Riello RDB boiler - dead?

[Jay79]

Hi guys & gals...

Hoping I can get a bit of help here.

I have an Riello RDB (outdoor oil) burner. It is roughly 10 years old. Over the years, when I ran out of oil, I have bled the boiler. I have also reset the boiler at the temperature thermostat (I think that’s what it is called). This however, is where my diy skills end.

Today the boiler didn’t come on. I went to investigate. There was no red light & nothing happened when I pressed the button in. The trip had not tripped. And the boiler was making NO noise at all. Previously, it tends to “hum” or “buzz” when I turn it on at the control panel inside, even when I have ran out of oil. The red light button will also be illuminated, but not today.

Today, with oil in the tank, I have no buzzing and no light. It seems “dead”.
The only thing I have done apart from pressing the reset on the temp control and pressing the red button,is to change the fuse in the plug in the boiler. Nothing has worked. Oh, I have also whacked the pump a few times with a screwdriver.

I’ve been reading a bit online, but can’t find much to do with “dead” boilers. Would a faulty capacitor give symptoms of a dead boiler, no buzzing, no fault light illuminated etc?

Thank you for reading.

 

[Terrywookfit]

Which boiler do you have. Check controls motorised valve etc.

 

[Jay79]

Hi Terry, thanks for the answer. Ive taken a few photos with the light fading. Controls is the "Grasslin" thing? Motorised valves are inside I believe in my living room. Ill have a look.

EDIT: Contol looks on as per usual & I "Switched" the 3 mototrised valves I have to the opposite ends. Nothing.

Went outside, boiler still eerily silent. No "buzzing" or any type of noise coming from it.

 

[muggles]

What happens if you switch the hot water to the ON position on the timer?

 

[Jay79]

Not a thing muggles. Well, the light on the control illuminates, but no response from the boiler.

 

[Terrywookfit]

Manually operating the m/v does not operate the internal micro switch. You need to find why the valves are not operating.

 

[Jay79]

Thanks for the help so far guys, even though its over my head.

Bit of problem solving this morning and my boiler works! As you can see from the picture, it has to be plugged into an extension lead and plugged into a socket inside the house. This is instead of plugging it in to the double socket (none of the 2 sockets work on the double socket) you can see inside the boiler housing. As soon as I plugged it in, away it went.

So seems like something is wrong with the power leading to the boiler?

Any ideas? I'm stumped.

 

[Terrywookfit]

Trace the wiring until you find the missing voltage.....................Or phone a Sparks !

 

[Jay79]

Thanks Terry. I thought about fitting a new double socket, but you are right. Perhaps I should phone a spark.

Thanks again.

Oh, is it safe to run the boiler from that extension lead for a day or 2?

 

[Terrywookfit]

That decision is your call mate !!!

 

[Jay79]

Manually operating the m/v does not operate the internal micro switch. You need to find why the valves are not operating.

Well Terry... well done.

The motorised valves were not operating, just like you said. The switches were working, the motors were working, but the internals fell out of them as soon as the covers were taken off. An electrician and 3 new heads later and things are working better than ever. I have an idea of how these things work now that I have seen one taken apart and had the different parts explained to me by the spark.

thanks again for all the help guys.