No, worries, keeps up posted...
Explosive Ignition
- Thread starter ceecjc1
- Start date
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OP, you did not seem very confident of the actual measured figures and it seems these were not written down for you and you may have not remembered them well.
How sure are you that those are what he said? Another problem is that he might not have even told you the actual figure. Some are quite agressive and unhelpful and may have thought you were meddling if you were asking what the figures were and then given you duff gen.
I know it sounds aweful but thats what some employees will do if they think they are underpaid of being given too many jobs.
Not all boilers will reliably light every time on the first spark.
How sure are you that those are what he said? Another problem is that he might not have even told you the actual figure. Some are quite agressive and unhelpful and may have thought you were meddling if you were asking what the figures were and then given you duff gen.
I know it sounds aweful but thats what some employees will do if they think they are underpaid of being given too many jobs.
Not all boilers will reliably light every time on the first spark.
When he gets back, just show him the manual!! 
Air/Gas mix is critical on most premix burners and 7.5% Co2 is low by anyones standards!! optimum for Natural gas is 9.5% but some makers ask for anything from 8.8% in general terms!
Air/Gas mix is critical on most premix burners and 7.5% Co2 is low by anyones standards!! optimum for Natural gas is 9.5% but some makers ask for anything from 8.8% in general terms!
Wonder if he has CPA1 yet .
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One way of getting around the cc i suppose,
By "does that sound about right?" I meant do the actual figures sound reasonable. I saw the actual readings on his meters and he discussed them with me. The CO varied between 9-11 but hung mainly around 10. The CO2 figure seemed pretty solid at 7.5%. I wasn't unsure of the figures I saw, just didn't see the readings on all of his meters (he had another meter in the top of the boiler, I think it was to check the gasket wasn't leaking).
My boiler lights reliably and smoothly every time apart from literally two or three times it's gone bang, but I'm not in the house all the time so I don't know what it does when I'm away. Perhaps it's banged a lot more.
Boilers are pretty unconcerned and like dogs do what they want to.
The only time they will operate correctly all the time is when an engineer is watching.
I dont see too many of your model but many dont work very stably with only 7.5% of CO2.
Tony
The only time they will operate correctly all the time is when an engineer is watching.
I dont see too many of your model but many dont work very stably with only 7.5% of CO2.
Tony
agreed, boilers and central heating systems are just like women, they defy all laws of physics and common sense
S
sunnie
if i remember correctly, these boilers need 2 different types of annual service.
annual service.
then.
every second year service.
both involve the replacement of a burner gasket.
if the service record is unknown then for the sake of safety the second year service should be carried out.
as mentioned explosive ignition could put other parts of the boiler/flue under increased combustion chamber/flue pressure.
not many registered gas operatives are happy to work on powermax boilers.
annual service.
then.
every second year service.
both involve the replacement of a burner gasket.
if the service record is unknown then for the sake of safety the second year service should be carried out.
as mentioned explosive ignition could put other parts of the boiler/flue under increased combustion chamber/flue pressure.
not many registered gas operatives are happy to work on powermax boilers.
The problem is that - as with every other gas-related question - if I asked ten different gas safe engineers how often the PowerMax should be serviced I would get ten different answers. The people who should really know are the manufacturers, and that is who I got to do the service. Nobody mentioned anything about a second year service.
The burner gasket should be replaced if the lid (?) of the burner is opened, but I don't know if he did this. He did check the gasket with some kind of meter to make sure it wasn't leaking though.
The good ones do.
M
mysteryman
If all else fails - read the instructions!
I do not know what possessed people who specified these boilers. I bought my house as an ex show home from a famous housebuilder. The Powermax was standing upon a raised platform [why?] in its own cupboard on the landing. It was compartment vented into the loft. The gas valve made a terrible racket. The flue and air intake tubes were completely unsupported, and the flue had come adrift and was discharging onto the ridge timber, scorching it quite nicely. The neutral anticipator in the room thermostat was not connected. There was a constant heat loss from the thing, wasting away up into the loft, day and night, summer and winter.
It was replaced long since by a quality boiler with weather comp installed elsewhere, freeing up the cupboard.
I do not know what possessed people who specified these boilers. I bought my house as an ex show home from a famous housebuilder. The Powermax was standing upon a raised platform [why?] in its own cupboard on the landing. It was compartment vented into the loft. The gas valve made a terrible racket. The flue and air intake tubes were completely unsupported, and the flue had come adrift and was discharging onto the ridge timber, scorching it quite nicely. The neutral anticipator in the room thermostat was not connected. There was a constant heat loss from the thing, wasting away up into the loft, day and night, summer and winter.
It was replaced long since by a quality boiler with weather comp installed elsewhere, freeing up the cupboard.
That sounds like a poor install rather than any fault with the boiler. Apparently it was very common to have installation problems but I'd have to blame the builders / original contractors for that. I'll replace the boiler when I absolutely have to, rather than pre-empt a possible failure by spending thousands on it.
M
mysteryman
Yes, that was the point I was making. However, the very noisy gas valve was a boiler problem, as were the colossal heat losses.
I used to service these at one time, and every one I saw was up on this stupid platform in a cupboard, making access to the top very awkward. As you say, a lousy installation which should have been done better and checked over before the house was sold.
It went to the scrapyard several years ago.
I used to service these at one time, and every one I saw was up on this stupid platform in a cupboard, making access to the top very awkward. As you say, a lousy installation which should have been done better and checked over before the house was sold.
It went to the scrapyard several years ago.
I know how you feel - the boiler cupboard is like a sauna all the time. To make things worse, the builders didn't install any central heating valve in my system so the hot water from the internal heat store floats freely around the system warming all my radiators up whether I want them hot or not.
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