Vaillant VCW-sine 18 needs saving!

[Bumblebee2012]

Hi

I have one of these great boilers. Its been working fine till last week when water starting pouring our from the differential value.

Using the instructions in the manual I took this value apart and found the diaphragm disfigured! I found the part at my local plumbing shop and replaced it. All seemed well until last night.

There is a tiny leak still coming out of the differential value and now the pilot light does not stay on for more than a few minutes. The pilot light has never given me problems. Now it is very yellow too. It is easily lighted by the ignition and both heating and hot water work whilst its on.

I live in NW London. Any engineers out there who love this boiler interested in giving it a once over? Or can anyone advise me on what to check out next.

Thanks very much in advance to anyone out there willing to help!
Bumble

 

[muggles]

Sounds to me like you've disturbed something gas-related. Get a boiler engineer in to look at it, I'm sure a friend / neighbour will be able to recommend one

 

[Bunnyman]

To far for me mate search on here for agile he will do it

 

[Agile]

I am happy to work on Sine 18 boilers and NW London is my primary area!

But I do have to say that I am always suspicious of working on boilers where the owner has "had a go" particularly where he has been touching gas aspects and has never had it professionally serviced.

Tony Glazier

 

[namsag]

Surely this must be very common in London ,go and have a look Agile with bunnyman following the thread he can talk you through it when you get stuck.

 

[Bumblebee2012]

Hello Tony, (Agile)

Maybe I could contact you and explain exactly what I did and parts I "had a go" at. Obviously when I changed the diaphragm the boiler was drained of water. When I refilled it I had to let air out as there was an air lock initially.

Once you know more then you may give some advice or even pop over and take a look. I am in Harrow.

Once I light the pilot with the ignition the hot water and heating work for upto and hour or sometimes only 10 mins. There is click then everything shuts down.

I can manage with this until you have some time to guide me but it would be good to talk and decide if something can be done as soon as poss.

Thanks Again
Ms Bumble

 

[Agile]

If you wanted to engage me to come and diagnose the problems then you should contact me by email or telephone ( dont leave a message ) and all the details are in my profile. Be aware that I do charge a fixed price diagnostic fee.

If you only want free advice than ask for it here. But be aware that the only place to properly diagnose problems is at the boiler.

Nor can we give advice on gas/safety related aspects on this forum. That includes matters related to pilot lights.

Tony

 

[DP]

Bumlebee, Tony does no fix no fee, so why do you not invite him to fix your boiler. Forget the diagnostics.

 

[Bumblebee2012]

Hi All

Sorry for no update but have been unwell so been staying with parents.

But now back to my boiler.

After reading lots of advice on this forum I thought I'd try vacuuming the area around the pilot light. I did this and wow the flame went blue instead of the old yellow. The flame was stronger and more even.

But then I just noticed that there is a small leak somewhere in this area as there was water near the base of the burner. How does water end up here? Please dont tell me the heat exchanger has gone!

I am also reading http://www.scribd.com/doc/69980152/Vaillant-VCW-sine-18-T3WF-H-Boiler-Manual

This is why the pilot light goes out I guess. Also when I try to relight the pilot by pressing the green button I sometimes here a gargling noise instead of gas noise. Does that mean water is getting into this pipe also.

I did contact Agile but he insists on diagnostic first, not the no fix no fee.
Not sure what to do. Any advice would be helpful. I just want it fixed and to feel safe.

Thanks in advance
Ms Bumble

 

[namsag]

Does sound like your heat ex is leaking and filling the pilot if your gettin pilot outage and a gurgle on relight this is actually a turn off .

Vacum the pilot did you remove the inner case for this if so you should not be doing this if not then you don`t have an 18 you have the larger open flued model 21? i think.


Agile i thought you g`tee more or less first visit fix with no charge for a call back has this customer picked you up wrong????

 

[Agile]

Yes, she did email me but does not want to pay to get it fixed and seems to expect me to go there free of charge and tell her how to do it herself!

I did not think our fee of £84 was very expensive. But Vimmi evidently thinks otherwise.

Tony

 

[Bumblebee2012]

Tony I am suprised by your response?

I never said anything like that? All I did was give you lots of information and pics on the problem so you had a good idea of what was wrong. I was hoping you could give me a rough quote so I could decide whether I should go ahead with it or not. But you still insisted on doing a diagnostic which I thought odd. I said I would prefer you come and see the boiler and quote me as one of the other forum readers said you did a no fix no fee, I never said I wanted free advice.

I dont want to do anything else to the boiler, I know it requires an expert, thats why I contacted you.

 

[Agile]

Tony I am suprised by your response?

I was hoping you could give me a rough quote so I could decide whether I should go ahead with it or not. But you still insisted on doing a diagnostic which I thought odd. I said I would prefer you come and see the boiler and quote me.

I dont want to do anything else to the boiler, I know it requires an expert, thats why I contacted you.

Exactly, you wanted me to come and diagnose the fault free of charge. Practically that means you expect me to diagnose the fault AND tell you want it is. Even if I then gave you a price you would not accept it because by then you would know what the problem is so that you could try to fix it yourself.

I always charge to visit and diagnose faults! Otherwise I would have a full time, but unpaid, job doing free visits!

I dont make free visits. I do give telephone or email estimates of the likely cost to fix if given good information on the symptoms.

Having quoted a price to complete the repair ( if not included in the diagnostic fee ) that thats based on doing it on the spot and not returning on a second visit.

Tony