Glowworm Ultimate 50 Boiler (LPG)

[Treworgey90]

Hi there - I'm new to the forum - it looks great and I'm looking forward to contributing.
I've done a search, but can't find an answer to my exact problem.

I have a Gloworm Ultimate 50 Boiler on a conventional (gravity) CH system. It runs on LPG from 4 * 47kg propane bottles with an automatic changeover valve. The system is for heating only (not hot water).

Every autumn, I have the same problem when I switch the system back on again after it's summer break - the bloomin thing won't light! The boiler just sits there with the spark igniter ticking away (good strong spark visible) and the fan running. This is the 5th year running that I've had this problem and I'm fed up with having to call out an engineer every autumn.
Once it's been fired up for the first time, it's fine throughout the winter. It just doesn't seem to like being shut down for 3 months.

Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this and how to avoid it in future?

Thanks very much in anticipation.

Neil.

 

[Agile]

Do you turn off the gas supply at the cylinder? Or leave it will all the cylinders empty?

What does the engineer do?

You may find that continued attempts to relight it may get it to work.

Tony

 

[Treworgey90]

Hi Tony, thanks for the reply.
Yes I turn off the gas at the bottles - usually so that I can move them to clean out all of the leaves etc. the accumulate behind them.
I don't know what the engineer does, he always comes while I'm at work and the missus doesn't understand!

I thought it might be due to the supply pipe being full of air. However the supply pipe also feeds a flame effect fire in the lounge, which works fine. The boiler tees off the supply pipe with anly a foot or so of pipe feeding the boiler.
I've repeatedly tried to light the boiler - including leaving it sparking away for 8 hours non-stop!

Sounds like I've got to pay out again!
Never had this problem with my old boiler - bloomin Gloworm! Grrr!

Neil

 

[ollski]

Get a little tube and blow the debris off the pilot injector, lpg is a particularly dirty gas and blocks easily.

 

[gas4you]

As you turn off the gas bottles perhaps the boiler is trying to fire and therefore your UPSO has operated on the regulator.

 

[SvenVanLagerTop]

The UPSO should reset itself on a 4 bottle change over valve.

Almost guarantee the pilot injector will be blocked/clogged. Like ollski

said, LPG is not the cleanest of gasses and can block the two pilot

injector holes pretty easily.

 

[Treworgey90]

Thanks for the replies guys.
Yes, the pilot was thoroughly blocked. Blowing was not enough to clear it - I had to soak it in a solvent cleaner for a few hours - seemed to be a tarry substance blocking it (those holes are tiny!)
All working again now - ignites straight off.
Thanks for the help.