potterton HE Powermax lock outs

[Diane Jane]

Can anyone help please please?
I have a 3 year old potterton powermax H.E 115 condensing boiler. The pressure falls down every day and the control panel displays p0.5 or p0.9 so I bring it up to the right one. However lately the system locks out and the panel displays A 01 error so I reset it but it is repetitive and i'm fed up with this. I believe the low pressure indicates a leak somewhere ... am i right ? how do I go about correcting the matter ?? Please help. I have a new baby and cannot afford to have a freezing house this winter. Can't afford much now as I'm on maternity leave so I need to try to fix the problem myself if possible. Diane

 

[Agile]

You might need to go on a crash plumbing course!

Basically you need to find where water is leaking from your boiler or heating system.

It could be underneath the floor so a crash carpentry course might also come in useful.

Tony

 

[corgigazza]

these biolers are complicated and a lot of gas engineers dont like fixing them, the fault is ignition lock out this would need looking at by corgi engineer, the loss of presure is down to a leak somewere that would need a full inspection, u could possibly try british gas or baxi to repair. (or local engineer with knowledge of them)

sorry not a diy fix

 

[Diane Jane]

Thank you Tony and Corgigazza for prompt reply. I thought this was not a DIY ... what a shame !! I'll probably have to call Baxi out .. Any ideas how much it would cost ? Sorry but I'm very skinned at the moment !! If there is a leak ... would they be able to locate it and fix it ? what about if it's under the floor ? I can't imagine they'll be able to do anything about this !! Thanks. Diane

 

[ollski]

Personally I would honestly say that bg were a better bet than baxi as they will at least llok at pipework wheras baxi will only look at their appliance and nothing else. Although saying that my money would be on a recharge / replaced expansion vessel. Try to trace the pressure relief / overflow pipe outside and put a dish under it to see if it's dripping.

 

[dmitch071]

I would agree, if you go with Baxi they will only look at the appliance. BG will look at they whole system so you could get the leak and boiler problem sorted, rather than pay baxi to look at boiler then someone else to look at pressure drop.

 

[Agile]

You can check the PRV vent yourself as well as all the radiator valves.

A competent local boiler engineer will probably be far cheaper than BG or Baxi and the problem is less likely to be in the boiler itself.

Tony

 

[Diane Jane]

Thanks to all.
Very strange. I switched the boiler on after it had been off for a while, And it didn't lock out, but instead the pressure kept playing up. Rising and then dropping then rising again. so could this indicate that there is no leak but perhaps a different problem ? Please help. This boiler is driving me nuts !! Will never recommend it to anyone !!

 

[Vic Spanner]

Thanks to all.
Very strange. I switched the boiler on after it had been off for a while, And it didn't lock out, but instead the pressure kept playing up. Rising and then dropping then rising again. so could this indicate that there is no leak but perhaps a different problem ? Please help. This boiler is driving me nuts !! Will never recommend it to anyone !!

No..The flexible pipe to the expansion vessel is probalay blocked with crud or the x vessel itself is holed.

 

[Diane Jane]

Thanks. Questions to Ollski and Poxi please

Ollski....... I did like you suggested, and the overflow pipe outside is dripping, so does this mean there is a leak in the system? Or do you think changing the pressure relief valve may solve the problem?

Poxi....... I took out the expansion vessel and cleaned and checked the flexible pipe to it. is not blocked and the expansion vessel looks fine too. Do you think it is worth replacing it with a new one? or would I be wasting my money?

What should I do next... very last thing before having to call out someone as I'm very skinned at the minute ?

 

[Agile]

You should see if you can pressurise the EVX while its out.

If it pressurises put 0.9 Bar of ain in it.

I have this suspision that its leaking and will not pressurise!

If so you need a new one for a start.

Tony

 

[Reinier Kramer]

I have exactly the same problem as Diana Jane.
A Potterton Powermax HE 115 system which discarts water.
I had a plummer to fix it suggesting that i suspected the expansion vessel needed replacing because the pressure went up to high after start up.
THe plummer ignored this suggestion and replaced the 3 bar pressure valve. The result is that i still have the same problem.

 

[Agile]

Well if you engage an incompetent plumber ( or plummer if you must spell it like that ) rather than a boiler engineer then what do you expect?

I hope you did not pay the arrogant muppet?

Tony