keeping an old Vulcan back boiler going (pilot problem)

[craigsurrey]

these guys stock the old red white button version maybe worth a try?

http://www.keeptheheaton.com/products/44843-honeywell-v4400c1211-gas-valve-240v

 

[gas112]

its not the whole valve you MAY need but the power pack for it.
Search honeywell site for it but you may find it hard to find for sale as not very popular nowadays

 

[FiremanT]

OP: Has anyone tried tolight with the front off? (I'm not recommending YOU try) Can you get the pilot alight initially?

It wont light of its own spark, put a new thermo-couple in but does not appear to get any heat and pilot will not ignite.

Using a blow torch to heat the old thermocouple up it would light and stay on fine, boiler operated fine after that for over a month.[/quote][/quot!e]

He can get it alight and running with a blowlamp, suggesting strongly that is just a blocked pilot

 

[craigsurrey]

if this thermocouple is not working will the pilot still light off a (long) match or off a long nose gas lighter?

 

[FiremanT]

if this thermocouple is not working will the pilot still light off a (long) match or off a long nose gas lighter?

[/i

I'm sory that I have been banging on a about the pilot, but, in everyones defence, your posts haven't been exactly clear. Not really your fault, it is about terminology.

Anyway, regardless of the worthiness of the t/coouple or gas valve, the pilot should light. It will light with the t/c removed.

You posh the valve button in, and gas flows to the pilot. The pilot lights, and heats the t/c, which generates a small electric current. This energises the electro magnet, which holds open the valve. You let go of the button, which allows gas to flow to the main burner.

So, if you cannot getthe pilot alight initially, then the fault is a blockage, normally the pilot injector. It is possible that the gas valve has a fault disallowing the flow of pilot gas, but unlikeky - unless someone has screwed down the pilot adjusting screw.

One final thought - we have all assumed that the gas is turned on at the boiler isolation.

 

[Agile]

I would be very surprised if the gas valve was at fault!

 

[craigsurrey]

thanks and sorry not clear on the details.

yes gas is getting through to the pilot ok but it wont light using the sparker (which stops sparking after 2 or 3 clicks) or using a long match.



Given up for now, fed up in a frezing cold house with no hot water or heating (but least now I know how it felt before we invented central heating!).

Have been ringing round yesterday will try some more numbers today but Saturday not a good day to be calling people to come out for this.

 

[onecog]

I would be very surprised if the gas valve was at fault!

You would be amazed at how many gas valves i would change in a year on BB's whilst working on council contracts but on this occasion seeing as there is SOME gas at the pilot i would hand the next GI to call a short length of 5 amp fuse wire (as he probably won't have any prickers) and tell him to start with the pilot assembly and take it from there.

 

[FiremanT]

Have been ringing round yesterday will try some more numbers today but Saturday not a good day to be calling people to come out for this.[/quote]

When phoning, be careful to explain that out have gas at the pilot but cannot get a flame. If you start telling them that you may need a gas valve, you will put them off. Getting this going is not normally a drama, unless something breaks when being dismantled.

 

[craigsurrey]

Thanks for all the advice, lucky to find a good engineer on a saturday morning , he stripped it down, now running fine.

The ignitor will never work as someone has previously repaired and botched it so it sits too far from the pilot to ignite.

Running fine now and will light off a match if it goes out again.
Gas valve works fine with the new thermocouple.

 

[Agile]

Exactly as I had expected!

All it needed was someone who understands pilot light boilers!

Surprising that he cannot do anything to get the igniter to work automatically though.

Tony

 

[craigsurrey]

I'm back and its not good news.

The pilot went out again over night.
I was able to light it this morning with a match whilst holding the start button in, but once that start button is let go - it goes out.

Engineer who got it running on Sat came back again stripped it down and thinks it is the gas valve as no other issue with new thermocouple or the pilot nozzle.

Its died 6 months too early for me as wanted to wait to put the new boiler in at the same time as doing the new extension not sure what to do now.

 

[gas112]

As you said Agile exactly as you expected .

 

[Deleted member 63160]

As you said Agile exactly as you expected .