Time to replace pcb on boiler?

[LHM53]

Hi all,

I recently had my boiler serviced. All fine and working as it should be. A week later, I get an F61 error (which according to Vaillant help is either a stuck/faulty valve, wiring problems or PCB issue).

I contacted the bloke who did my service and he automatically said it was a PCB issue based on experience. He quoted £250 for replacing the PCB and would not charge for diagnostics as he already knew what the issue was based on the error code. We went ahead with it as we are currently 4 weeks away from completing our house sale, and just needed it sorted.

He came today and changed it within about 10 minutes (I thought it would take much longer based on what I'd read).

Does this all seem legit to you? For some reason it's not sitting comfortably with me and I feel like we may have paid for something that was potentially a simpler/cheaper problem to fix?

Cheers

 

[fixitflav]

Hi all,

I recently had my boiler serviced. All fine and working as it should be. A week later, I get an F61 error (which according to Vaillant help is either a stuck/faulty valve, wiring problems or PCB issue).

I contacted the bloke who did my service and he automatically said it was a PCB issue based on experience. He quoted £250 for replacing the PCB and would not charge for diagnostics as he already knew what the issue was based on the error code. We went ahead with it as we are currently 4 weeks away from completing our house sale, and just needed it sorted.

He came today and changed it within about 10 minutes (I thought it would take much longer based on what I'd read).

Does this all seem legit to you? For some reason it's not sitting comfortably with me and I feel like we may have paid for something that was potentially a simpler/cheaper problem to fix?

Cheers

No idea about the time and ££, but did it cure the problem?

 

[bernardgreen]

Sounds a bit suss to me, He should have checked the valve was not stuck before stating it was the PCB.


Did you keep the old PCB or did he take it claiming it was a part payment of the cost of the new PCB.

 

[CBW]

10 minutes could be about right if he’s done several, however I’d expect safety checks to be carried out, which imo should take a little longer, but no more than 30mins, unless wiring is an issue.

 

[durhamplumber]

Sounds a bit suss to me, He should have checked the valve was not stuck before stating it was the PCB.

That is why they used a GS engineer and not you.Sounds perfectly reasonable behaviour by the Vaillant person and as in most things in life no substitute for experience instead of being an armchair expert.

 

[LHM53]

That is why they used a GS engineer and not you.Sounds perfectly reasonable behaviour by the Vaillant person and as in most things in life no substitute for experience instead of being an armchair expert.

Just to comment, he wasn't a Vaillant engineer, he was a local GS engineer who we have used before for servicing

 

[LHM53]

No idea about the time and ££, but did it cure the problem?

Yes it is, although I had to reset it as the thermostat alarm was on for some reason.

It's cured the problem, but just a bit annoyed if we have paid over £200 for a problem that was only minor.

 

[CBW]

Green light is only the preheat function, turn hot water dial all the way up and it should come on. Alarm on thermostat? New one on me

Just to comment, he wasn't a Vaillant engineer, he was a local GS engineer who we have used before for servicing

As long as he’s fixed the issue using his experience (this is what you’re paying for sometimes, quality not quantity), I see no issue.

 

[LHM53]

Green light is only the preheat function, turn hot water dial all the way up and it should come on. Alarm on thermostat? New one on me

As long as he’s fixed the issue using his experience (this is what you’re paying for sometimes, quality not quantity), I see no issue.

Yes, just went and ran the hot water and the green light has come on, thanks. Not really versed in boilers! Sorry, should have said the digistat box in the boiler cupboard. The alarm was on red, so had to reset that too.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

He came today and changed it within about 10 minutes (I thought it would take much longer based on what I'd read).

Does this all seem legit to you? For some reason it's not sitting comfortably with me and I feel like we may have paid for something that was potentially a simpler/cheaper problem to fix?

I would expect a bit more time spent on it, making sure it is the PCB, rather than simply diagnosing it over the phone - especially so when it suggests two more likely and cheaper to fix faults than the one he decided upon, unseen. If he had just serviced it, it makes me suspicious that he may have created the potential issue deliberately, during the service, in anticipation of a callback.

 

[LHM53]

I would expect a bit more time spent on it, making sure it is the PCB, rather than simply diagnosing it over the phone - especially so when it suggests two more likely and cheaper to fix faults than the one he decided upon, unseen. If he had just serviced it, it makes me suspicious that he may have created the potential issue deliberately, during the service, in anticipation of a callback.

This is more what we are concerned about, as it all seems very coincidental. In hindsight, we probably should have had a second opinion first, but we were just in a bit of a rush to get stuff sorted for moving...

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

This is more what we are concerned about, as it all seems very coincidental. In hindsight, we probably should have had a second opinion first, but we were just in a bit of a rush to get stuff sorted for moving...

Then why raise the question?

 

[LHM53]

Then why raise the question?

To get some other opinions to settle my mind as to whether I'm over thinking or not... I'm not a GS engineer and don't know how long it takes to replace a PCB...

 

[bernardgreen]

especially so when it suggests two more likely and cheaper to fix faults than the one he decided upon

Maybe the real fault was one of those which was quickly fixed ( low cost repair ) and then the PCB changed ( high profit "repair" ).

There are a lot of "reconditioned" PCBs on sale, one has to wonder how much these reconditioning / repair these PCBs needed and where they came from.

 

[CBW]

How about non speculation and actual facts, this is from Vaillant website (available publicly) https://vaillantgroup.intellirespon...90&source=5&question=Ecotec F61&interfaceID=2