Removed radiator and Pottedon boiler keeps turning self off

[owendaa]

Boiler make - Potterdon Suprema 40 (code HH00490318)
Prob about 7 years old (same as flat). No previous issues with the boiler (been there 1 yr).

Boiler keeps turning itself off after 1 min. HW and Rads all cold. After an hour or so the boiler tries to relight and again after 1 min it turns itself off.

Followed manufactures fault finding guidelines and appears no specific fault. Constant Red and flashing green light on boiler suggest that the boiler is ok and at the right temp. .

2 weeks ago we removed a Radiator to do some decoration. Had HW and CH during this time and cant remember there being any issues. Replaced radiator (forgot to bleed it).

Noticed a few days later boiler making loud thumping noise. After while noise would then stop. Thought this may have been some issue with the pump but as the noise then stopped thought all was ok. Noise seemed to only occur when HW was set and not the CH so didn’t associate the issue with the radiator removal.

Only when we ran out of HW and Rads finally went cold did we realise that the boiler was turning itself off after making this loud noise. We have been using the emersion heater since.

Looked at some of the articles on this sight and identified that there was no pressure in the system (found that the pressure gauge was reading 0). Bled Rads, increased pressure to 1 Bar started boiler and all seemed fine as there was no longer the loud thumping noise on start up (few whistles only). Can hear the pump and fan working.

However after a very successful minute the boiler then decides to turn itself off. Noticed the pressure had decreased marginally so bled rads, repressured and started again. Same thing happens. Pilot comes on stays lit for 1 min then turns off, no pressure drop this time though.
Thermostat is at max. Boiler control set to max although this seems to make no difference to the time it takes to turn itself off. Constant Red and flashing green light on boiler suggest that the boiler is ok and at the right temp. Water is cold and CH's not heatign up.

Cant seem to find any other relevant articles to help me with this problem.

Anythign else I need to do after re-pressuring the system ?

All help much appreciated
David

 

[corgiman]

air lock in primaries or your pump is dying I would hazard I would

 

[owendaa]

Thanks Corgiman,

How can i confirm if its an airlock and what can i do to get rid of it. Have bled all radiators, no air from them.

would increasing the pressure above 1 bar help ?

Had a look but cant find any articles on dealing with air locked primaries.

Any more help appreciated.

Guess if its a pump i need to get a pro in ?

 

[corgiman]

increasing pressure wont do jack I am afaird

you could try turning the pump around to clear it.

If you are not too sure it may be worth paying someone who is to do it, but I am sure the other lads will give you some more ideas once they get back from work.

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Have you bled the vent near the cylinder?

When running the boiler with no pressure you may have fried a temperature sensor

 

[ChrisR]

See if the output pipe from the boiler (above) is hot, at the end of the magic minute, and a minute later.
If it gets just warm and goes cold, the pump's working. If it gets and stays hot, it isn't.

 

[owendaa]

Thanks for the suggestions. Realy appreciated.

When i get back from work will check the output pipe.

Havent bled the vent nr the cylinder either. Will look to see if i can find this as well.

If it helps, when the pilot light then goes out, theres a bit of a sloshing sound from the boiler. Then i can hear what sounds like water running through the pipes for a few mins. Almost as if its being emptied.

 

[ChrisR]

Skip my suggestion then, it's short of water.

 

[owendaa]

Thanks ChrisR.

Rechecked the water supply as had a suspicion that we may not have returned the taps & stop cocks to the correct position. Opened the stop cock up even more as looks like had only turned it half open.

As we were getting water to the flat without any issues assumed that there were no issues with the supply of water.

Anyhow, fired boiler up and all working fine now. Radiators heated up in no time. Amazing how such a little detail made such a big difference.

Thanks to all for your help
David