boiler breakdown - Economy 10

eldaniel

Hi,

I need help with fixing my electric water boiler, which broke down today. Actually the boiler itself was still working fine until I switched it off today when I did smell burning plastic from inside. However I believe few more minutes and it could possibly get damaged beyond repair.
My boiler is Boilermate 2000 Pulsacoil from Gledhill and it is running on Economy 10 electricity tariff (I do not have gas in my flat). I believe because it is economy 10 it have to be 3-phased one to accommodate all different tariffs and times.
I live in Braintree, Essex and struggling to find someone who will undertake the job.
I was actually considering doing it myself but because something was burning there I better get an expert. I can see on the diagram that cable which got burned is leading to off-peak immersion heater
On top of the boiler there is a burned plastic where Omron PCB power relay is and also relay socket got damaged.
You can see the damage here:


I sent message to few local boiler repair engineers and none of them seems to be happy to undertake it! What can I do. I know it is probably because they rarely deal with Economy 10 and it is out of their comfort/knowledge zone. I can only assume so...

Any ideas what I can do?
I am really getting desperate and purchased new PCB power relay and power socket. Now I am thinking of buying new immersion heater and then trying to fix it myself. Is that allowed?
Thanks,
Daniel

HappyMJ

Call an electrician. They can deal with the electric side of things quite easily. A boiler engineer tends to be gas safe registered and more qualified to work on the gas side than the electric side.

edit: and it's 8.00AM on a Sunday morning. You'll get a better response tomorrow on Monday.

AndyPK

https://www.diynot.com

electrical section, should be able to guide you though a repair procedure.
Worth a go.


bigger pic needed

Pincher

http://www.gledhill-response.net/page/92/About-Us.htm


I would guess an immersion element has gone.


It's just a kettle, but I would not change the element myself.

AndyPK

I was thinking it was more a loose connection, which has resulted in heat.

Those bits will need replacing though

eldaniel

AndyPK wrote: »

https://www.diynot.com

electrical section, should be able to guide you though a repair procedure.
Worth a go.


bigger pic needed

Many thanks for that, will give it a go.

eldaniel

Pincher wrote: »

http://www.gledhill-response.net/page/92/About-Us.htm


I would guess an immersion element has gone.


It's just a kettle, but I would not change the element myself.

Thanks, I was looking it up but I think they are based quite a distance from where I live so they would charge me a lot of money for travelling time itself. I do consider them however if I decide that definitely there is no point of me touching it and none of the locals won't be able to help me.

eldaniel

AndyPK wrote: »

I was thinking it was more a loose connection, which has resulted in heat.

Those bits will need replacing though

Yeah, I found PCB power relay and socket to go with it at Farell online shop and bought them for £26 with delivery as I will need them anyway. I just hope engineer won't tell me he has to use his own and charge me 4x what I paid for exactly the same stuff.
Immersion heater on the other hand is available for £68 with delivery but I had a reply from one local saying that "internet is a great thing but it is not a place to buy something like that".
I guess it was just indication to tell me that nobody will charge be low price for the parts... That is why I am afraid to buy immersion heater myself only to be told later that they can't use it because it did not come from their supplier and insurance etc. would not be valid.

eldaniel

To be honest sockets cost me £26, immersion heater £68 and if I am right that this need replacing only then that would be wonderful, but if I am wrong that is another £100 on top of what I will have to pay engineer anyway.

footyguy

eldaniel wrote: »

Thanks, I was looking it up but I think they are based quite a distance from where I live so they would charge me a lot of money for travelling time itself. I do consider them however if I decide that definitely there is no point of me touching it and none of the locals won't be able to help me.

Whilst Gledhill are indeed based many miles away in Blackpool, they have established "a network of directly employed Engineers nationwide"
http://www.gledhill-response.net/page/135/Who-Are-Gledhill-Response-.htm

footyguy

eldaniel wrote: »

To be honest sockets cost me £26, immersion heater £68 and if I am right that this need replacing only then that would be wonderful, but if I am wrong that is another £100 on top of what I will have to pay engineer anyway.

£68 for an immersion heater??? :eek:

From this link, it looks like they are nothing special
http://www.gledhill-repair.co.uk/8.html

You should be able to pick up an 11" immersion heater for about £15, but I would suggest you get a more expensive incoloy one (alloy better suited/resistant to hard water areas) for about £20.
They had these in Wickes last time I went.

Of course, it still needs to be fitted and that I would leave to an expert.