Potterton Suprima 40L

[brightside]

Please help as we are in danger of freezing over Christmas.
We put some Sentinel X400 in our system 4 weeks ago and drained it off today. We now can't get our boiler to light. It sounds as if it is starting to light then cuts out. To make matters worse, my husband tried to reset the boiler with the reset button and it is now stuck on a really fast flashing red light, although sounding still like it's trying to start. Is there anything we can do or do we need to call somebody in? Many thanks.

 

[gas4you]

Has it got a flow switch on one of the pipes off the top of the boiler?

What do you mean exactly by 'sounds like it is trying to light?'

Are you sure you have filled and vented the system fully with any zone valve set to manually open whilst doing so?

 

[brightside]

Thanks for your reply.
There doesn't seem to be any switch on the pipes on top of the boiler. The sound it is making is the same as when the green and orange lights are on just before it lights, but then it just cuts out.
My husband assures me that he has filled and vented it fully.

 

[gas4you]

I take it you mean the fan is spinning? Can you hear any clicking (sparking)?

 

[brightside]

Sorry, yes, it would be the fan. There is a click then it shuts out, stays off for a few minutes and starts up again.

 

[gas4you]

Your description is a bit vague still, but if only 1 click I would think the air pressure switch is failing, so the boiler is not being told the fan is spinning.

If it was trying to ignite you would hear a rapid succession of clicks.

You need a corgi in to check and this time of year good luck

Also an outside chance that it is the notorious pcb on these.

 

[corgiman]

I am 90% sure that it has a flow switch and that you have air in your heat exchanger

do you have one orange wire and one white wire going to the air flow switch?

Great timing mate, not the best time of the year to do some DIY on a boiler that you may need professional help with

 

[brightside]

It does say on the boiler that there is a water flow switch fitted. Can't see an orange and white wire going anywhere, but as draining a system seems to be beyond us, there's not much hope with the workings of a boiler. We'll try to contact somebody in the morning, failing which we'll have cold and dirty children over Christmas. Thanks for your help and yes, it was great timing and it's not the first time I've been described as vague!

 

[WDIK]

is it a sealed system?
how did you refill it?
is it a low pressure fault?

 

[EliteHeat]

I don't think that the 40L has a flow switch. All the others do, but not this baby one IIRC.

edit: thinking about the 30L

 

[ChrisR]

Don't blame the boiler - if it's got air in it!
Search on "bleeding", and keep trying.
I just had a suprima lock out about 10 times for No Flow before it got going, after draining it.
If no go, say where you are??

 

[brightside]

Personally I don't blame the boiler - I blame my husband! There is no way this is going to light without professional help. We've found a very helpful man who is coming out tomorrow morning.
Thanks for all your help.

 

[Vic Spanner]

If yours has a flow switch you can carry out a quick test which may help.

On Air Pressure Switch do the following if you have two white and two orange wires there.

1. Remove white wire from air pressure switch, leave orange wire attached to switch
2. Disconnect the other white/orange wires that connect together.
3. Put the disconnected orange wire on to the spare spade connector on the APS. (The two white wires should now be loose)