baxi barcelona problems

[smiffyuk]

Hi Don't laugh but I have a baxi barcelona condesing boiler which was installed about 7 years ago.
It worked perfectly well until last year when it locked out for the first time.
I replaced the igniter which didn't resolve the problem and then I employed a registered heating engineer who examined my boiler made some small repairs to the ignition control pcb and left. This didn't resolve the problem either and I replaced the pcb in question with a new one.
My boiler worked perfectly well for the heating season and it supplied all my hot water requirements for the summer period.
When it came time this year to start the heating period ( although I never turn the heating off but leave it up to the controls to regulate the house tempeture) I was woken on the first really cold morning with a loud howling coming from the boiler which reduced and finally stopped when the boiler modulated from maximum to about half output and I assumed that the fan was at fault possibly the bearings starting to fail.
I have yet to replace the fan and I have resolved the howling by reducing the flow tempeture and the out put of the boiler.
Has any body got any comments .

 

[baxpoti]

Could be heat exchanger or burner noise

May be a good idea to call heateam

 

[smiffyuk]

Thanks for the info I have a couple of questions if its not to much trouble

I thought it might be the burner as its such a fine ceramic one and I've always been very cautious about cleaning it just a very light brush with a camel haired paint brush.
The heat exchanger on the other hand is always cleaned with a vacuum cleaner and stiffer paint brush every year. I didn't apprecaite that the heat exchanger ( if kept clean ) would cause the boiler to howl on full flame.
The condensate trap is always cleaned out and apart from the debris left when the plumber finished installing it has never really been full of anything apart from condensate

I realise that this model has a very short life and was thinking of changing it next year anyway.

If I run it on low flame can you foresee any further problems in the near future

 

[trobro216]

To Baxpoti,

So what don't you like about my post? You seem very put out about it.

 

[trobro216]

Further to my recent post (which Baxpoti liked so much - not) regarding Baxi Barcelona problems, the boiler though running better was still locking out - red led on continuously.

A good look st the service manual convinced me that the ignition PCB was at fault. They tend to gat a bit cooked being in close proximity to the side of the boiler.

A new one was bought off Ebay, fitted and hey presto, no more lockout problems. Its nice to get the job done properly. I hope this post is of use to someone or maybe I should stick to repairing Airfix.

 

[kevplumb]

maybe I should stick to repairing Airfix.

feel free

 

[trobro216]

Mmm kevplumb, let me see, must be another plumber at a guess. Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[minesapint]

trobro216

Thanks for your post. I've spent quite some time looking at all the posts on this site (and elsewhere) re the Barcelona - what a pile of old rubbish - it should never have got off the drawing board!

I unfortunately have 2 of them, running in parallel, well supposed to be running..... I'm now down to one and use the other for parts as I go.

The reason folk like me come to a site like this is because the so called experts are pretty clueless themselves - despite all their bits of paper!! There are 100's of posts on here about this boiler regarding the inability of the heating engineers/plumbers, be they independent or from baxi themselves, to fix the problem.

Just seems that, having read all the posts, there are more trolls now than there used to be!!

 

[trobro216]

To minesapint,

Thanks for your post its nice to get some feedback I hope you get your boiler(s) working. What other problems have you had with yours?

Best regards

trobro216

 

[rojaca]

I particularly liked the part where you recommend using soapy water as LDF.

 

[baxpoti]

To Baxpoti,

So what don't you like about my post? You seem very put out about it.

I just don't know where to start, you really are dangerous.

 

[trobro216]

To rojaca,

I take your point it would be better to use a recognised Leak Detection Fluid. But some of these are in fact detergent based. Anyway I only mentioned it as a precautionary measure, none of the gas carrying pipes had been disturbed. It just seemed sensible to check for gas leaks when the boiler work had been completed.

 

[trobro216]

To baxpoti

Start at the beginning.

 

[anotherbgeng]

trobo,
where to start ,obviously you are trying to help,a few comments from my 26yrs as a heating engineer.
A ...electrics ...you dont test to see if the appliance is electrically safe before working on it...no mention of removing the fuse ? or testing with a multimeter.....
B....not worked on gas... so where when you say about removing the gas pipe from the gas valve to the venturi ,isnt that working on the gas side ....
C... Leak detection fluid (ldf) isnt just soapy water ,if you knew any thing you would realise that soapy water contains salts which are corrosive
D... Although you write a good story there is no mention of testing the boiler after working on it .....and that is probably the most worrying part... now i dont want to put people off but probably why the RGI's on here are sarcastic is because they get so many stupid comments thrown at them .....
E...In my opinion if you open the combustion chamber or do anything on a boiler that the customer can not be reasonably be expected to do then if you are not an RGI you are contravening the regs....and that is scarey.......

 

[trobro216]

To anotherbgeng.

Thank you for your post. I agree, it would be wise to remove the fuse from the boiler supply and check that the power is off using a DVM. And you are right there is the gas pipe that goes from the gas valve to the veturri on the fan but it would be difficult to get it on wrong, unless of course you forgot to put it back, which would be disastrouis.

If a person isn't mechnaically minded or technically competent it would be better to get a registered gas engineer in. But by being informed at least you can let him know what needs to be done if he isn't familiar with your boiler.

The thought of someone who has no appreciation of electrics and gas, stripping their boler down is quite scary. I am an electronics engieer by profession with a strong interest in anything mechanical so I felt able to work on my boiler and it is working perfectly now.

Thank you again for your post it was very positive and informative.