Vaillant Ecotec Pro 28 Water only Lukewarm, HELP!

[gizmo1]

Hi, We had a new Vaillant Ecotec Pro 28 combi booiiler fitted about 15 months ago. It worked perfectly until a couple of weeks ago. Two weeks ago the water temperature seemed to be getting lower. Turning the comfort mode on or off doesn't effect the overall temperature out of the tap.

It doesn't make any difference if we increase the temperature to maximum on the temperature selecter; the DHW is still only lukewarm in all the taps in the house. The central heating still works fine. The reading on the screen may show a temperature of say 60c when a tap is opened but the water coming out of the tap is only lukewarm and NOT anywhere near 60c. It doesn't make any difference if we leave the tap running for a long period; the temperature is still only lukewarm.

A few days ago the boiler has started making a groaning sound when the hot water tap is opened. The sound stays on until the tap is turned off. I think this may well be connected. I have tried to describe everything in detail in the hope that someone may be able give me an idea of what could be causing this.

I will be calling out a gas safe registered engineer but am just trying to do a little research before I go ahead. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Crap installation done on the cheap without cleaning the pipework causing a blockage in the heat exchanger.

My guess anyway.

 

[AGAS]

i'll second that , thats not the hot water temp your looking at . get the installer back oh sorry better not ( lazy barstuarts ), get someone recommended to have a look .

 

[holty]

would have thought it was in warranty. or was it done cheap cheap

 

[gizmo1]

It only had the basic 1 year Vaillant warranty which ran out a few months ago. I was hoping it would be something simple like an NTC thermistor for the DHW but I don't think that would cause it to make a groaning sound even if was faulty. Would a blocked heat exchanger cause the groaning sound when hot water tap turned on? Also, are you referring to the main heat exchanger or the DHW one?

 

[Dan Robinson]

Would a blocked heat exchanger cause the groaning sound

Yes

are you referring to the main heat exchanger

Main

basic 1 year Vaillant warranty

Why?

 

[gizmo1]

1 year waranty is all it says on the warranty card. I thought that the 1 year manufacturer warranty is all you get. Is it supposed to be longer than that? The boiler was replaced under the government boiler replacement scheme in December 2014 (15 months ago) by one of the agencies that were doing it at the time.

 

[Dan Robinson]

See my first reply then.

Shyte installation done in the cheap. Probably need a new main heat exchanger.

 

[simond]

Aha. A quick and dirty job.

Government schemes have quality standards. Ministers will tell you how their PAS2030 standard and auditing of all the companies carrying out this work means it is to the highest standard; indeed, I've heard them say so on Radio 4 a few times.

Sadly, like most Government initiatives (of all colours) the truth is very different.

However, I would feel the boiler heating flow pipe (far left hand one coming out of the bottom) when the HW is running lukewarm, if this is very hot the diverter valve has failed...

Still likely to be caused by dirt at this young age though.

 

[gizmo1]

Yikes. This doesn't look good for me then. My old boiler was working fine and they knocked on my door and convinced me to have it replaced with a much more reliable modern boiler. Repacing the main heat exchanger will cost a good few hundred quid I would imagine. It's just unfortunate that this all came to light just after the warranty period had expired!

 

[simond]

15 months ago we were getting 10 yr warranties on Vaillant ecoTEC+. 7 yrs on EcoTec Pros. Not sure how you ended up with one year.

 

[gizmo1]

I'll have to call up Vaillant tomorrow to ask why it only says 1 year guarantee. The thing I can't work out is why you would think the main heat exchanger is blocked and not the secondary DHW one. I mean the radiators are heating fine to correct temp and there is no noise when the heating is on. The problems are only with the hot water. I would appreciate it if someone could explain.

 

[ianmcd]

Call Vaillant and ask if it is under warranty, I would think it is (you will need the serial number of your boiler) and if they say it isnt ask for a fixed price repair, will be a few hundred quid I would imagine but a lot cheaper than buying a heat exchanger, they will supply and fit whatever it needs for the fixed price.

 

[bazdaman]

The goverment grant boilers came with 2 years Min AFAIK, dosnt matter what the warranty card says in the boiler box everyone gets different.

 

[Dan Robinson]

The warranty won't/shouldn't cover a sludged system.