I can't get a sensible answer out of any one!

[gavinp]

Suprima 100. Trips out sometimes 5+ times a day.

Had a local plumber in, changed the temp sensor, and fitted a by pass valve (I have a Y system/single zone system?).

No change.

Put it on British Gas cover last week - the one where they come to fix first so slightly higher price per month.

Result - gas man says i need to spend £1340 on a flush and to install a 2 zone valve.

I find this strange as the system has been fine for 5 years and only in the last 6 months has the boiler being playing up.

He did say the by pass valve is a waste of time on my current configuration.

I am lost and feel as though I am an easy target here. Gas man says I always did need a 2 zone system as my boiler is over 60,000 btu. So, he says, my current installation is wrong.

I am loathed try the new PCB route myself, as although pretty good technically, this boiler is in the garage below my son's bedroom and I would rather let a professional do it.

Help please!

Many thanks.

g

 

[oilman]

Result - gas man says i need to spend £1340 on a flush and to install a 2 zone valve.

F in hell!! £1340???????

 

[Bahco]

Well somebody has to pay Ricky Tomlinson for his stupid adverts!

 

[brown-nought]

Does it trip and just leave the red led flashing?

If so it could be the PCB - mine did the same thing. Apparently they are well know for this fault.

No idea on your install - get some other opinions before you part with your cash.

 

[wilhelm]

the best one being, him talking to his "recruits" in the p*ss*ng rain, on a remote welsh hillside ,outside some cottage, where the chance of mains gas is, as about the same as .....well you think of your own unlikely scenarios

 

[gavinp]

yep, light just flashes.


I am minded to pay a corgi guy an hourly rate just to test the pcb?

g

 

[ChrisR]

We don't know all the reasons for what the visitors have said so are somewhat at a disadvantage, but

You might need a powerflush. In severe cases sludge can cause enough bother to make the boiler overheat. Often poor system design is contributory.

I think if your boiler were overheating 5 times a day you might catch on that things were getting a bit toast round the thing. If it's just locking out more or less at random then your PCB is the likely suspect. You can attempt a repair by resoldering and cleaning, but there are lots around at the moment for about £60 so it's hardly worth the hassle. Let me know if you want one.

There are two basic ways to split the boiler's effort between heating the CH and HW. One uses 1 x 3 port valve which is sort of Y shaped (Y plan)and the other uses 2 x 2 port valves which are straight through (S plan). There is a prevalent automatic assumption made by too many that you get more flow through 2 x 2 ports than 1 x 3 port. If they bothered to look it up they'd find the resistances of the two configurations are either the same or very nearly so, depending on make. The same numskulls also use pipes which are too small though. To distribute 100,000 Btu/hr using normal parameters and pump, you need 28mm pipes not 22mm.

The result of "not getting the heat out of the boiler", whatever the reason, should be that it simply turns off for some of the time, on its own thermostat, instead of being on for as long as the demand is there. For that to happen you have to have sufficient flow through the boiler, which is where the bypass comes in. It's a route for water to go more or less straight from the flow to the return, not necessarily losing a lot of heat but some, and providing enough flow for the boiler to manage itself. The boiler will only get hot enough to make the Overheat thermostat trip (and the boiler lock out) if the boiler is out of control.

If you have a Y plan system (which you have) then the valve is always open somewhere, so you don't usually need a bypass route. The exception is if you have all thermostatic rad valves, which could possibly all be shut.

I'd change the PCB (not difficult) and try it, maybe getting the system cleaned next summer.

Did anyone comment on the pump - dirty systems wear them out and you need yours in good order and at full speed to stand a chance of doing its job.

 

[Baxi-Remeha]

the NEW board (5111603) will cost about 170 quid, you could get one of the old sort 5102160 off ebay for about 50 quid.

i personally would recomend the new sort (because ive not had to gone back to one) even though they are more expensive.

or you could call heateam, the service devision of potterton who will come out and fix it for about 200 quid. they also offer a domestic and general insurance policy for about 30 quid a quater, covering your boiler, controls and valves.

 

[ChrisR]

Baxi Potterton haven't yet, let's be fair, concluded their extensive period of "product development", otherwise perhaps more accurately described as trial and error, on the new board.
They are employing the customary hordes of testing facilities with scrutineers every bit as demanding as customers for the real quality approval work to be done. The collective term for these stalwarts is if course "Joe Public".
Just how many versions did the 5102160 board go through before they had the gall to call it "Issue 01"?
Nothing unique about Potty though of course, we're all still making a killing on Vaillant diverters, Ideal pcb's, Saunier leaks, Bahama everything - oh sorry that's another Baxi ...

 

[htgeng]

lol. sorry gavin.

im always hearing about people who go onto british gas cover and then call them out to fix it. bit like knowing your car is conked and signing up for AA cover.

BG know how to run a very profitable business and will immediately insist on very costly work or condemn the boiler anyways.

 

[namsag]

BG at present are offering a repair inc parts regardless of cost for £130 but will only this is only for main fault if there are several problems these parts will be charged seperate. A mate just got his board changed on his suprima for this couldn`t believe his luck .

 

[croydoncorgi]

The saga of Suprima PCBs is an utter disgrace. Potty should be totally ashamed of the past AND current situations. Instead, they have produced a 'Mark II' PCB (which MAY POSSIBLY be more reliable than the earlier type, which itself had multiple versions!). A truly shocking example of awful customer relations is that the new board is charged at roughly double the price of the original AND involves significant reworking of the card cage, boiler wiring etc., to fit it. So the customer pays MORE for a part that should not have been needed in the first place and MORE AGAIN because of the additional install time! Potty should seriously consider GIVING replacement boards to existing customers to preserve goodwill.

 

[jmgb]

Baxi/Potterton cannot produce a decent piece of equipment, Promax, suprima, Any Combi, all poor products.

 

[gavinp]

ChrisR and others, thanks for the advice. [By the way - the pump is about 3 months old]

I finally got to talk to the BG engineer who when asked why I had both a flush and a 2 zone install on my invoice (i.e. why not try one solution first and then the other) said he just put down what he was told to!

After I sounded like I knew what I was talking about, and mentioned the pcb issue, he made some excuse and said he needed to call me back Monday!

I give up.

ChrisR - excuse my ignorance, but is there any danger I can do installing the pcb myself. I am pretty technically minded but again, gas is gas!

thanks