Your help required ... Johnson & Starley Economaire 65 not heating

[Hugh Jaleak]

Going back to when the supply was changed from medium to low pressure...
I would have thought that all meters/governors would/should have been changed at the same time!

Sounds like a lot of things got missed!

And the owner should be seeking some form of compensation - from several parties!

It seems that can be dependent on the Property Owner/Occupier!

The hassle I went through with the Gas People a few years ago was ridiculous. Started off when E-On decided they wanted to fit a Smart Meter around 2006 time. Meter Fitter came out and refused to touch the Gas meter, as it was connected to Lead pipe from the Governor to the Meter. This Lead Pipe was also supporting the Governor, and ECV, along with entire run of steel service coming in under the Stairs from the Hallway, so not ideal. E-On passed the job to Transco/National Grid who came out and looked but said if it wasn't leaking, they wouldn't touch it....

I eventually got sorted some years later, after a long battle with E-On, and several departments of National Grid, but only then after I got annoyed with the poor Guy from National Grid as to why I'd taken a day off for him to look and say 'Not our responsibility.'

'WELL WHO'S IS IT THEN?' (I wasn't happy!) After a phone call to his Boss, and in his words 'I'm looking at a Governor that's probably older than I am!', he replaced the ECV, Lead pipework and Governor, and fitted a bracket to support the steel pipe as a 'Goodwill gesture'.

He said the Governor dated from Town gas days, and for some reason the service had never been replaced when the main in the road was replaced some point prior to my Occupancy in late 1999, the only reason he could give was the Occupier at the time didn't want it doing. I'd have thought it would have been compulsory as part of the supply upgrade.

 

[Ray1000]

The story so far...

October 31st 2025 J&S Warm Air Heater won’t fire up

Authorised Repairer can’t find the reason in two visits

Quotes £6350 for a new system

New Aquair S20 Warm Air Boiler and a New Alpha Evoke 28NX Hot Water Boiler installed on 22nd January 2026

New boiler won’t fire up - just like the old one.

Alpha Engineer identifies it’s due to lack of gas pressure

Cadent called out and find a restricting governor in pipeline

Cadent install a new pipe line and move the existing gas meter outside

Authorised Repairer arrives to find there isn’t enough gas pressure

Cadent called back out, they find fault with the original meter and renew it

Boiler fired up, heating and hot water now working after 89 days

Lodged a complaint with EDF who say we need to approach Cadent

Lodged a complaint with Cadent who say it is the installers responsibility to establish suitable gas pressure

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Cadent who say it is the installers responsibility to establish suitable gas pressure

I agree with Cadent..

 

[dilalio]

Lodged a complaint with Cadent who say it is the installers responsibility to establish suitable gas pressure

Well, now you have to approach the person who first diagnosed boiler at fault.

Although, I don't know what situation he found himself in at the time and what the appliance(s) would allow him to do, to "establish" sufficient gas pressure.

'if' the gas valve was opening as part of the ignition sequence, then one would 'expect' a drop to be evident on a manometer connected to the gas supply, downstream of the meter.
This would lead investigation away from the boiler and on to the supply.

 

[Ray1000]

On being asked by Johnson & Starley over the phone I turn the heating on in November and the boiler clicked every few seconds as though it were trying to light and gave off a smell from the exhaust and a vague amount of warmth as though it were firing and almost instantly going out.

We are waiting for the bill to arrive before saying anything…

 

[dilalio]

Were you notified about forthcoming works to the gas network in the area?

Along the lines of "we are carrying out works on x date" and "call this number if you experience any problems with your gas supply"

 

[Ray1000]

Not to my knowledge but I will ask her …

 

[dilalio]

Not to my knowledge but I will ask her …

Or you could ask EDF/CADENT if any such correspondence was sent out.

It just seems obvious to me that changing the supply from medium to low pressure could cause issues with any MPMs installed in the area affected, and I would expect that to have been accounted for in the plans for the changeover!

Unless I'm missing something completely?