Boiler not firing in colder weather - condensation?

[Glastoun]

When the weather is colder sometimes the boiler does not fire up - Vokera 24 Compact, it tries to start up but the ignition doesn't take and the solid red light comes on. Easy enough to reset it, but just had to keep waiting until the boiler decided it was okay to start up.

Our kettle is near the boiler and I noticed that the steam seems to help things, so I tried boiling the kettle right near the boiler and I could get it firing up in under a minute. So either heat or moisture was fixing the problem. Not really a long term solution though.

Is there a permanent fix for this kind of problem, that either I or a boiler engineer can do?

 

[footprints]

Most common problem is freezing of the condense pipe if it is a condensing boiler. But it needs to be fairly cold for that, usually where the condensate runs a long way outside.
Worth checking but the kettle thing is strange, might just be a coincidence that waiting for it to boil is long enough for condensate to start flowing.
A Gas Safe engineer could check the trap inside the boiler for blockages but that's not a DIY job as it requires messing with the boiler seal.

 

[Glastoun]

Problem still as per above, but got more of a handle on it now - my wife spent an hour trying to reset and fire up the heating this morning, but then 30 seconds pointing a hairdryer at the pipes underneath got it to start with no problems.

So seems that something is too cold for the boiler to start - any ideas what that could be? Have read about condensation pipes freezing up, is there some kind of 'condensation sensor' in the boiler? None of the pipes underneath it are lagged/insulated, is that worth doing?

 

[footprints]

Maybe a photo of the pipework and it's location will help to advise. As far as I know there are no freezing sensors that would cut off a boiler. Quite the opposite in fact many will switch themselves on if the boiler is about to freeze. A frost stat only protects the boiler though not the pipework.

 

[Agile]

What temperature does the room get down to?

Is it when the room is colder or just when it has not been used for a few hours?

 

[Glastoun]

This is the underneath of the boiler, I don't know which does what but I could work it out from the manual - I point the hairdryer at the pipes and the underside of the unit so could be either that makes it work:



https://www.plumbase.co.uk/link/1/vokcom24_22534_t.PDF

The green LED flashes when the pump starts, but once it realises that the ignition hasn't worked it goes to a solid red light - can't find any error messages in the manuals though.

Doubt the room goes under 10C (will put a thermometer there to check) but it happens when the outside temperature is close to freezing, and will start up again on its own when the temperature rises. How a bit of heat under the boiler sorts it out I'm not sure - don't they have a failsafe mechanism if the condensation pipe is frozen so it won't start? Maybe it's getting rid of a tiny bit of condensation in the boiler.

 

[footprints]

Looking I don't think you boiler is a condensing one. Condense pipe is usually plastic about 1" in dia.
Not sure but at a guess from left to right first two are flow and return the one with the weird bend going out the wall is safety discharge pipe the next is gas and the final two are cold in and hot water out.
Sounds like I put you on the wrong track it's a common fault on condensing boilers but I don't think it applies in your case.
I think you need a Gassafe engineer to look at it sounds like you have an odd fault could be anything sticking and freeing up when hot, a switch, circuit board, fan no way of saying and taking the boiler apart is not a DIY job, sorry but I don't think you can do any more yourself. Time to call an engineer I'm afraid.

 

[Agile]

Next time it does not work, turn on hob rings and see if that makes any difference.

 

[DP]

Why not start a fire under the boiler, or light several Yankee candles under the boiler. Boiler will work and room will smell nice too

Or you could get an engineer to come and fix the problem

 

[AGAS]

or you could wait until your boiler breaksdown for good then you could think about getting an engineer or fook it build a bonfire in the lounge .

what are you waiting for , get it sorted before your family freezes

 

[Glastoun]

Asked the plumber (gassafe) last time he was here and he would have to see it failing to fire up to diagnose it - which means trying to get a boiler engineer first thing on a freezing morning with zero notice, not the easiest of tasks. Might just get it serviced and see if they find anything.

Thanks,

 

[Agile]

Why not just do my simple test which might just identify the cause!

 

[Glastoun]

Why not just do my simple test which might just identify the cause!

Because we have an induction hob.