Biasi 24s cutting out intermittently

[Agile]

ps. Made redundant recently and no money to pay an engineer
pps. I am a electrnics technician and can turn my hand to most tasks, and after all the work already done on this boiler don't regard myself as a novice!

You now tell us the boiler was second hand when you installed it yourself.

But you were only recently made redundant?

It seems to me that you like to do everything on the cheap like fitting a second hand boiler yourself even when you are working.

Why has your ex-corgi "friend" not bothered to come over during the last three years to set up the gas valve for you? He should realise how inportant for safety that is.

The Biasi 24S is one of the most reliable boilers ever made!

You can replace the pump with any make if you find one with 1" connectors rather than the UK standard which is larger. But if the glued one is still working there is little point.

If you are getting certain benefits you may qualify for a free Warmfront installation.

Tony

 

[lifesagasman]

I totally disapprove of DIYers who change gas valves and particularly when they are not checked or set up.

This is a very dangerous person and in my view no one here should be giving him any advice.

He must have already spent more than the cost of getting a professional would have charged and its still not working and may be dangerous.

Tony

we all know the legality of gas work if you're not a 'competent person' but it's not right to call this guy a dangerous person. he might be very capable, we don't know. his corgi mate may have checked the work, we don't know.
when i was 12 (many moons ago!) i worked in my dad's garage. i fitted tyres, patched tubes and plugged the 'new' tubeless tyres on people's cars. was that dangerous? in modern times, illegal, but then it was how things were and how kids learned to do things.
withhold advise if you wish but to codemn a person because they haven't got ACSs is simply judgemental.

 

[mrcrusty]

Qutoe: we all know the legality of gas work if you're not a 'competent person' but it's not right to call this guy a dangerous person. he might be very capable, we don't know. his corgi mate may have checked the work, we don't know.
when i was 12 (many moons ago!) i worked in my dad's garage. i fitted tyres, patched tubes and plugged the 'new' tubeless tyres on people's cars. was that dangerous? in modern times, illegal, but then it was how things were and how kids learned to do things.
withhold advise if you wish but to codemn a person because they haven't got ACSs is simply judgemental.[/quote]

Thankyou for that and hearhear!

 

[Agile]

He has admitted that he has changed a gas valve without setting it up. Nor apparently has his friend checked it for him during the last three years.

We all know the implications of that and I would class it as At Risk just as G-S class any non commisioned boiler EVEN though that usually relates to a new one which is expected to be set up at the factory.

Gas valves like this are NOT set up ready for boilers and its any bodies guess when the settings actually are.

I say that he has acted dangerously.

The mere fact that he has not been able to fix the boiler indicates that he is not competent to repair boilers. If he told us that he had used a manometer to adjust the gas valve then it would be different.

Tony

 

[mrcrusty]

Tony - I'm not going to give you my life story, but even when i was working, money was tight, and the other boiler was over 20 yrs old and was dead, it was a risk replacing with a 2nd hand boiler, but in my mind one worth taking - £100 for the boiler, and the same for my mate fitting with me as his labourer.
In 7yrs I have spent maybe £130 on parts that needed replacement so in my mind I'm still quids in...
My friend is ex - corgi reg'd, but purely a plumber by trade and decided not to renew his qualifications some time ago. he offered no further advise because 1) I did not ask, and 2) He knows what I am capable of and my competency in most tasks i turn my hand to.

As for the pump, i just wanted to make sure it would be a straighforward fit if I replaced the salmson for a myson at some point
ie. that it would bolt straight in without the need for additional pipework.

Just to end, I will say that perhaps you should refrain from your judgemental comments and just simply offer advice - if you want to - surely thats what this site was set up for...

 

[mrcrusty]

and I WILL get an engineer to calibrate the valve, to be on the safe side, if i can find a knowledgable one, but am still positive this won't cure the intermittent fault which I reckon is PCB related.

Maybe someone could just have recommended I did this rather than bitching about what a dangerous person I am!

Incidentally, what are the risks from a not calibrated gas valve?

I'm guessing too big a flame - which could damage the heat exchanger and possibly more, but what else?

 

[Agile]

The only pump that will fit is one with 1" unions and they are available but not very common.

But as I said, its not a gas critical part and as long as it works you can leave it running.

The correct operation of the boiler relies on the gas valve being set up correctly. If its too high you can check that by a gas rate when on full power for hot water. See FAQ on "gas rate" which you measure on your meter.

In the extreme the boiler might explode or catch fire if gas valve not set correctly. Unlikely I agree, but it should still be set correctly. If we did not check and set gas parts after changing, then Gas Safe, who register us, would send us a written warning and could ultimately strike us off.

Tony

 

[lifesagasman]

and I WILL get an engineer to calibrate the valve, to be on the safe side, if i can find a knowledgable one, but am still positive this won't cure the intermittent fault which I reckon is PCB related.

Maybe someone could just have recommended I did this rather than **** about what a dangerous person I am!

Incidentally, what are the risks from a not calibrated gas valve?

I'm guessing too big a flame - which could damage the heat exchanger and possibly more, but what else?

within a sealed combustion chamber the 'risks' or levels of danger are just about limited to what you have said, poss damage to heat ex. most eventualities are catered for in the design of the boiler with safety devices and overheat stats etc. boilers aren't rocket science. wrongly adjusted gas valves are inefficient, rather than dangerous.

if there is a definable risk associated with inexperienced gas work it's more likely to relate to gas escapes through not having the knowledge to test properly for leaks. that is a dangerous aspect.

it's a different story on open-flued appliances but your post wasn't about them

 

[transam]

The Biasi prisma/ early rivas , were one of the most reliable boilers of there type that we/I have ever installed , as for Mr Crusty or any one else who changes a gas valve ect ect on a gas boiler that is a matter for them , as long as he does not live next door to me I could'nt care less , however it should be noted that this is an open forum that can be accessed by any one , & just because Mr crusty is competent (?) does not mean that someone else is !!! the gas safe register is an organisation that protects the consumer(?) funded by the installation industry !! a number of checks should & must be made when ever a gas valve is changed !!

 

[lifesagasman]

i've waited half an hour and no-one's contradicted my last post...

transam i can only agree with your comments, but i get miffed when people get on their high horse for the wrong reasons. as you said, this is a forum, where anyone can come in to ask a question, and any Tom, Dick or Harry can give an answer, or not, as the case may be. it's not a platform for RGIs to get all sanctimonious and slate everyone who appears to be non-qualified.
yes, it's an open forum that anyone can access, so if any person who could provide an answer feels it's not appropriate to do so, all they have to do is not answer, which would be a far more intelligent response.
personally, i would think mrcrusty has probably got enough electrical knowledge to make a decent boiler repair tech, after gas training, as most faults now are related to the electrical components rather than the gas components, so perhaps now that he finds himself redundant he could apply for training so that he can join the band of people who stand in front of a customer's boiler scratching his head.

it is only a forum.

 

[mrcrusty]

Thanks lifesagasman!
I had actually considered doing some training and going down that path as i cant be jobless forever.
It'd be worth doing just to get the self righteous commentors on here wound up!!

 

[lifesagasman]

it'd be worth doing because there's always a place for intelligent, self-motivated, conscientious, think-outside-the-box, roll-your-sleeves-up types in this world.

cold steel, capt. mannering. they don't like it up 'em!!

have you noticed it's gone all quiet? is there something on the telly?

 

[transam]

Lifesagasman I would not disagree with what you say , there are not many current rgi's , who will not carry out gas work in the future , (retired) for family & freinds , when they are no longer registered , theres alot of hypocrisey in the industry , the rgi outside of B&Q , moaning about some o.a.p coming out with a gas fire balanced on there zimmer frame , (who may well have been sent there by me ), stating that the sale of gas appliances should be banned to the general public ect ect , than pops into halfords to purchase brake & steering components in order to self repair his own car , & drive his wife & kids around he M25, most of us are diyers , I built a kit car I have no qualifications & there is no law that says I need them , as regards this forum , there is a fine line that needs to be adhered to & it is difficult , what advice do you give , I have given out gas advice in good faith , probably wrongly so ??? accessing electrics on boilers , could be dangerous , an over gassed rs boiler could also be dangerous to others dependant upon were the flue outlet is ??? I do like to help people if I can , I work with 2 others who are of the opinion that this open forum is not a good thing ????

 

[Agile]

There are perceived to be too many people entering the plumbing and boiler field at the moment and many are having a problem finding enough work.

I did not have many calls about training or jobs last year but so many during the weeks since christmas. Many having been made redundant.

The real future jobs currently seem to be in the refridgeration/aircon industry as domestic aircon systems have shown very rapid growth until the recession and there seem few experienced people currently working.

For the OP Northampton seems to be a difficult area for people in the building/plumbing trades and the M1 is full of white vans leaving for London early in the mornings.

Tony

PS I think that transams kit car had to be checked in an MOT enhanced test before being allowed to be registered on the road. That does not happen with a DIY gas fire installation. The RGI who fitted a ( faulty ) gas fire did not check it even though he had the equipment so what hope is there for a a DIYer.

 

[transam]

Lifesagasman It should also be noted that in the majority of cases , we are all posting annonmousley ( How do u spell that), the O.P does not know who I am , if a customer contacted u & stated that there boiler was faulty , apart from making sure that the boiler is turned on , pressing any reset buttons ect ect what over advice would u give , would u ask them to access the comb chamber , check out the gas valve ect ect , I doubt that u would ???? if something went wrong U could find yourself in court , for giving out poor advice , you are deemed to be the expert !! I have given advice to persons ,on this forum that I would never give to a customer or any potential customers , because I am annon , I have made mistakes , by not reading posts correctly , or made genuine mistakes (bad advice)
Agile is not annon , there is a big difference !!!!!!