Problem with vokera excell 80sp boiler...and it's cold

dixie_dean_2

Hi
My boiler seems to have packed in. The pilot light is still on and the pressure is ok but no hot water or heating. For a few days the water was funny - you had to run it for ages before it would get hot - but now both have gone. Any ideas? Help greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Bob

dixie_dean_2

Think it might be the diaghram. Does anyone know if its possible to buy such parts and do it yourself?

zax47

I had a similar problem (diaphragms gone -there are 2!) still had heating but no hot water. I am a very competent DIY plumber (and a professional electrician) and my plumber friend was shocked that I would even think about trying to fix an Excel 80SP myself - he suggested even time served and hardened plumbers/heating engs would baulk at the idea. I did anyway - with advice from him and using the service manual (from the Vokera website). Parts were easy to get from my local PlumbBase using the part numbers from the manual.

If you have never had the two diaphragms changed then they will need doing - it's a common issue with the 80SP (SP stands for "Standing Pilot"). They go hard & brittle and then split, becoming useless.

It's also worth checking if your expansion vessel is correctly charged. Look down the back (from the top) for a bicycle tyre type valve and check the pressure there using a tyre gauge, should be 1 bar. If low then the system will shutdown or vent depending on how it feels (it can't get a stable system pressure without the expansion vessel working at the right pressure). It can be topped up via that valve - using a footpump.

They are usually a very good boiler but known as a real !!!!! to work on and when they do go wrong they generally go wrong big time.

If you look on the Vokera UK website then you should find the service manual in this list scroll down to Discontinued Models Literature section.

Website is http://www.vokera.co.uk/

Vokera also offer a fixed price repair service - check on the website for more details. I would say that unless you are very confident (and honest!) about your abilities then don't endeavour to fix this yourself.

PLEASE DON'T FORGET THAT IF YOU NEED TO DO ANYTHING WITH/TO THE GAS SUPPLY TO THE BOILER YOU MUST INVOLVE A GAS-SAFE REGISTERED ENGINEER!!

zax47

How have you got on Dixie?

EliteHeat

zax47 wrote: »

How have you got on Dixie?

I think your previous post caused dixie to have a heart attack

zax47

Well he did ask!! :rotfl:

NicolasTico

Hi,

I have the same problem with out Vokera Excell boiler, hot water not heating properly. Certainly not going to try to fix it myself. Could any of you give me an indication of how much it would cost to change a diaphragm?

Many thanks

Nic