Potterton boilers - pressure fault

Will_d

We have a Potterton Combi boiler (I'm not sure which model exactly), and it's repeatedly losing pressure. An 'E1 error' code appears, and the hot water in the whole house goes down.

In order to get the hot water back on, the boiler has to be reset. But this temporary fix barely lasts a few hours.

I appreciate there are several E1 error codes, and I'm not sure which one is applicable in this case. Even so, we've called out a number of engineers (Homeserve engineers, independent ones et al) over the past 12 months, and we've received different explanations for the ongoing problem - a recurring E1 breakdown. Circuit boards and the like have been replaced, but a permanent solution remains elusive.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues with this type of boiler? Is there a particular company we should employ to resolve the problem?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Le_Kirk

Are you re-pressurising the system after your E1 code? There are several E1.. codes in the manual. Which boiler model do you have and what is the exact code?

southcoastrgi

It's not a E1 code it's only the first two items, the code is for example E133, the problem seems to be you losing pressure this has nothing to do with circuit boards

bouicca21

When my combi boiler constantly lost pressure the answer was a leaking pipe.

summerholiday

I had a similar problem over the last 3 years (boiler installed 2010) - a slow loss of water pressure in the system and was forever topping up the boiler and and the checking for airlocks in the radiators and resulting in the system finally going down.

Attendence by various central heating and boiler engineers over the years were not able to locate a problem or cure the problem, that is until I contacted a local, small company in the area (in the business since the 50's).

His young apprentice (with him for 15 years but looked about 20 years old) was able to fix the problem at source. He noticed a small leak in the actual boiler on the mid to right-hand-side at the bottom. Never noticed by previous engineers!

He ordered a small spare part in the boiler - do not know what it was now, I would have to check my paperwork for Vaillant boiler - drained down the whole boiler itself. I could not believe just how much water came out of the boiler! At least 2 medium buckets full of water. He told me that all boilers over time will fill up with water internally over time resulting in a loss of water pressure within the system.

The cost of part plus fitting was £264.00.

No problems since then.

Will_d

Le_Kirk wrote: »

Are you re-pressurising the system after your E1 code? There are several E1.. codes in the manual. Which boiler model do you have and what is the exact code?

It's E133 - I don't think that's a pressure-related error per se, but the pressure does always drop when it goes down.

Will_d

Thanks guys.

Perhaps it is an internal leak. I'm just amazed that none of the engineers called out to look at it this year (at least four) has been able to get to the source of the problem.

If the next engineer can't address it (he's coming out today from Corgi), I'm just going to replace the boiler.

If it comes to that, should I get another Potterton, or is there something more reliable out there?

Le_Kirk

We really need to know the exact boiler model, E133 is not a (water)pressure related fault but a gas/ignition fault.

Will_d

Le_Kirk wrote: »

We really need to know the exact boiler model, E133 is not a (water)pressure related fault but a gas/ignition fault.

I'm not sure of the exact model number - I'll dig it out when I get chance.

The engineer yesterday confirmed it was a gas problem, and he's coming back to re-investigate after a temporary repair didn't work.

He reckons it might be an inadequate gas supply (because of a poor pipe connection), and that probably explains the loss of pressure and intermittent hot water.

If the boiler was shoddily installed, or if the pipework needs reconfiguring, I don't know what that would cost to fix.

southcoastrgi

Inadequate gas supply won't explain a loss of pressure to your water, did he not test the gas pressure then ?

Will_d

southcoastrgi wrote: »

Inadequate gas supply won't explain a loss of pressure to your water, did he not test the gas pressure then ?

Yeah he looked at the gas meter and concluded that the underlying problem is the insufficiency of gas getting to the boiler.

He's due back again, so until then I don't know what the next move is going to be.