Boiler help

[Wideboy]

Got home last night to find that my boiler hadn't fired up, hit reset and it started working. This morning It's done it again but the reset does nothing. I've switched the power on and off a few times and still no worky.

The code it gives me is telling me that there is a flame detection error/short circuit. The flow chart in the manual states..... unplug the the flame detection electrode from the pcb and check continuity:

YES continuity - replace the electrode
NO continuity - replace the pcb.

I have continuity on the electrode so surely that means the electrode is working and the fault is with the PCB?

but then that means the manual is wrong :smt017

I'm so confused.

[Wideboy]

Just powered up the pcb and checked the continuity on the board, when i connect the multimeter to the terminals on the board the controls click and causes the error message to change. I plug the electrode back in, the control clicks back to idle, I flick the heating back on and it's all working.

So maybe it is the electrode :smt017

[Wideboy]

It stops with a flame error, I hit reset and I get a flame dection error again, I pull out the flame detection plug and plug it back in and everything works as normal for a few mins then it shut down back to flame error.... then the process starts again.

fairly sure it's the sensor then.

[Spank86]

You seem to have this fairly well in hand.

Clearly no need for me to google a bunch of crap to add here just yet.

[Rumble bee]

Potterton combi by any chance?

[Wideboy]

no a $hitty ideal icos

[Wideboy]

You seem to have this fairly well in hand.

Clearly no need for me to google a bunch of crap to add here just yet.

but the org isn't the org without some kind of vain googlefu attempt at knowledge.

[Heorot]

We had a similar problem with our Ideal boiler. It required a replacement PCB costing over £200.

[DarrenSV650S]

You're a joiner. Phone a plumber

[Spank86]

but the org isn't the org without some kind of vain googlefu attempt at knowledge.
In that case you clearly need to replace your fuse box.

the whole thing, replace it with old style fuses where you wind the wire on yourself but use paperclips so that it can't blow and spoil everything.

[Tomor]

I think you need the house rewiring and a new gas line fitted to the house. That's what google tells me need to be done to fix a problem about something. I don't know if it will work, but maybe worth a try?

[Red ones]

When I looked it up Google said you needed to get a Honda Reg/Rec.

[Mark_h]

New reg/rec and some injector cleaner. Failing that take a look at the joints on the back of the circuit board where the flame sensor plugs in. Dry joints cause a majority of problems on these things. I got an extra 5 years out of mine with a bit of solder. Then it got struck by lightening which I'm fairly sure was not down to my iffy soldering.

[Rumble bee]

Icos, pull it off the wall and burn it.

Failling that, the electrodes do burn up, also the condensate trap blocks up giving a similar effect.

[Wideboy]

Icos, pull it off the wall and burn it.

Failling that, the electrodes do burn up, also the condensate trap blocks up giving a similar effect.

You're not the first person that has told me to +do that. I will be ripping out and replacing the entire central heating system in spring due to it being crap.

Cheers, I checked the condensate trap first and that was all good.

Do you happen to be the same rumble bee that is a heating engineer with a pimp transit on fordtransit.org?

[DJ123]

You're not the first person that has told me to +do that. I will be ripping out and replacing the entire central heating system in spring due to it being crap.

Cheers, I checked the condensate trap first and that was all good.

Do you happen to be the same rumble bee that is a heating engineer with a pimp transit on fordtransit.org?

this one?


http://forums.sv650.org/showpost.php?p=2911291&postcount=59

[Rumble bee]

:rolleyes: maaaaaybe

You on there too?

[Wideboy]

this one?


http://forums.sv650.org/showpost.php?p=2911291&postcount=59
that's the one!

bada$$ wagon
:rolleyes: maaaaaybe

You on there too?
yeah but I don't post a lot, just linger like a pervert.

[Rumble bee]

Perving on trannys eh? ;)

Dirty boy :)

Any further with it?

[Wideboy]

ordered a new electrode kit for £18, thought it was worth the punt.

[TicklinJock]

The PCB uses the electrode to pass a current through the flame. The ionization in the flame creates a path for the current. If the electrode isn't properly in the flame, current won't flow and the PCB will shut the gas off. As already mentioned, the electrode could be burnt, so too short to reach the flame, or the electrode is out of position, so not in the flame, or the flame has moved, so not on the electrode. Is the electrode visible when in use?

[Wideboy]

nope you have to disconnect the venturi assembly and take off the cover over the burner, from what I can tell. I'm no expert.

[Tomor]

Dad reckons it may be the thermo couple?

Sent from my magical portable device

[Wideboy]

That's what my old man said with his over the phone diagnosis but all the error code point towards the flame detection electrode.

personally I don't need heating and I'd leave it broken, but I have one of those nagging voices that tells me to do stuff around the house.

[Tomor]

Dad's are always right with their remote problem solving.

[Rumble bee]

Im sure the electrode just bolts in from the front once the inner case is off. Just a crap Allen head bolt holding it in

[Wideboy]

yeah it does but don't you need to take the top off to check the end is in the right place?

[TicklinJock]

If the system has both forms of flame detection, then a faulty thermocouple could cause the gas valve to shut and the other detection system wouldn't see a flame, so give that error message. So could be a faulty thermocouple if the system has one.
When you did the continuity check were you checking between the disconnected electrode and earth? If so, it sounds as though the electrode, or its wiring/insulation is shorting to earth. A new electrode assembly should cure that.

[Rumble bee]

No thermocouple on these boilers, they're far to cheap and reliable to be on modern boilers :(

Its a fixed shape so can only go in one way. Ive never pulled the fan ect to change an electrode on these.

[Wideboy]

might it be worth pulling it apart to clean off the burner?

I've just been flicking back through the book and it's never been serviced. It was installed in 2008.

BTW only bought the place in Feb so it's not my fault.

[dizzyblonde]

Do you have a fancy bank account with perks, such as home emergency?


If so, give them a call, and they will send out a nice heating and plumbing engineer to fix the boiler for you.
Our PCB went last year, and I have a fancy bank account with perks, which covered me to fix my boiler up to the cost of 200 quid.

[Spank86]

Icos, pull it off the wall and burn it.

Failling that, the electrodes do burn up, also the condensate trap blocks up giving a similar effect.
Tat doesn't sound very environmentally friendly. What he really needs is to recycle it by finding a piece of the allspark and bringing it to life as a handy helper robot.

[Wideboy]

All fixed, bit arrived this morning. Now sweating my balls off.

[Red ones]

Sounds like a dodgy thermostat now.

[Bibio]

get it checked over by a qualified gas bod. gas can kill and blow your house up. stop being a tight wad you fool.

[Amadeus]

Have to say that gas probably does require a professional... :-)

[Wideboy]

So I should remove my ad in the paper for discount boiler repairs?

[Amadeus]

Certainly not - as long as you're not living there and you don't light any matches when you're there, I think you're good.

[Wideboy]

That's good then. I don't bother with gas safe as I'm fool and don't need it.

[Spank86]

get it checked over by a qualified gas bod. gas can kill and blow your house up. stop being a tight wad you fool.
Don't be ridiculous Bib, You're completely overstating the dangers.

Gav is perfectly safe and for anyone who doubts it here's a picture of his new house:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-30092439

no danger of gas getting trapped inside anymore.

[Red ones]

A bit late, but I don't understand why you have a boiler and no insurance on it. I can get a boiler covered for a year and have an annual safety check all for £5 pcm.

[Wideboy]

Not everyone does. I have heating engineer friends so what's the point in paying for it to be covered? I only looked at it myself so I could diagnose the fault and save time. As it happens it was a small sensor on the outside of the boiler which cost a couple of quid and took about 20 mins to find the fault (no gas work involved) and 5 mins to unscrew and screw on the new one (no gas work involved), without having to take apart the boiler. As it happens I isolated it and switched the gas off.

Then as the left over gas vapours filled the room I light up a fag.

[Red ones]

£60. And no other charge unless it's dead and not repairable. £60 doesn't buy much in the way of parts and doesn't even cover the annual inspection. So far this year it has bought me a new controller.

[Bibio]

I have heating engineer friends.

well for the sake of a phone call get one of your friends to come over and give it a check over. you never know there might just be an underlying problem. even if you just get someone to come over and check the gas supply for leaks. everything might be fine and dandy but for the sake of a few £ it would be best to make sure.

Gav, my dad was a plumber and heating bod for over 40 years and the horror stories are all true. for that reason they brought in regulations to help make sure that less people lost their life's.


ooohhh wait you have friends.. lol xx

[Wideboy]

I didn't say I wasn't having it serviced you just assumed that, the fact it hasn't been serviced since 2008 Is because we've not long moved in. I haven't done the work to save money I've done it because I want it working without having to wait for my mate to come round to be told what I already know. I knew what part was dead so ordered a new one and I haven't touched anything remotely supplying gas to the boiler apart from the main shut off for the entire house. The only way the boiler will be leaking is if I haven't done up the two bolts I undone properly or change the crush gasket, and with all my limited heating engineering knowledge I'm fairly sure that I did replace the gasket and tighten two bolts up.

Why do you all work on the brakes for your bikes and cars, surely such a integral safety part should be worked on by a qualified technician. Dear god all those innocent road user's your risking the lives of not to mention your families!!!

Btw if the small tiny sensor on the outide of the boiler causes my house to explode, I'll let you know.

[maviczap]

Btw if the small tiny sensor on the outide of the boiler causes my house to explode, I'll let you know.

The thought did cross my mind when I saw that house demolished by a gas explosion in your part of the world. :smt107

Glad the occupants survived unscathed