Gledhill Pulsacoil water boiler maintenance cover

whitelightning

Hi, I live in a flat with economy 7. I am trying to find boiler maintenance cover for a Gledhill Pulsacoil boiler but unable to find anywhere. Does anyone know which companies cover this boiler? It is only used for hot water. No cover for heating is required. Thanks.

macman

You're in luck then, because boiler cover is a complete waste of money. Put the monthly amount you would have spent on it in a savings account against the time when/if your boiler does need attention.

whitelightning

The boiler is about 12 years old and I'm just worried it will go in the winter months. The cover is for piece of mind. My neighbours broke down in the summer and was a nightmare finding someone who knew how to carry out maintenance on the Pulsacoils.

macman

Then get it serviced now and then annually. Preventative maintenance is better.

whitelightning

Macman, any ideas who services these in Manchester area? Thanks.

Owain_Moneysaver

There's really not a lot to go wrong with a Gledhill Pulsacoil - it's a tank of water with an electric immersion heater. The more modern ones have a thermistor and some electronic gubbins. Because it's vented it doesn't even need anyone with an Unvented ticket to maintain it.

This site has useful info. Gledhill also offer their own repair service and extended warranty cover.

JohnG500

The PulsaCoil system is actually an open vented thermal store. The older models have considerable electrics on them, pumps, circuit board loaded with software and they also contain two immersions - one of which is normally linked to your off peak supply and one to the on peak.

When the immersion are fired they heat the water in the internal copper cylinder and the system uses that water to heat metal plates inside a component known as a 'plate heat exchanger'. The water contained in the internal copper tank is held purely for this purpose and never leaves the tank.

Your incoming cold mains supply is then directed through the now hot plate heat exchanger where it absorbs the energy or heat from the hot metal plates and heats as it passes through the component - emerging as hot water. The water you use to shower etc is therefore instantaneously heated cold water from your mains supply.

Unles your model was built in the last two years and is called a 'PulsaCoil BP' it will work in the same way. (The likelihood is you have either a PulsaCoil III; PulsaCoil 2000; or PulsaCoil A Class).

Gledhill do a booklet which they will send you if you contact them called " An Insight into the PulsaCoil" which is significantly better than their user manual. This booklet also explains about their maintenance offering and they offer maintenance contracts directly covering all parts and labour required at £90 per year - no excess, no maximum repair bill, unlimited call outs etc. Basically you get a Gledhill engineer on a next day basis if you are without hot water... You can call them on 08445 679898. Hope this helps.

Pincher

We had a building full of the pesky things. The developer put them in every flat 1998 to 2000. Just about every single one started leaking after ten years. They quietly corrode away from limescale attack because of the high temperature.

The immersion element shorted, so I got them replaced, but that meant we twisted the cylinder so much, that other bits started leaking. Total waste of time repairing it. The plumbing arrangement meant that I ended up getting a Gledhill Torrent. This time round, I put in an electronic scale reducer. Didn't find out about the cylinder tray until too late. Basically, the next time it leaks, no repairs, straight to replacement, with a cylinder tray and water alarm.

Incidentally, I have two hardly used immersion elements, that Plumbcenter sold me for the Pulsacoil. Something like tungsten or titanium.

I am a major fan of the thermal store concept, it's just that you need to know about the drawbacks. Descaler, cylinder tray, water alarm, and it won't hurt when it leaks.