Broken fan on boiler, can we get it working temporarily

cherydee

Hi, we have a 21 yr old Glow Worm Spacesaver KFB boiler that we knew was on its way out as the fan has been running noisily and we are in the process of getting quotes for a new condensing combi boiler, but only one in so far and the boiler decides to pack in Boxing Day. Nothing is going to happen in a hurry as in middle of hols, got to get quotes in (Baxi Platinum 40HE) and get boiler ordered. Is there anything we can do manually to get fan started every day until hols is up, when we switch it on we think it's going to start up but after a few seconds it just slows down. Miserable sitting here in a cold house, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Alias_Omega

Might not be a fan, might be the Air Pressure sensor etc?

I could call out British Gas via the 1-off Boiler Repair. The repair price is tiered, £89 for 30mins, £199 for 1hr, £429 for 2hrs plus.

The repair includes all parts and labour.


They will give you a price before they start the work..

cherydee

It's the fan, when they did the service it was on its way out and I called the engineer back last week to see if he could have another look and order one in as I had a feeling this would happen right on the holidays and I was told it would be £400 plus labour and I was more or less talked out if it, he said it was uneconomical to fix, he said I might get that fixed and the circuit board could go next which would roughly be the same amount.

ess0two

Fan is less than £200,once the cover is off the boiler,the fan is held on with 4 screws and an electrical connector.

cherydee

I dont even know where he rang to check they had the parts. He said our glow worm Spacesaver KFB was only the second one he had ever seen. The insurance company dropped us 5 yrs ago because they couldn't guarantee they could get the parts to fix it, which was very good of them after taking our money for 15 yrs.

sillygoose

I got a bit more out of our Ideal boiler when it went by giving it a clean and oiling the bearings but very short lived. Assuming yours is a similar induction motor fan once the bearing are shot its had it, as its going to misalign and bind.

Probably the best sort of thing to lubricate would be a high temperature grease, like the copper stuff you use on car brake assembly, might be difficult to get into the bearing although I think it comes in spray form now with a solvent that evaporates after applying. If you masked elsewhere carefully you might get some to go in. Then again if your bearings are that worn may be plenty of slack for something to capillary into.

peachyprice

The fan went on our Glow Worm a few months ago, the engineer did try to get it going again by greasing the bearings on the top, but it only worked intermittently for a few days before he came back to replace it. He said we could spray WD40 on it, but I was too scared.

cherydee

Thanks peachyprice, when I got them out for the service I said it was making a rusty noise, like a bag of old nails, I said it seemed as if it could do with oiling. He said they were dry bearings and it would catch fire, you cannot do that.
Honestly I feel pathetic, we live in a big old terraced house, I have a gas fire in front room, but the rest of the house is like a giant chest freezer. I help out with a homeless charity, my heart absolutely goes out to them. I'm sitting moaning and nearly in tears with the cold, cannot even begin to start thinking what they go through every day, with no chance to get warmed through. It really gets you thinking.

cyclonebri1

cherydee wrote: »

Thanks peachyprice, when I got them out for the service I said it was making a rusty noise, like a bag of old nails, I said it seemed as if it could do with oiling. He said they were dry bearings and it would catch fire, you cannot do that.
Honestly I feel pathetic, we live in a big old terraced house, I have a gas fire in front room, but the rest of the house is like a giant chest freezer. I help out with a homeless charity, my heart absolutely goes out to them. I'm sitting moaning and nearly in tears with the cold, cannot even begin to start thinking what they go through every day, with no chance to get warmed through. It really gets you thinking.

Don't try and "frig" it, not worth the risk.

Beg steel, or borrow a couple of space heaters to keep you going and just think, that house is probably a hundred yeas old, for it's first 50 years it didn't have CH, toughen up and grin and bear it,don't waste money on the old 1 when it's replacement is lined up.

I have to say comparing your nice dry home with a gas fire and no central heating to the plight of the homeless is poor.
You may be colder than usuall, but you have a supply of heat, a roof and are dry.:(:(:(, they have a cardboard box in a windy alley.:A:A

SuzieSue

cherydee wrote: »

Thanks peachyprice, when I got them out for the service I said it was making a rusty noise, like a bag of old nails, I said it seemed as if it could do with oiling. He said they were dry bearings and it would catch fire, you cannot do that.
Honestly I feel pathetic, we live in a big old terraced house, I have a gas fire in front room, but the rest of the house is like a giant chest freezer. I help out with a homeless charity, my heart absolutely goes out to them. I'm sitting moaning and nearly in tears with the cold, cannot even begin to start thinking what they go through every day, with no chance to get warmed through. It really gets you thinking.

Can't you get some fan heaters?

This is one reason I wouldn't have a combi if I could fit a non combi - not only do you have no heating (which you can solve by using electric heaters) but you also have no hot water for which there is no solution.

cherydee

cyclonebri1, I think you need to read my post through again, of course I'm not comparing my nice dry house to the plight of the homeless. I'm pointing out how pathetic I am in finding it hard to deal with this situation and that it gets you thinking people are far, far worse off with no means to stay warm and dry.
SuzieSue I have always said for years I didn't want a combi but I always seemed to be the only saying it, maybe I should get a quote as well for a non combi to compare