Biasi Boiler Losing Pressure

ITRUK

I have a Biasi Riva Compact 28s, that just lately, since turning the heating off, the pressure will drop to zero.
I've had a look at all the radiator's and looked under the floor, with no sign's of any leak's.

The condensate pipe, as usual, drip's every so ofter. Once the heating is turned off, it still continue's with a constant drip, the water is also black in colour.

I've had a friend of a friend who's a plumber take a look at it, and he say's that it shouldn't be dripping AFTER the heating is turned off (when the boiler's not in use).
He's suggested that the heat exchange may have become faulty, which is quite a pricey item!

He suggested using Biasi's 'fix and forget' service which is a set £220inc for any repair's. Now if it is the heat exchange that's broke, then this service is pretty good value.
But if it's only a £50 part, then it's clearly not..
I've seen British Gas do a repair service from £79. This would be a better service, if it's a £50 part job..

For those in the know, what does the problem sound like?

I just need to know, which is (for my problem) the best valued service

Thank's for anyone's help!

southcoastrgi

condense shouldn't be black, yes it does sound like the hex has failed, BG £79 is for the first 1/2 hr the price goes up after this & up again after 2 hrs, you will be better off with Biasi fixed price repair, you could be looking at £400+ just to buy the hex without it being fitted, if the water in your heating is black then it really could do with a flush & i would be tempted to fit a magnetic filter on the return.

Mr_Ted

southcoastrgi wrote: »

condense shouldn't be black, yes it does sound like the hex has failed, BG £79 is for the first 1/2 hr the price goes up after this & up again after 2 hrs, you will be better off with Biasi fixed price repair, you could be looking at £400+ just to buy the hex without it being fitted, if the water in your heating is black then it really could do with a flush & i would be tempted to fit a magnetic filter on the return.

No one has mentioned black heating water, that is still to be determined?

Black condensate, could be a sooted heat exchanger(combustion problem, unlikely), corrosion problem(but shouldnt be corrosive metals in condensing boilers, unlikely), or if the Heat Exchanger is leaking THEN there is the possibility of it being black heating water seeping into the combustion chamber AND causing the pressure loss?

Either way it wont be known until the boiler is stripped for inspection, but i cant see anyone accepting a job with a possible higher cost than is going to be charged, they would be out of business as anything lower than that charge of £220 would be given to someone cheaper, BAD BUSINESS DEAL if they do?

southcoastrgi

if the condense water is black, if the condense continues to run after the boiler has switched off, if the pressure goes down to zero, then i would say it's a good bet the hex is knackered, however as you say that is yet to be proved although even stripping the boiler may not give the indication that would prove that, i still think the manu fixed price repair is the way to go, cheaper than replacing the boiler even if it is a cheap boiler in the first place

ITRUK

Thanks for the fast reply guy's :beer:

I've just out of interest, bled some of my rad's to see what the colour is like (as per MR Ted's query) and it came out black.

So i'm guessing that the Biasi service is my best bet? This is the service that i'm on about:
http://www.biasi.co.uk/support/

Seem's all legit and simple enough.. right?

southcoastrgi

tbh i think you are going to be on sticky ground reading that, you will have to pay before they come out & reading the t&c they may not cover you & i doubt they will refund you if they find what they state below.

Some instances which are not included in ‘Fix & Forget’ are detailed below;

• Contaminated systems
• New for old on the first repair

Canucklehead

What is the dripping pipe made of, copper or plastic?

Are you looking at the pressure relief discharge pipe or the condensate waste?

ITRUK

Are the term's within the pdf file that you have to download?

In the term 'new for old' are they trying to say, basically a new boiler for my 'old' one? It can't be more than three year's old!

I mean, surely if i pay the £220 fee, then they can't force me into something more.
It should be fixed up to a certain degree.

eek!

@ Canucklehead:

The pipe is a grey ridged one that's on the inside, condensate i think. The copper pipe that shoot's outside the house has never ejected any water since my problem's started.

southcoastrgi

aha good point CH maybe the OP is looking at the wrong pipe

southcoastrgi

ITRUK wrote: »

Are the term's within the pdf file that you have to download?

In the term 'new for old' are they trying to say, basically a new boiler for my 'old' one? It can't be more than three year's old!

I mean, surely if i pay the £220 fee, then they can't force me into something more.
It should be fixed up to a certain degree.

eek!

not necessarly if they think the leaking hex (if that's what it is, please answer CH question?) has been caused by sludge (contamination) then they may not change it

Canucklehead

southcoastrgi wrote: »

aha good point CH maybe the OP is looking at the wrong pipe

Seems to be condensate!

OP

Where does it go? Why can you see it drip?

It's supposed to go to a drain.....

Edit.

Eerrrrr the stated boiler is non condensing. ( bring back the 'shrug shoulders ' emoticon!)