Alternating cold radiators plus a noisy Ideal boiler

[farr]

My parents had a new central heating system (6 rads, Ideal ISAR 24he boiler dated February 2006 but all brand new) installed as part of the Warm Front scheme last Wednesday. Ever since day one, the boiler has had what I can only describe as an "explosive" ignition. This can occur anywhere up to 8-10 times a day and feels like someone is kicking the boiler hard if you're in the bathroom where the airing cupboard is and can be heard as almost a small firework going off nearby if elsewhere in the house. The LED display shows no error codes. Is this normal?

An additional problem has developed today - the biggest radiator in the living room suddenly went cold at the bottom but stayed warm (but not hot at the top). This spontaneously solved itself but then went wrong again and has currently sorted itself out. At the same time, the radiator that is closest above this in my parents bedroom has gone cold in a similar fashion. The inlet pipe is hot but the outlet pipe with the Lockshield valve is cold. Repairers will be coming (even if I have to drag them in!) next week but am curious as to what the cause could be as, having read a lot about this scheme, I know some problems tend to drag on and on and on....

One other thing - they also have a dripping tap in the bathroom basin. This will have its washer replaced next week. If this tap has anything more than a few drips coming out of it, the display shows d (for DHW I presume?) and the central heating, if the room stat demands it, will not come on. Is this normal behaviour?

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Isars are crap and explosive ignition is an issue with them. I am fortunate in a way because there aren't many round here. I have not yet had the pleasure of sorting this problem out but am aware that its to do with combustion settings and possibly electrode settings.

You ned that tap fixing BTW as the boiler will not provide CH if there is a call for HW

 

[farr]

You ned that tap fixing BTW as the boiler will not provide CH if there is a call for HW

Thought as much about the tap. It will be fixed early this coming week - it only needs a washer we believe but if that doesn't fix it then a new set of taps will be fitted ASAP.

Any ideas about the alternating cold rads? Today the one in the living room is fine but the master bedroom one is cold again despite the others being hot (TRV is on 5 so that's not an issue by the way). The return pipe today though is a shade above room temperature rather than cold (but much cooler than the inlet pipe). One more thing that may help troubleshoot this - the first day that the system was installed, the rad in the front living room was cold for a good 30 minutes before warming up and going cold again and then after 60 minutes, all was well. Someone has suggested there may be an airlock in the system which could explain this too - is this likely?

 

[jhgasman]

As Slugbabydotcom says Isars are rubbish , even more so if the system is dirty .....was the system flushed and cleaned ? the rads might be new but the pipework isn't , as for the explosive ignition you really need a good ( technically minded ) engineer to sort the combustion settings out and set the boiler up , .........hope this helps .

 

[ChrisR]

Isn't this the Ideal where they refuse to tell you HOW to set up the gas valve though?

 

[gas4you]

There are no user adjustments on the Ideal Isar/Icos gas valves. They rely on the working pressure to be correct.

They are very susceptible to explosive ignition if the WP is low at the meter. The spark electrodes are also carp, the bent half always warps out of adjustment in the burner heat making the gap too large. Don't try to bend it back as it will just snap off

Tip here is NEVER go to service and Isar/Icos without a spare ign electrode on the van

They rely on the DHW thermistor to sense a drop in water temp to work as a flow switch, hence why a dripping tap will lock it into DHW mode.

2006? Thats a long time to have been putting up with this fault

Why?

 

[farr]

The boiler was installed on Wednesday (2nd April). The boiler itself was new but had a datestamp of 2006. The pipework to the rads is new, as are the rads themselves. The Benchmark Checklist in the manual says the system was cleaned using X800 cleaner and X100 Inhibitor was used but I am not sure if this was really done as isn't Powerflushing the unit supposed to make a loud noise and last 2 hours or so? In this case once the final rad was connected up, they left inside 20 minutes. Worryingly the checklist is dated 30/3 even though the work was done on 2/4 but the boxed and sealed boiler itself with (I assume the manual in it) in it was delivered only on the 1/4 so I assume this must be someone getting confused on their dates

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Its not your fault if its been sat on a shelf for ages. Get back on to the installer and/or the manufacturer. Its bad enough they fitted a naff boiler but why should you be lumbered with it when it's been sat around for so long. Warmfront installations round here tend to be Glowworms .... Another naff boiler but still the lesser of 2 evils