Boiler issue - everyone is stumped... ideas?

Tygermoth

Hi guys i hope you can help.


We live in a rented estates cottage which is rather dilapidated and a touch care worn. However in a very expensive area to rent and for the size of the cottage and grounds the monthly rental more than reflects the issues with the house. So it’s worth the hassle.


The estate is cash strapped (as most estates are) so we undertake most repairs with permission ourselves. They basically leave us to it.
Sadly though the boiler is playing up and we will not deal with this type of issue..... but the estates office is losing its patience with us I will explain..


We have a Worchester 9/14cbl boiler. It has a three light array on the front power/flame/warning. It’s set to have hot water from 7/9 evening and 4/5 in the morning. Heating (when on) 24/7 on 19 (old cold stone cottage)


Over the last few months the boiler keeps switching itself off and the warning light comes on. This is wildly intermittent and for the love of all things holy it cannot be replicated.


So we have had the plumber sent out to us on 6 occasions and blasted thing behaves itself perfectly. He says he can’t find a fault.


It’s doing my nut in as we have to make sure we are about a hour before we need water to make sure it’s on... so I am stumbling out of bed at half four to make sure it’s on... stumble back in to be to be up at five thirty to have a hot shower. The lads use the water in the evening and then it has a habit of turning itself off meaning no water overnight.


I turned it on at four this morning but when i went to shower the water was still cold so I went and checked and yes... it had turned itself off obviously just after I had put the blasted thing on.


When we need to have the heating on soon this will be a joy.


I have called the estates office and they have refused it send someone until ‘it actually breaks down and stops working fully’
Anyone any idea what the issue is? I am happy to post pics, times anything to get to the bottom of this.

spiro

According to Worcester there are 3 lights Boiler Demand, Burner on and Lock-out. So is it the Lock-out light that is coming on when it cuts out? If so is the light steady or flashing? Steady indicates Overheat and flashing indicates Flame Failure. www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/.../user-manual-for-cbi--discontinued-dec-06.pdf

http://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/homeowner/boilers/quick-gas-boiler-help?p_id=168&submit=Find+tips

Tygermoth

Its flashing, so thats flame failure.

What could cause that?

bengasman

Tygermoth wrote: »

Its flashing, so thats flame failure.

Not necessarily, it is lock out, which could mean flame detection failure ( which is not the same as flame failure ) but also overheat.
Does the system use internal or external diverter/zone valve(s)?

I can think of about a dozen different causes for this problem, so might not be that straight forward to solve from behind a keyboard.
What you need, is a breakdown specialist, not a boiler installer.

ollski

Although expensive in the short term a worcester fiexed price repair will be your best bet, I have had these do the same fault on burners gas valves and pcbs and it could be an intermittent problem on any one of the components.

Pincher

Eliminate the easy ones first.
If you are lucky, it's a sticky valve.

Try the system with different combinations of on/off for hot water and heating. Check what the valve(s) do.


You can heat the cylinder BEFORE you go to bed, unless it has no lagging.

DVardysShadow

Possibly low gas pressure?