Oh no, not another Ravenheat....

I do like a good can of worms, but it seems that I have opened the biggest one ever - politics, business acumen, immigration - all from a slightly faulty Ravenheat.

Are you sure that Ravenheat is not indeed the source of all problems in the UK - from reading these posts they symbolise everything you guys hate - cheap imported parts, shoddy workmanship and something pretending to be something it is not (ie a boiler rather than scrap)

Keep it coming guys, get it all out of your systems!

You wouldn't have any more suggestions on what might be the issue with my boiler though would you? From years of experience that is. I think most of the symptoms are listed in the original post ;)

Thanks :evil:
 
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first thing i would do is check the thermisters they are always a favorite on this heap!

there only a few quid to replace too

Marc
 
If you turn the kitchen sink hot tap at a good flow rate (10 litres/p/minute) does the boiler fire and continue to run at high rate.

This appliance only has two burner rates, high 26kw, and, low 11kw, so when the gas valve modulates down from high rate to low rate it will be obvious if you are observing the flame through the little window in the combustion chamber case that this has happened as the flame hieght will noticably reducei

Dont be put off by non Ravenheat blokes, my CSI 85 t has been running nicely for almost ten years.

Are you in a hard water area?

Tim

Dont be put off by non Ravenheat blokes, my CSI 85 t has been running nicely for almost ten years.
 
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Come on onlyfitidealboilers - get it off your chest - don't be so defeatist :cry:

Thanks Marc86 - I have checked these - one clip on one and one wet pocket one. In testing the wet pocket one (dhw) I left the old one in situ but removed the plug and attached it to the new one, just hanging in the air - my assumption being that if it were this, it would simply not cut out, or at least would behave in a different way to the existing problem. The clip on one I just replaced....

Am I correct in the dhw assumption?

Is it possible to test these with a multimeter when they are in place and in operation - can you observe the changes on the multimeter. Or do you have to remove them and test them with a cup of hot water and a multimeter?

The Baker, when you turn on a kitchen tap at a decent rate it won't get hot hot. If you turn it down a bit it will start to get hot. When it is hot it will then not modulate down, it will simply cut out. Although it will get hot and then cut out as opposed to the bath which will just not get hot unless you turn the flow right down and then bring it gradually up.... I guess it is just cutting out before it is modulating down? Yes we are in a hard water area - scaled up hot water heat exchanger?

Are these boilers only sort of semi-modulating then ie the two rates rather than fully modulating?

Thanks for the related replies - I am learning every day! Thanks for the entertainment from all the others :)

I'll get there!
 
Are these boilers only sort of semi-modulating then ie the two rates rather than fully modulating?

I may be corrected by those more knowledgable than me, but when I have a look at mine it appears to be on high flame or on low flame.

Bear in mind that one thermister reads the temperature of the DHW and the other reads the temperature of you might refer to as the central heating water, and if the central heating water gets to hot due to the plate heat exchanger being unable to remove sufficient heat from this flow the central heating thermister will close the gas valve to prevent the primary and secondary heat exchangers over heating.

If the plate heat exchanger is partially blocked it may be possible to clean out the DHW side. Dangermouse is a wizard at doing this. ( an, its time for a bit of info from Dangermouse, emoticon).

Tim
 
I still think that you should stay with what you studied at uni. We paid for your study and that would be wasted doing plumbing.

Today there was a call from the BT advertising man whose Ravenheat diverter has failed. Not my favourite boiler for that job.

Tim, does your CSI have a black APS and do you have a digi manometer? If yes to both, could you do a favour for me and measure the burner pressure with the gas tap turned OFF as it runs the fan?

Tony
 
Just been up to a Ravenheat 85 non Combi, its only been running for about eight months.

As requested I connected my electronic manometer to the gas valve burner pressure test point.

I fired up the boiler and got a reading of 3.23mb, I then turned off the gas and the boiler cut out leaving the pump running.

As the boiler tried to fire up again I got a reading of between 1.06 and 1.1mb with the fan running.

On removing the combustion chamber case I could see that the APR was a Hubber, unfortunately a White Hubber not black.

Also there is a slight gap around the auto air vent out let where it passes through the top of the casing which may effect the validity of the readings.


hope thats of some help.

Tim
 
Thanks Tim,

There were three versions of the 85 and I dont know which is which.

Unfortunately the design of the boiler makes it impossible to measure the pressure applied to the APS unlike most other boilers which have external test points.

Since that pressure depends on the efficiency of the case seal, without any way to make any measurement its not easy to decide if the problem is the APS or a leaking case seal.

Unfortunately that measurement is not something Raven have apparently thought of. I suppose you dont need to in a factory with all brand new boilers! In the field things can be different!

The one that I am dealing with has had an explosive ignition which has somewhat distorted the edges of the casing along the seal. With it hammered back it was giving me a reading of 0.66 mB but the APS was not operating. I have got a new cover on order and will see what pressure that will give and if it can make it work.

Thanks

Tony
 
Is it to late to cancel the order for the new panel.

Being a bit of a collector I have one spare.

Tim
 
Just to bring this on up again - the thermistors are fine (I have changed them). The plate heat exchanger is fine and have cleaned it out as recommended by the chap who I gaining experience with.
If the central heating is on (and has been for 5-10 minutes) the hot water will work perfectly. If not, it won't. Any further suggestions?
And its not modulating....
Thanks!
 
This OP is not bothering to answer the simple diagnostic questions that I asked him a month ago!

He should have stuck to his academic studies not to practical work!

Tony
 
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