Will Wireless Boiler Controls avoid tripping electrics ?

Myser

MoneyMate wrote: »

Hi Myser, Sorry to hear about this Rodent problem, almost certainly until you get these pests removed your problems will continue with all electrical equipment not to mention the safety aspect.

Hi Moneymate,

Thankfully, we don't have a rodent problem at the moment

It's at the OP's parent's house where they have the problem!

I_have_spoken

Let's step back a moment.

You'll clearly need a 240V supply to the boiler which is on your ring main and protected by a breaker in the consumer unit.

The boiler will then have wires to connect and energise a thermostat and, it seems, a valve. If the insulation on these has been compromised by rodent, the MCB could tripping as it's detecting a fault current

If you replace the runs of cable (apart from mains feed) with a radio link, you may be lucky and remove the chewed cable from the circuit.

N.B. I am perplexed why, with a combi, there is still a motorised valve in airing cupboard.

pogg000

but only 2 thermostats wires to check to PROVE THE FAULT

Myser

MiaB wrote: »

they can't plug into another circuit on the MCB to the best of my knowledge.

What they could do is run a temporary extension lead from another circuit being fed from a different MCB. For example, if the boiler is in the kitchen, try plugging it into a circuit/socket from an adjacent room which is on another MCB.

If the electricians are competent enough, they should have thought about this already.

Is it the MCB or RCD (Residual-Current Device) that is tripping?

MiaB

pogg000 wrote: »

does your electrican have a megga meter?

Thanks for replying.
I would suspect that all 4 have had one. As stated, I am 120 miles away at present and relying on second hand accounts.

MiaB

Myser wrote: »

What they could do is run a temporary extension lead from another circuit being fed from a different MCB. For example, if the boiler is in the kitchen, try plugging it into a circuit/socket from an adjacent room which is on another MCB.

If the electricians are competent enough, they should have thought about this already.

Is it the MCB or RCD (Residual-Current Device) that is tripping?

Thanks for replying.
My brother and I were wondering about this. The second floor is on a different MCB so we wondered about running a cable up into there to test. I will speak to the engineer that attends on Friday on his mobile: he is the same one that came today and spoke about the wireless controls, as is aware Dad is easily confused. Both the MCB and RCD are tripping.

MiaB

I_have_spoken wrote: »

Let's step back a moment.

You'll clearly need a 240V supply to the boiler which is on your ring main and protected by a breaker in the consumer unit.

The boiler will then have wires to connect and energise a thermostat and, it seems, a valve. If the insulation on these has been compromised by rodent, the MCB could tripping as it's detecting a fault current

If you replace the runs of cable (apart from mains feed) with a radio link, you may be lucky and remove the chewed cable from the circuit.

N.B. I am perplexed why, with a combi, there is still a motorised valve in airing cupboard.

Thanks for replying.
My brother and I were discussing this evening why there is still the immersion tank ( sorry, thats how I think of it ) is still in play when there is a combi boiler. Something else to ask the engineer !

Quiet_Spark

pogg000 wrote: »

does your electrican have a megga meter?

Megger is a brand name, you probably meant insulation tester.

MoneyMate

Myser wrote: »

Hi Moneymate,

Thankfully, we don't have a rodent problem at the moment

It's at the OP's parent's house where they have the problem!

Oops Sorry got my facts wrong

MiaB

As everyone was so helpful I thought i'd let people know the (hopefully!) outcome.

After 4.5 hours of cable checking and tests it turned out to be the motorised valve for the boiler (downstairs under the boiler). So the 1st independant electrician was correct - it was a boiler fault, not an electrical fault.

I asked why the 1st or 3rd BG engineer ( who were heating engineers ) didn't spot this and he said that an intermittent fault is quite hard to diagnose, they do through a crib sheet of suspect elements and replace the most likely candidates. It was possible that the intermittent fault just got worse until the valve ( over the course of the week) gave up completely.

I said that I had on the list of replacements that a valve was replaced, but he said it wasn't on his:mad:

He has spent all day testing and retesting and is confident the valve was the root cause, everything is up and running and he is calling in tomorrow to check all is ok : he has also left Dad his mobile number.

I did raise the great questions here and confirmed there has been IR Testing - and he did it again today. They didn't try an extension to another MCB - but he didn't know why.

WRT the question about an immersion when there is a combi - our mistake, Dad's boiler isn't a combi : once this one goes we will make sure he gets one !

Anyways, thats the update and hopefully the resolution. Many thanks to everyone who replied here with help and suggestions.

M. x