New WB boiler or stick with Old Glow Worm?

spirit

Yes, thank you for your advice. I've got a different engineer coming out either tomorrow or wednesday to have a look. Sods law though, this morning it has started up on its own, mad isn't it!

spirit

Duffers,

Have you ever had a problem with yours not starting very well from cold? I read that you had had some parts replaced. I'm waiting for an engineer to come out to mine. It clicks for ages and I usually have to turn it on and off a few times to start up. Once it has fired up, it will happily click on and off with the thermostat. Having said that, this morning and this evening it has done it all by itself!

Plumb1 has given me some good advice which I shall pass on to the chap when he comes out. Just wondered though if this had ever happened with yours?

Duffers4768

Spirit,
The problem I had was that the pilot light would not stay on. I had five visits in total from BG engineers who each changed a different part to try to solve the problem. The fifth engineer asked why a tiny cover was missing from near to the pilot light. He replaced this part and I have never had a problem since.

C_Mababejive

I have a Spacesaver 52 CF. I currently have it rated at about 40,000Btu or 12 KW. It never goes wrong,i service it occasionally and have flushed it a couple of times. It isnt the height of efficiency but it is mega reliable and simple. I wont be swapping it

sunshinetours

I would stick with the old boiler until it becomes uneconomical to either repair or gas prices go up so much that teh payback period on say 30% saving in gas makes it worthwhile

I also have a 20 year old or so Glowworm and once we saw the light and got away from BG homecare who basically couldn't or didn't want to fix it properly, we used a local well experienced engineer who took it all apart and cleaned/serviced it properly about 3 years ago and touch wood no problems since. Just get it serviced regularly to ensure its safe and you should be fine

Many engineers seem to say the same thing, that modern boilers whilst undoubtedly more efficient, are not built to last like they used to be

spirit

Hi,

The gas engineer has just been back to look at mine. He says the solenoid (sp?) in the gas valve is getting stuck. this is why when i turn it on and off a couple of times it will fire up. when it's already warm it will fire up ok.

so he's just trying to get me the part now....

Glow-worm_1934

Hi Spirit

Apologies for not responding to this sooner - I work for Glow-worm to help customers online with any problems relating to their boiler, solar products etc.

Fundamentally I do this on our blog needanewboiler.com but I also try to help the good people of MSE (as well as a number of other sites).

Are you still having problems? I see your engineer was ordering a part..? Let me know and I'll do my best to help with any GW related problems as best I can.

Cheers, Sally

spirit

Hello Sally,

Yes the engineer has fixed it now, it was the gas valve. He rang his suppliers (PTS I think) who told him that they couldn't find the part number for it. They rang GW who gave them an alternative part and said they don't make that gas valve any more :eek:

He brought it along to fit it and said it was exactly the same as the old one :j

This was Christmas eve, eve. boy was I thankful, I didn't want to go out for the day and leave it to come on automatically and clickety click til I got home :eek:

I shall be looking very closely at boilers when looking for a new house after New Year!