Suprima - Expert Witness Statements Requested

[jeffuk]

Enough is enough - and I have reached the end of my tether with trying to deal with the disreputable manufacturer of my Potterton Suprima Boiler with it's PCB problems and their antics to avoid taking responsibility. I won't bore you with the details but it is an old boiler that has basically never worked - had three PCB's. I'm not looking for advice - I'm passed that - but some supporting expert material. I've found them impossible to deal with and now have a date in the small claims court. I'm obviously going to use the BBC material - but there's nothing better than supporting expert material.

What I'm looking for are a few - or in fact as many as I can get - statements from Corgi registered engineers who can comment on the number of problems that they have dealt with with respect to Suprima boilers and the PCB problem.

Are there any engineers prepared to give me such statements?

Any help appreciated.

 

[baxpoti]

Potterton are replacing Suprima PCBs free of charge.

Phone 08706 096 096 and mention Watchdog/Suprima.

If you have a Suprima 120 this is a different boiler all together.

 

[jeffuk]

Potterton are replacing Suprima PCBs free of charge.

Thanks appreciate your trouble - I'm well aware of that and I'm not after another replacement PCB - I've paid for three and looking for reimbursement of the costs already paid out. Believe it or not they are still saying that "there was no problem with the Suprima's PCB's "! As I said:

I'm not looking for advice - I'm passed that - but some supporting expert material. I've found them impossible to deal with and now have a date in the small claims court.

To save

 

[baxpoti]

I've paid for three

If you have had 4 pcbs (original +3)in approx 10 years you have an underlying fault.

What is the serial number (ABCD123 0123)

Which model have you got (40, 50, L etc)

 

[jeffuk]

If you have had 4 pcbs (original +3)in approx 10 years you have an underlying fault.

Thanks again for your tenacity and efforts - but I'm afraid you are incorrect. The latest to be fitted is the new version and functions. My claim is for the fitting of the earlier version PCB's that all failed.

As I indicated, Potterton have been unreceptive to my requests for reimbursement and forgive me repeating myself the help I'm requesting is not for any advice with respect to my boiler but for any generous Corgi registered engineer who has visited these units and who can say as a professionally qualified engineer that there was a design and / or manufacturing problem with the original PCB's that caused them to fail and that the number of failures was unusually high for boilers generally.

Thanks again.

 

[Gasguru]

You could ask Geoff at CETLtd (they refurb the boards) he may be willing to offer typical failure modes. You may like to contact boiler spares merchants - most will tell you its there top selling pcb.

I hope your boiler is installed exactly as the manufacturer instructions ie pump correctly wired and bypass if necessary as some "pcb faults" are due to incorrect wiring/plumbing and subsequent overheating.

 

[HarrogateGas]

Im afraid to say that I think you will be p!ssing in the wind so to speak regarding re-embursment.

The PCB's come with a warranty which Potterton will honour. I know these boilers are renowned for being unreliable but I must say you are particually unlucky or as prevoiusly mentioned you have an underlying fault causing the premature failure of the PCB such as the electrics, the plumbing or the location-this would not be Pottertons fault!. If there is an underlying cause the problem is not Pottertons but the the enginner who changed the PCB or the original installer. Unless of course it was a Potterton engineer.

I must say my experience of these boilers is pretty good.

My Mother in law has one and had one for 6 years now. Other than a service it has not skipped a beat and it on its original PCB.

My brother has one installed by myself 5 years ago and its never skipped a beat.

Ive changed one PCB and one gas valve AND i live on an estate full of them.


I think you wont find much help here nor do I think your looking in the right place. A few comments on alight hearted internet forum are hardly going to stand up as evidence in a court of law.


If i were you id vote with your feet and replace the boiler and dont install a Potterton. Costly yes but hassle free and your problem is gone. People have tried and failed over this potterton issue, im yet to come accross anyone or seen any evidence of anyone actually winning a case against them.

 

[John Wayne]

In another topic you say you have a oil fired boiler. But your taking Potterton to court over your Suprima. Confuseddddddddddd

 

[DP]

In my experiece (as a repairperson), the PCB suffers from failer solder on the PCB.

I have only changed one PCB, rest have resolved the problem with reflowing the solder.

PCB is one of the most common item changed on a boiler, often by those who fail to understand what is wrong.

I was called out to a boiler that was 15 months old. I could not repair the boiler so admited defeat to the client. I did however tell her the PCB was NOT faulty and to beware of someone wanting to replace it. Sure enough, the next 'engineer' on site went for the PCB. When told that I had pointed out that the PCB was OK, his reply was "if the guy is so good, why could he not repair the boiler?" PCB was duly replaced, but the boiler failed to work. The owner paid for the callout but not the PCB.

The point I am making is, were all three PCBs faulty, or were they replaced as it is an item that might need to be replaced.

 

[EliteHeat]

I could not repair the boiler so admited defeat to the client. I did however tell her the PCB was NOT faulty and to beware of someone wanting to replace it.

I'm not sure I understand this, why did you admit defeat?

 

[DP]

While I do boiler repairs day in day out, occasionally there s a boiler which I have to walk away from as nothing seems to work. Does not happen often, but it does sometimes. Show me someone who says he/ she can fix every boiler, any fault everytime, and I will show you a four leaf clover.

Boiler was not a Suprima.

 

[ollski]

Show me someone who says he/ she can fix every boiler, any fault everytime, and I will show you a four leaf clover.

Danny .....Tony, Tony.......Danny. Now lets see that four leafed clover

 

[giblets]

.....I'm requesting is not for any advice with respect to my boiler but for any generous Corgi registered engineer who has visited these units and who can say as a professionally qualified engineer that there was a design and / or manufacturing problem with the original PCB's that caused them to fail and that the number of failures was unusually high for boilers generally.

TBH I don't think an RGI would be in a position to say that there was a design fault and/or manufacturing problem. The only people who could do that would be the manufacturers as only they would have access to the original design brief/specification. I certainly don't think that a court of law would accept the word of an RGI in that respect.

 

[corgiman]

Johns Right

Do you have a oil fired Suprima or what

You chancer

good luck

 

[Softus]

Are there any engineers prepared to give me such statements?

If litigation is your aim, then I think you're approach is all wrong.

Any court will want to see evidence that your boards failed for reason of design or manufacturing faults.

If you haven't retained the old PCBs then you should give up now and devote your time to a more deserving cause.

If you still have them, then commission (i.e. pay for) an expert analysis of the cause of failure. If the report says that it was normal wear and tear, then do as per the previous paragraph.

If the report supports your belief that Potterton are to blame, then send the report to Potterton, with your documented outlay, and with a covering letter holding them liable.

If you're not prepared to go to court, or at least to do enough to make Potterton believe that you're prepared to, then give it up now.