Village Hall boiler

[Tristar]

Hi peeps, we are a small Charity running a Village Hall. Today a 'Gas Safe' engineer arrived to do the annual service on one of our Hall boilers, a 15yr old VC GB 242EH Vaillant, which has given us trouble free heating since installation, including just before the service, and advised us on completion that it would not light up and it was a timer problem.
I am informed that the push button (ignition?) switch (has a pic. of a flame next to it) on the main switch panel came out of its housing as the panel was removed, and was then pushed back in, and suspect this may be the problem.

We are unable to get another qualified engineer for two days, and the 'Gas Safe' engineer is, unsurprisingly, 'unavailable'.

1. All fuses have been checked and there is switched power to the boiler from the serviceable (checked by leccy) timeswitch. Is there any other simple thing that a good DIYer or electrician could check?

2. As Vaillant want an exorbitant price to send an engineer out, never mind repair it, we feel that if we are unable to get it going cheaply, we should replace the boiler with a modern condenser. Could you please advise us of a reliable boiler to supply ten 1000mm x 600mm double radiators. No hot water supply required.

TIA

 

[spraggo]

The button that you mentioned is used to ignite the pilot flame an has no bearing what so ever on the timer, did BG damage this button when they serviced it, if so I would get them back to sort it free of charge.

spraggo

 

[Tristar]

The button that you mentioned is used to ignite the pilot flame an has no bearing what so ever on the timer, did BG damage this button when they serviced it, if so I would get them back to sort it free of charge.

spraggo

Thanks, not BG, just a so called 'Gas Safe' expert.

 

[doitall]

Where abouts in wiltshire.

 

[Nige F]

excuse me sir . lol: i r plumbers

15 - are you having a

 

[Tristar]

Where abouts in wiltshire.

Just East of Marlborough, a bit far for you I suppose. I have now established that the suspect switch is the 'flame failure reset button'. It is sloppy in its mounting and has no effect when pressed. Are the switches replaceable individually, or does that whole top board have to be replaced?

TIA

 

[Tristar]

The part number is 100555, FLAME SUPERVISION DEVICE which is a PCB with the suspect switch attached. Our qualified electrician is able to fit this for us.

 

[Tristar]

excuse me sir you dont want to be undergoing any diy repairs on your village hall boiler. we are talking dangerous gas here and high voltage electricity. what you need to do is locate a highly qualified gas safe redg plumber who is familier in this particular field gas is highly dangerous i.e carbon monoxide fumes not to mention electrical voltage included. have you tried warm sure grant they may fit you a brand new ideal combi which at the best of times you may get 6 months working life from the boiler dont look in the yellow pages for a gas engineer just go to your nearest betting shop its full of plumbers

What a wonderful post, you should be in the caring professions.

 

[Agile]

The part number is 100555, FLAME SUPERVISION DEVICE which is a PCB with the suspect switch attached. Our qualified electrician is able to fit this for us.

Is your electrician also gas registered then?

Firstly you dont really know what the actual fault is and secondly the electrician should not be touching a safety device associated with gas combustion on a boiler used in a place frequented by the public when he is not gas safe registered.

I find your sequence of posts rather odd. Firstly an engineer seems to turn up out of the blue to service your boiler, apparently damages or dislodges something and then disappears. Then you cannot gas any other engineer for two days, you find Vaillant's fixed price repair of about £250 as too much but you seem able to easily pay about £2000 to have a new boiler fitted a week later.

Tony

 

[Tristar]

The part number is 100555, FLAME SUPERVISION DEVICE which is a PCB with the suspect switch attached. Our qualified electrician is able to fit this for us.

Is your electrician also gas registered then?

Firstly you dont really know what the actual fault is and secondly the electrician should not be touching a safety device associated with gas combustion on a boiler used in a place frequented by the public when he is not gas safe registered.

I find your sequence of posts rather odd. Firstly an engineer seems to turn up out of the blue to service your boiler, apparently damages or dislodges something and then disappears. Then you cannot gas any other engineer for two days, you find Vaillant's fixed price repair of about £250 as too much but you seem able to easily pay about £2000 to have a new boiler fitted a week later.

Tony

Tony, thank you for your helpful post.

To answer your points:

1. The 'Gas Safe' Engineer did not 'turn-up out of the blue', but was requested to carry out our annual service as our normal engineer is awaiting certification renewal. When eventually contacted by our Chairman last evening, the GS engineer was very apologetic for leaving us in the lurch, but was unable to return until late next week. (Too late for a wedding reception this weekend.)

2. No, we do not know that the fault is definitely the broken flame failure reset switch, but the boiler was working perfectly up until the service when this was broken, and advice received from our normal GS man, suggests that it is very likely to be the problem.

3. Vaillant quoted (and this is second hand, as I have not personally spoken with them) £260 call out, but would not guarantee a repair on a boiler over 14, (ours is 15). Therefore our normal engineer advised that if this pcb at £50 does not fix the problem, we should consider replacing it with a more efficient condenser boiler, on the basis that the £260+ could go towards the new boiler, and would therefore be more cost effective in the long term.

4. As I understand it, our electrician has always been required to carry out the electrical work for our normal 'Gas Safe' engineer, however, I am not sure exactly what this involves. The Hall Chairman, who is well aware of the landord's responsibilities, assures me that all work will be properly authorised and undertaken by a properly qualified engineer. In this case, it will now have to be one from outside our village, which is unfortunate, as we have a stated policy of employing local tradesmen whenever possible.

As a Charity we are obliged to ensure best value for the Trust funds, and therefore I posted here hoping for some helpful advice, which, in some instances, has been forthcoming.

Thank you.

 

[Agile]

The obvious solution would be for your usual man to replace the pcb if he thinks that is the problem as regardless of his certification situation he obviously is competent.

Whilst a pcb may seem to be an electrical component its purpose is to control combustion.

if you really cannot get the boiler working in time for the wedding then start collecting fan heaters from your members and have the electrician on hand to guard against any overloading.

Tony

.

 

[Tristar]

if you really cannot get the boiler working in time for the wedding then start collecting fan heaters from your members and have the electrician on hand to guard against any overloading.



Tony

.[/quote]

Thanks for the advice, the above is already in hand.

 

[algas]

Seems a bit strange, i didnt think you had to access the pcb on a routine service!

 

[Tristar]

Seems a bit strange, i didnt think you had to access the pcb on a routine service!

According to the Service manual, under 'Servicing of boiler' Page 38 Para. 13.3 ' Remove screen plate by unscrewing the two fixing screws (10, Fig. 36) Which shows the plate, through which the flame switch protrudes, to be removed.

There does not appear to be any reference to the maintenance of anything behind this plate, and I think the switch was broken without removing the pcb cover plate. I am told that while removing the screen plate, the switch plunger and spring 'came out'(?!?) and were then pushed back in.

Thanks

 

[algas]

If you have all the bits take it to your local t/v repair man he could possibly re-solder it to the pcb.