Thorn Apollo, pilot flame extinguished by strong winds

[brumylad]

Thorn apollo for contentional vented CH and HW cylinder, new gas valve, new thermocouple (yes the correct part not a universal).

Not overheating, high and low stats working fine, pilot flame blows out in high wind conditions (yes even with overheat stat temporarily bridged).

Horizontal flue through 9" solid wall, 6 foot above kitchen floor, flue is located on side of house, here is a bit of a "wind tunnel". This has always been a problem since boiler installed about 20 years ago. Just means the pilot has to be relit once a fortnight.

Any ideas short of a new boiler (this is the suggested solution by more than 1 corgi when new parts have not helped)? Thanks

 

[ollski]

Thorn apollo for contentional vented CH and HW cylinder, new gas valve, new thermocouple (yes the correct part not a universal).

Not overheating, high and low stats working fine, pilot flame blows out in high wind conditions (yes even with overheat stat temporarily bridged).

Horizontal flue through 9" solid wall, 6 foot above kitchen floor, flue is located on side of house, here is a bit of a "wind tunnel". This has always been a problem since boiler installed about 20 years ago. Just means the pilot has to be relit once a fortnight.

Any ideas short of a new boiler (this is the suggested solution by more than 1 corgi when new parts have not helped)? Thanks

Thermocouple, overheat stat or anything else aint going to do diddley squat if the wind is blowing the pilot light off the thermocouple. Try planting a big tree to prevent the wind blowing straight across the flue.....other than that add me to the list who advise a new boiler if its a problem.

 

[Paul Barker]

Just make sure the inner flue is intact throughout it's length and hasn't fallen short.

Pilot flame can be adjusted.............

 

[Gasguru]

Check the large square plate is still on the front of the flue terminal (they can fall off when their fixings corrode)

Check combustion casing seals, the seal around the sight glass, sight glass is not cracked, pilot assembly guard not missing, pilot top socket not corroded (giving a reduced flame to T/C), pilot adjusted correctly

 

[brumylad]

thank you for the replies guys.

 

[Soggy_weetabix]

when was the boiler last serviced?

I presume your pilot light isnt partially blocked.

Basic maintenence can (but not always) prevent these problems

David

 

[brumylad]

thorough service / complete overhaul over past 4 weeks, just about the only original parts are the case and the heat exchanger.

The new gas valve gives a much better pilot flame, it appears latge in comparison to pilot flames on other appliances i've come across, it is set to max, its is now blowing out less often than the pilot from the old valve.

Interestingly the boiler is using significantly less gas following the gas valve change and heat exchanger clean.

 

[ollski]

All worty points but not very likely seeing as it has been doing it since it was installed 20 years ago.