Vokera Excell 80 SP - slow hot water and No Central Heating

[rossyl]

Hi,

Initially the boiler wouldn't work at all. Then it was discovered that it had a blocked venturion.

Hot water
The tap nearest the boiler will get hot water in 20-30 secs after the boiler has kicked in.

The bathroom (room below the boiler) will some take 3mins to get hot water, if at all. Sometime you need to go upstairs, turn the tap on nearest the boiler, wait for hot water and then hot water will be coming from all taps.


Central Heating

I am not getting any central heating at all.
The boiler sounds as if it's on. But the rads are all stone cold and the boiler itself isn't warm, like it is when the hot water tap is running.

Any solutions to this?

Thanks,
Ross

 

[Agile]

It sounds like multiple faults starting with a failed diverter valve!

Tony

 

[rossyl]

great!

 

[rossyl]

The Hot Water is very strange.

Both the kitchen tap and the bathroom tap come off the same pipe, so i don't see what's creating the issue.

Could it possibly be the pressure switch?

 

[DP]

You are best getting it serviced (properly- boiler cannot be serviced in 15 minutes)

Insurance is a waste of time. Keep your money and start looking for a heating engineer who knows his work.

 

[rossyl]

well the first person i got is CORGI, he seemed fairly honest.

He managed to light the pilot, it then started working. He then had to get it to fail. Eventually it did and he phoned Vokera technical support and went through a few things before discovering that it was blocked venturi's. On leaving he said everythingw as working fine.

Then the heating stopped working.

I'm now going to try and diagnose the problem with him over the phone, and hopefully his assumption that it's the pressure switch will be proven correct.

Basically he said that when it was initially failing, before the venturi's were cleaned, the fan was running but the actual boiler not firing up. He thinks this could be the pressure switch.

 

[Agile]

well the first person i got is CORGI, he seemed fairly honest.

He managed to light the pilot, it then started working. He then had to get it to fail. Eventually it did and he phoned Vokera technical support and went through a few things before discovering that it was blocked venturi's.

I would not expect a competent engineer to need to phone a manufacturer's tech support on such a common fault on such a simple boiler.

Tony

 

[rossyl]

Tony, if it's not fixed after this next attempt then you can expect a phonecall from me. You operate in my area don't you (N4 harringay/Crouch End)?

I'd appreciate if you could advise...

Does a pressure switch seem likely, and does it seem to you like a lost cause or worth repairing?

 

[Agile]

They are quite repairable although not the most satisfying of boilers to work on.

If they are fitted inside a cupboard or with restricted access at the sides or underneath they they can be very difficult to do some repairs to.

Having said that they are getting on and in many ways I prefer the earlier model which is more straightforward and easier to work on. Many owners are getting them replaced at about 10-12 years.

Tony

 

[rossyl]

Tony - have emailed you.

 

[Agile]

It did not arrive!

But I found it in the spam filter although I cannot see which word it did not like.

Sometimes it seems to take out emails for no obvious reasons.

I ask anyone emailing me to put the address in the subject line as that is immediately obvious and seems to always get through.

Whatever you do, dont give a subject " My boiler needs some viagra" !

That will NOT get through!

Tony

 

[DP]

Nothing wrong with Excel. Have repaired these in tightest of places.

 

[nickso]

i agree, everything comes out the front and nothing is difficult to get out. the only possible exception is if its close to the floor the isolation valves can be a pain.

 

[Agile]

Nothing wrong with Excel. Have repaired these in tightest of places.

Danny has a rubber neck and rubber arms!

Perhaps I like an easier life! Even setting the DHW flow switch is far easier with left side access.

And as for that spring loaded PCB flap!

Tony

 

[DP]

No Tony, I am normal like most people. WRT Excel, if you understand the beast, it is a piece of cake.