Vaillant VRC 430f cycling issues - a solution?

[jamesw1]

I am pleased to report that Vaillant has developed a replacement circuit board for the 400 series that seems to alleviate (or possibly obliterate) the problem of "microfiring" (i.e. rapid cycling), at least in my system. See my post at http://vaillantcyclingproblem.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/first-day-of-full-data-collected-from.html

They have told me that this circuit board will become a standard part available for purchase once they are satisfied that it works correctly.

This will be:
a) good news for others who suffer from the same problem; and
b) food for thought for those who thought we were all imagining it.

 

[scoobydo123]

Thanks for the update, hopefully one of the experts will be along to tell us what has been changed and why vaillant have found the need to change what wasn't broke in the first place apparently.

My guess is recalculated start up behaviour perhaps an offset arrangement of the value of d.0 or a more conservative startup routine. Be interested if it is a software only fix on the same components. If this is the case then with the correct hot air workstation and jig it could be retrofitted. However a replacement PCB should be offered by Vaillant I would dare to say F.O.C. for anyone who has had the issue.

Well done to Vaillant for finally doing something about it but it should have come much sooner.

 

[smokebox]

I am pleased to report that Vaillant has developed a replacement circuit board for the 400 series that seems to alleviate (or possibly obliterate) the problem of "microfiring" (i.e. rapid cycling), at least in my system. See my post at http://vaillantcyclingproblem.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/first-day-of-full-data-collected-from.html

They have told me that this circuit board will become a standard part available for purchase once they are satisfied that it works correctly.

This will be:
a) good news for others who suffer from the same problem; and
b) food for thought for those who thought we were all imagining it.

Thank you +++ for this news. It is interesting they seem to have been aware of the problem, while at the same time not quite denying it!

I note your update is installed. Was it a question of getting a new VRC 430. (mine is the ebus version, not radio VRC 430f.) How did you procure it? Who from? Do you know its exact code and name?

Mine is controlling a "480 ECO tech plus" open vent boiler.

Many thanks
Smokebox

 

[jamesw1]

I note your update is installed. Was it a question of getting a new VRC 430. (mine is the ebus version, not radio VRC 430f.) How did you procure it? Who from? Do you know its exact code and name?

Sorry, I should have linked back to http://vaillantcyclingproblem.blogspot.co.uk/ more generally, since these questions are addressed in the preceding two posts there. This is still a prototype, and it does not yet have a code or name because it is not yet available, whether to buy or otherwise. I procured it by dint (presumably) of sufficiently embarrassing Vaillant by means of my blog, coupled with the fact that I was about to sue them. Vaillant themselves fitted it, and it involved only a straight replacement of the PCB in the boiler, with no change at all to the VRC430f.

 

[smokebox]

Sorry, I should have linked back to http://vaillantcyclingproblem.blogspot.co.uk/ more generally, since these questions are addressed in the preceding two posts there. This is still a prototype, and it does not yet have a code or name because it is not yet available, whether to buy or otherwise. I procured it by dint (presumably) of sufficiently embarrassing Vaillant by means of my blog, coupled with the fact that I was about to sue them. Vaillant themselves fitted it, and it involved only a straight replacement of the PCB in the boiler, with no change at all to the VRC430f.

Jamesw1
Great stuff! I now understand more. Thanks for further links. Should I just keep quiet just now, or is there anyone to contact?
Incidentally I'm in Cardiff!

Smokebox

 

[scoobydo123]

I have made contact with first line support, explained the situation ie what my fault was and ended up going through the whole you have a circulation issue blah blah. The information has not filtered through to first line no surprise really as they seem to just be script readers and I think they have been told to cover up the problem. As it is development probably beta then I guess vaillant will need to wait to see if any other issues appear. Unlikely as I think they have only altered the logic around the first 40 seconds. The guy on first line said he would contact product management to find out the details. I would sit tight for a while.

Out of interest would this have had to have gone in front of the GC for approval (only software I believe so they would have used the same PCB just with different code stored on the ROM so perhaps a sticker will be put on there with rev2) now that it has been supplied publicly?

 

[smokebox]

Out of interest would this have had to have gone in front of the GC for approval (only software I believe so they would have used the same PCB just with different code stored on the ROM so perhaps a sticker will be put on there with rev2) now that it has been supplied publicly?

Hi Scoobydo
I am interested to know what "GC" stands for, and who they are and function etc?
Have you any more details?

The reason I ask is because I asked the Gas Safe Register about a problem of safety of absence of setting up instructions from guess who - Vaillant - for an auto by-pass for the newer "intelligent" high efficiency pumps. I have personally concluded you actually can't do this in line with physics, and the way the pumps adjust themselves for output.
Anyway the Gas safe register guy was useless and not interested in his underlying duty to ensure safety, only in register enforcement. He didn't seem interested. (in almost anything!)

To be fair, Vaillant , did install a new heat exchanger FOC because of damage, which in part may have been due to the "know-all" installer's electrician, who couldn't be bothered to look at the instructions or believe me when I told him I thought he'd got it wrong.

Regards

smokebox

 

[scoobydo123]

GC is the gas council. AFAIK every part gets registered with them.