combi boiler & inconsistent water flow to steam cabin

[notmyscene]

A year ago we replaced ancient boiler with new combi boiler - this seemed to work well but we then installed a steam cabin which we were assured the combi could more than cope with. The hot & cold water is difficult to regulate in the steam cabin - sometimes stone cold, sometimes red hot and to make matters worse the control knob is very difficult to move when hands are wet. The engineer says "nothing wrong with the boiler" and the people who supplied steam cabin say "one week out of warranty, call out charge, plus parts". Can anyone advise before someone gets scalded !!!! Is it likely to be the boiler or the steam cabin?

 

[Boilerman2]

I would get a recommended Heating Engineer to have a look as an independant witness - my cash is on the steam cabin

 

[Fluffster]

Are you saying that it has only recently started to fluctuate? Like Boilerman odds on it is the thermostatic control probaly full of limescale causing this.

What lime scale device did you install with the combi as per manufactures instructions.

Fernox do a neat little inline unit call Quantomax for about £50.

Pete

 

[Agile]

A simple test is to measure the flow rate in litres per minute at a tap at the point that the boiler JUST turns on.

The shower spray/jets in this steam cabinet, are they encrusted with lime scale? Have you cleaned them with descaler or a needle? Possibly following manufacturers instructions?

Tony

 

[notmyscene]

Are you saying that it has only recently started to fluctuate? Like Boilerman odds on it is the thermostatic control probaly full of limescale causing this.

What lime scale device did you install with the combi as per manufactures instructions.

Fernox do a neat little inline unit call Quantomax for about £50.

Pete

Fluctuation has been evident for a while but thought it was us not moderating the heat properly - tried lots of ~"tricks" but nothing seems to work - but will ask the engineer about lime scale device because we have always had what seems like brown water coming from previous shower systems.

 

[notmyscene]

A simple test is to measure the flow rate in litres per minute at a tap at the point that the boiler JUST turns on.

The shower spray/jets in this steam cabinet, are they encrusted with lime scale? Have you cleaned them with descaler or a needle? Possibly following manufacturers instructions?

Tony

Thanks for all suggestions; will try everything and let you know. Regards and thanks for all the very very prompt responses

 

[tonybhoy]

Only ever fitted one steam cabinet, about five years ago, the manufacturer's instructions for that cabinet required 2.5 bar water pressure on the hot an cold which ruled out a combi so an unvented hot water cylinder was installed.