VWC-SINE 18 t3W in desperate need of new gas valve (021154)

[kaskooy]

it's been a few days without hot water and heating and although BG homecare has very (too?) quickly diagnosed my boiler as dead, I still wanna try to save it.

The on/off switch stopped working a few days ago altough power was still going to the boiler. I called Homecare and on arrival the next day, the engineer quickly warned me that were little chance he could fix it. He changed the 2 fuses and the power came back on but the pilot light had stopped working a couple of hours before he arrived (it had stayed on for over 24h after the fuses blew) and he couldn't restart it.

He's saying the gas valve needs to be changed but the part is obsolete. I've called a few parts resellers and checked Ebay but no one has it in stock.

Does any Bunny men know where I could (if it still exists) find that part? I know it's an old boiler and I will have to invest in a new one at some point, but I'd still like to hold on to it for a couple of more years.

I am also getting a second opinion from a local Gas Safe Reg. plumber tomorrow.

Thank you very much.
Al

 

[Agile]

Dont expect Homeserve people to have much knowledge of those old models. They hardly manage even with common current models!

In my experience its very unlikely the gas valve has failed! I do keep some used ones just in case for our customers though but have never needed to replace one!

Tony

 

[kaskooy]

Thanks Tony for this quick reply.

I did find this engineer a bit too eager to dismiss the whole boiler as obsolete and "at risk". I"ll see what my local plumber says tomorrow.

The red button doesn't click anymore so I tried to reignite the pilot light with a match while pressing the green button. Is that the right way to do it?

Needless to say, it was working without any problems before this electric fault, although I am assuming something is wrong for the fuses to blow.

Everyone seem to concur that it is quite a sturdy boiler and I want to make sure I've tried everything before calling it dead.

Thank you again.
Al

 

[Agile]

It is most definitely NOT right for you to try to light the pilot with a match!

You should not even be opening the combustion chamber!

As far as I recall they all had a grey knob that is rotated to click and produce the spark whilst holding in the GREEN button which is then held down for 30 sec after the flame has lit.

Fuses only blow when there is an overload!

Tony

 

[kaskooy]

Duly noted!

There is the grey knob, which I'll try now. mqy I ask what the red button is for then?

 

[Agile]

Thats to turn out the pilot light!

Anyone who has one of those old beasts should ideally operate both red and green every 2-3 weeks as otherwise the microswitch contacts can get oxidised and fail.

Same applies to the piano key switches. So many I see now are failed or intermittent.

Tony

 

[kaskooy]

The grey knob did produce a spark once turned, but although I held the green button for a almost a minute, it didn't light it. Now I'm still turning the knob, but no more spark either, I'm afraid.

 

[kaskooy]

hmmm, wish I had known that (or come to this forum sooner!)

last time it was switched off, was last year when a part was changed.

 

[Agile]

The spark often takes a shorter route than through the pilot light gas flow.

Knob needs to be repeatably turned until pilot lights whilst holding the green knob down.

Tony

 

[kaskooy]

Got it!

Thank you so much for all your help.

 

[Andygasman2010]

Sounds like even if you do fix the pilot light issue you'd still need to sort out the problem that made the fuse blow.

Is it worth the hassle and money when you could potentially be no further forward?

 

[kaskooy]

Unfortunately, it doesn't light.


Let's see what the plumber says tomorrow, I'll let you know.

Al

 

[kaskooy]

Very true Andygasman.

I just to want to make sure all the options have been explored before I go the "New boiler" route and that I'm not taken for a ride as unfortunately, the Homeserve engineer's attitude got me suspicious.

This is why I need a 2nd opinion (or more via this forum) and considering my current finances, I'd love to keep it working a tiny bit longer!

 

[Agile]

Few younger engineers will be much experienced with that model.

I find that they are very fault tolerant and most I go to have at least two faults. The last one had five faults!

Tony

 

[kaskooy]

That's really why I'm reluctant to give up on that great boiler. Everyone is saying how reliable it is despite its age!