Thorn EMI wont ignite ......arghhh please help

[shella_n]

Hi

Yesterday we turned our gas mains off. Today . we can't ignite our Thorn EMI boiler. My husband is about to throw it out the window I think and we have no hot water for baths for kids etc

It was working fine until we turned the mains off yesterday (and yes, we have checked the mains is back on).

We have followed all the instructions but absolutely nothing is happening although we have got gas working on the cooker. There is a spark but it is just not igniting

Any ideas? please please thanks

 

[broxy]

Probably thermocouple needs replacing.

 

[shella_n]

sorry - whats a thermocouple?

 

[Dan Robinson]

Does the pilot light at all - if yes, then probably just thermocouple, maybe the gas valve.

If not then its a failed ignitor. Simple to fix in the course of a probably much needed service (when was it last done out of interest).

 

[shella_n]

Hi

Thanks for your reply. The pilot is not igniting. I dont knwo when it was last serviced - we only brought the house 2 months ago. Is replacing the thermcouple/failed ignitor expensive?

Thanks

 

[broxy]

It's a capillary tube that links the pilot light to the gas valve to keep the pilot light burning.
Can you see a spark coming from the electrode through the little window when you press the spark button?

 

[shella_n]

yes, we can see a spark

 

[gas4you]

It may be sparking but not strong enough or in the correct place.

If spark is ok then pilot injector could be blocked or as others have said a knackered gas valve.

Really needs a corgi in to inspect and report/fix

 

[broxy]

My bet it's the thermocouple then, get a corgi engineer out, shouldn't cost the earth to replace.

 

[shella_n]

oh no!! thats is the last thing I need at the moment -how much roughly should I be expecting to pay for this to be fixed?

Thank you for all your advice - very helpful

 

[Dan Robinson]

You are following the instructions? Exactly which model Thorm is it?

If you can see the the spark, are you holding down the button on the gas valve too?

You need to keep it held for a good while and pound the hell out of the ignitor button. It may take a while for the gas to get through the pilot tube and will only do so while the button is being helpd in.

Once the flame lights you'll need to keep the button down for anything up to a minute.

Get the boiler serviced. ESPECIALLY as you don't know when it was last done.

 

[shella_n]

I think it is a Thorn EMI Olympic 38/50B.

We have followed the instructions exactly. My husband says he has pressed the ignitoin so much his thumb hurts and he feels like he is playing 1980's pacman!

 

[gas4you]

Get a corgi in. I would expect a charge of about £60- £80 + vat for the first hour plus any parts, depending on what part of the country you live.

 

[gasright]

i did a repair on one the other week, The pilot injector on these units gets gunked up preventing the thermo heating up properly.

Whats the pilot light like? is is nice and blue or yellow?

 

[Dan Robinson]

The good news is that the gas valve is available if required and the boiler is very simple and easy to servie.

The worst case scenario (and one I had this afternoon) is that the heat exchanger has cracked and you'll need a new boiler. The thermocouple or gas valve are the most likely though so don't panic!

This is definately a CORGI engineers role now though.