replacement pump head including the cable and connector.

Also be aware that rotating the control box down is likely to disturb the soldered connector joints and they often require re-soldering (poor quality from Honeywell).

 

[fyj]

you don't have any other plumbers recommended in your area at all, to get a quote ?, it would not surprise me, if he tries it on when in the property and your boxed in

Yes I did try calling a few others - one would have cost about the same as the original guy's new price, one wasn't interested and one said to send him details and he'd get back and I'm still waiting to hear anything. So I don't think I'll find a much better deal - but at least I found someone I could call if he threatens to rip me off again. I think trying to do it myself would risk creating more expensive problems later. I feel somewhat more clued up now, though - thanks for everybody's replies.

 

[Gasguru]

If it's only the connector that has cooked you can probably pull out the pump head, cut the cable back and wire it directly to the pump connection block under the square cover...no need for a new pump.
Given the boiler is 15 years old+ I wouldn't be spending much on it.

 

[fyj]

Given the boiler is 15 years old+ I wouldn't be spending much on it.

Is that how long ago they stopped making this model of boiler? Its age is something I have wondered about because it was here when I moved in. It's not had any other problems to date, though.

 

[Gasguru]

Really need a picture of the boiler...there are a few variants with the "F30" designation..

 

[durhamplumber]

Hello, recently my central heating stopped working and an engineer diagnosed the problem as being that the electrical connection point on the heating pump has partially melted, presumably due to the connection being poor. The pump is inside the boiler body. He recommended replacing the pump and wire that connects to it. He's given me a quote to do the repair that seems rather on the high side, and I was wondering does anyone here have an idea of whether it's reasonable?

The labour costs quote is £180-250+VAT (~2-3 hours' worth) for changing the pump, plus £180+VAT (a bit over 2 hours) for draining and refilling the whole central heating system (which he says is necessary because on my make of boiler, the boiler isolator valves are unreliable). This is quite a lot more than other people I know have been charged for a pump replacement, though I know it can depend on the boiler. I've read that draining the system can be done in ~20 mins, but I've not been able to find out how long it should take to refill it. (The engineer estimated the system volume to be ~50l.) Do you have insights into any of this?

Also, should it be a concern that the connection got hot enough to melt in the first place, or would replacing the parts really be likely to correct any problem there?

Thanks very much for any help.

He is rippin the pizz out of you