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Post by jonjel on Dec 23, 2010 11:24:22 GMT 1
Can someone here explain why modern condensing boilers still give so many problems in cold weather?
I know why it happens but am puzzled that an engineering solution has not been built in before now. It strikes me that a small section of heater tape and a thermostat would be just a few pounds on installation.
Maybe it is the heating engineers guarding their £100 call out + £60 an hour.....
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Post by Progenitor A on Dec 23, 2010 13:36:12 GMT 1
Can someone here explain why modern condensing boilers still give so many problems in cold weather? I know why it happens but am puzzled that an engineering solution has not been built in before now. It strikes me that a small section of heater tape and a thermostat would be just a few pounds on installation. Maybe it is the heating engineers guarding their £100 call out + £60 an hour..... Can't help you on that one jonjel, as I haven't a clue how they work I do however, know that I have one that has recently been replaced - the previous one was from Wickes and the service engineers hated it - they told me it was the worst on the market. The new one is a Bosch, which I am told is the best on the market As far as servicing goes, I would heartily ecommend British Gas. I had a service contract with them - I think it cost £120 per year, and I must have been calling them out once a month with the old boiler. They invariably arrived on the same day as I phoned, and all the parts and labour were free- part of the contract. Had I not had a contreact it would have undoubtedly cost me over £1000 in call-outs. |
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Post by jonjel on Dec 23, 2010 16:11:24 GMT 1
Having once employed a plumber who by rights should be in jail - connecting two pieces of flue liner with duct tape is probably not in the gas fitters manual, I have serviced my own for many years and it is such a doddle. All parts are available and it was done each autumn. And done properly.
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Post by Progenitor A on Dec 23, 2010 17:07:44 GMT 1
Having once employed a plumber who by rights should be in jail - connecting two pieces of flue liner with duct tape is probably not in the gas fitters manual, I have serviced my own for many years and it is such a doddle. All parts are available and it was done each autumn. And done properly. My you are brave jonjel! I wouldn't dream of touching gas appliances. Mind you it is probably illegal for you to so do. All gas service technicians must now have Government certification and if they do not have it and perform on gas equipment, it is, I believe, a criminal offence And, I believe, the defence that you were only endangering yourself (and family) probably will not hold. With gas, if something is done wrongly , your next-door neighbours are also in danger. Still you sound sensible so I feel sure that you know what you are doing. |
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Post by jonjel on Dec 23, 2010 17:30:04 GMT 1
It would certainly be illegal if I did it for someone else. But I am very careful.
And as you say, no-one is going to bother me unless something goes wrong.
It all started after I had the boiler installed by the so called plumber. A couple of months and the pilot light went out. He came after about 3 days and cleaned the jet. And after the third time I thought I would investigate. A load of crud in the gas feed, which he had installed. He had obviously collected that under the floorboards somewhere.
Plus odd nuts now missing from the burner.
I made up a fitting and disconnected the pipe (having turned the gas off a the meter!) I took the pipe up to 80psi with a compressor then opened the valve near the boiler. A friend who was helping came out of te kitchen like the Robertsons now banned symbol!
And after that the rest was easy. And I suppose I am lucky in that I have access to all kinds of kit, probably more and better than most plumbers.
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Post by Mr Red on Jan 15, 2011 16:46:43 GMT 1
Mine works fine, but does appear to pump out more condensate into the atmosphere than it's predecessor . Even taking into account the price rises it seems to use a lot more gas. For the same temperature in the house.
The girlfriend's oil burning boiler drips condensate into a drain which then managed to freeze that water and spew soot all over the kitchen.
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Post by petergriffin on Jan 24, 2011 17:54:32 GMT 1
jonjel
The main reason there are so many problems is that the condensate pipe is often run on the outside of a building, thus the condesate runs out into a very cold atmoshere and slowly freezes blocking up the pipe causing the boiler to stop working.
The easy no technical solution is to do as I have done, run the codesate pipe inside and where it exits to outside drain insulate it. I have had my boiler for 3 years and never had an issue with the condensate freezing up, however, only over Christmas break the two house close to me had British Gas out twice to thaw out the pipe, both of which run down an outside wall.
I do agree that a heated pipe is a good solution and the costs of this is much less than calling out a plumber when pipe is frozen.
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