Not hot water or central heating! Vokera 20-80 Flowmatic

[Martyn]

Hi there,

I know nothing about boilers, so please forgive me if i am asking some silly questions or my explanations are not detailed enough.....

We noticed that the hot water was taking longer than normal to come through over a period of a couple of weeks, now we do not get any at all! (well very occasionaly it does work but we only have hot water for about 1 minute)
I just tried the central heating and that does not work either.
We have a vokera 20-80 flowmatic boiler, when the hot tap or heating is switched on the boiler makes all the right nosies, but to me seems like it does not ignite (no whooshing sound). The pilot light is on and the water pressure is ok.


As previoulsy mentioned i know nothing about boilers but I am a Hydraulics engineer, so i do not mind having a go myself - if only i knew where to start.

Any help or advice would be really appreciated (especialy as my wife is starting to nag!)

thanks in Advance

Martyn

 

[kevplumb]

try checking the pump is running would think by your job you dont need details

 

[Martyn]

Kev,

thanks for your reply.

How do i know if the pump is running? what should i check? i have tried to look at the boiler but cannot see any acesess into it, to check anything.

thanks in advance

Martyn

 

[Martyn]

Just as an after thought:

Sorry if this is a question that gets asked all the time, please belive me when i say that i have scoured the forums but i cannot find a solution!

Martyn

 

[kevplumb]

place a screwdriver tip on the pump and apply your ear to the handle failing that undo the big silver screw and see is the shaft is turning

 

[kevplumb]

oops just re read your post they usually hinge from the bottom of the control panel if you look at the top somewhere there should be a couple of screws

 

[Martyn]

Kev,

Thanks again.

trying not to sound to stupid here, but i cant even see the pump or get to it, i cant even see what i need to take off to gain acsess .

Arrgh!

Martyn

 

[kevplumb]

right forgive me if i sound patronising
the control panel is the bit with the switches flashing lights etc on at the top of said panel somewhere will be two screws undo them and the panel hinges down then you can see the guts i assume you know what the pump looks like?

 

[Martyn]

Okay,

right, unscrewed the panel which is underneath, i can now see up into the boiler.
to my right i can see a component that has a pin type thing that moves in when the heating is turned on. To my left i can see what i am assuming is the pump - two pipe connections, one labled "hot" water the other "cold" water (cold water has a tap like valve on it) also some sort of limit switch type thing at the front of the component. Also the pump has what looks like a thermocouple wire emitting from it to, possible the temp gauge.

i would say that this is not running when the heating/ hot water is switched on

thanks inadvance Kev,

Martyn

 

[Martyn]

Ok, have studied this in a little more detail now.
The component to my right with the pin type bit moves in when the heating is switched on. The componet to the left (which i think is may be the pump?) has a pin that moves out when the hot water is turned on and presses the limit switch.

Still not 100% sure if i have correctly identifed the pump

Any and all suggestions are appreciated

Martyn

 

[kevplumb]

from your description i would think you are looking at the diverter valve
you need to open the front somehow to see the pump
com to left flow switch com to right div valve
if the pins are moving its a good sign
is the fan running ? please bear with me its not easy fault finding when the boiler is in front of you

 

[Martyn]

thanks again Kev,

i'll look again tomorrow.

Martyn