Vokera Linea 28 boiler

[nickso]

ok with all the replys here it seems like the venturi is partilly blocked,which can be cleaned (usually done when fan is changed).
or aps is sometimes sticking,hard to prove.buy your own and ask bg to fit it when they next visit.
opps also many gas company visits and they have adjusted the gas valve softlight for some unknown reason,reminds me of posts here.oxford powermax.
is your flue an extended flue,any blockage in flue,all clamps correct.

ignore this tripe.

linea v's powermax.....virtually the same boiler

 

[johnfox]

virtually as dangerous if incorrectly set up.
does BGget free access to vokera technical help line,any company who charges for their technical help info stinks.if true.
also i hear here their technical help is not always so good again that stinks.if true.

 

[nickso]

virtually as dangerous if incorrectly set up.

please do explain further.

does BGget free access to vokera technical help line,any company who charges for their technical help info stinks.if true

last time i phoned vokera BG did get free advice. if you want free advice just say you work for BG, they dont seem to do any checks.

vokera are going to regret charging for technical advice.

also i hear here their technical help is not always so good again that stinks.if true.

never had a problem with it. everytime i have phoned they have been excellent.

 

[jem16]

Just a quick update.

The technical services manager has just phoned and will be out with someone else before 3pm. He has said that if they can't get to the root of the problem they will pay for Vokera to call out.

Will update after his visit.

 

[jem16]

the thread was descending into the usual "BG are s***te but we have no answers ourselves" mentality.

I think the suggestion was that some of their engineers are good and some just want to change parts and little else. From the 6 engineers that I have seen I would agree with this.

when it gets down to it sometimes a guess is all you have, a lot on here wont admit they take guesses, im quite happy to admit i do albeit educated ones.

One minute you say it's daft to guess what is wrong and then you say an educated guess is ok.

All I want is someone to come out who knows what they are doing, make an educated "guess" or informed decision (whatever is best) and get to the bottom of this. A boiler which has never given a minute's problem in 9 years doesn't suddenly become unfixable and unreliable.

Perhaps a good service rather than BG's stick a tube on it service would do wonders.

 

[nickso]

One minute you say it's daft to guess what is wrong and then you say an educated guess is ok.

walking into a property having a quick look and ordering a random part is a guess.

leaving yourself with a few possibles and making an informed choice as to which one of the components is more likely to be at fault is an educated guess.

A boiler which has never given a minute's problem in 9 years doesn't suddenly become unfixable and unreliable.

that happens a lot actually.

Perhaps a good service rather than BG's stick a tube on it service would do wonders.

thats not what you are paying for. if on a "service" there was something wrong with the boiler i would expect it to be repaired or parts ordered to do so. you are not paying for a "service", you are paying for a maintenance inspection and ,unfortuantely, how much you get on that inspection depends on the engineer on the day.

aside from the usual safety checks a linea doesnt need much but it has to get the fan/venturi checked and cleaned and it has to get the H/E checked and cleaned. if it has a flow switch that should also be checked. thats pretty much it.

your boiler has a faulty component that even if the boiler was "serviced" would not necessarily work any better.

 

[jem16]

thats not what you are paying for. if on a "service" there was something wrong with the boiler i would expect it to be repaired or parts ordered to do so. you are not paying for a "service", you are paying for a maintenance inspection and ,unfortuantely, how much you get on that inspection depends on the engineer on the day.

I have Homecare 200 which according to BG website says it includes an annual service. Perhaps their wording needs to change to say inspection if that's all they do.

your boiler has a faulty component that even if the boiler was "serviced" would not necessarily work any better.

OK engineer has just been along with tsm. Everything has been checked - venturi had already been cleaned 10 days ago and new fan fitted before. Main pcb had already been replaced but they have also replaced ignition pcb today. Gas pressure has been checked - was lower than last time but now adjusted.

We are going to see if fault stays away or reappears. I have the mobile number of tsm to phone if fault reappears. At that point Vokera will be asked to call and see if they can get to the bottom of it.

At the moment I can't fault what BG are trying to do. Here's hoping.

 

[glasgowgas]

glad you are getting some progress Jem, again at least you had a bit of info to back yourself up.

dont really know why there is a couple of people posting recently either backing up BG or putting you or the rest of us down, we are only passing on some informed info to help you.

best of luck with the boiler and hope its resolved soon.

 

[jem16]

glad you are getting some progress Jem, again at least you had a bit of info to back yourself up.

Yes it does help to at least sound like you have a clue what's going on.

I didn't need to volunteer too much today. The tsm talked about the venturi and explained what it did. He also described the 3 pcbs and their function. He says it is difficult to find this fault as it's not there all the time which I do appreciate. However they are trying their best i feel.

dont really know why there is a couple of people posting recently either backing up BG or putting you or the rest of us down, we are only passing on some informed info to help you.

No I'm not sure either. However I am glad of the help being offered.

best of luck with the boiler and hope its resolved soon.

Thanks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it was the ignition pcb - only because I had noticed that the hot water sometimes took longer to come through than usual.

 

[DP]

Linea has preheat facility, so water delivery will be the same every time. In case of ignition problem, you will get hot water followed by cold water and boiler will be locked out.

I feel people like Nickso, and several others have made valid points. The regulars with exception of an odd person or two, I am sure will not post if they are in the dark.

I read these pages to learn from likes of them and rarely post, so consider yourself lucky they have offered advice based on their field experience. I for one would rather walk than throw parts at a boiler. Of course the boiler will eventually work when all parts have been replaced (if you are lucky), but my commendation would be for someone who thinks it through, be it BG, Scottish Gas or a muppet in a white van.

Now that the ignition board has been changed, I would get them to change the gas valve if the fault persists. But I think the fault has been rectified. Been there, done it and got many tee shirts.

 

[jem16]

Linea has preheat facility, so water delivery will be the same every time. In case of ignition problem, you will get hot water followed by cold water and boiler will be locked out.

Due to the strange plumbing of my house the water goes up to the eaves(bungalow) from the boiler then along the length of the house and down into kitchen. usually takes 30/40 secs to get decent hot water through.

However I had noticed that water seemed to be lukewarm for a bit then went cold again and then heated up - took a couple of minutes, almost as if boiler had not ignited at first time of asking.

Problem is that I can't see the boiler unless I go outside.

I feel people like Nickso, and several others have made valid points. The regulars with exception of an odd person or two, I am sure will not post if they are in the dark.
I read these pages to learn from likes of them and rarely post, so consider yourself lucky they have offered advice based on their field experience. I for one would rather walk than throw parts at a boiler.

I am very grateful for all help offered. No problem either with what Nickso was saying although he did seem to contradict himself occasionally.

Of course the boiler will eventually work when all parts have been replaced (if you are lucky), but my commendation would be for someone who thinks it through, be it BG, Scottish Gas or a muppet in a white van.

Very true. Recent visits have been very thorough.

Now that the ignition board has been changed, I would get them to change the gas valve if the fault persists. But I think the fault has been rectified. Been there, done it and got many tee shirts.

I really hope so too. However will keep this in mind - thanks again.

 

[gaspro1981]

nickso calm down i dont think you have any rights to judge me on advice given in this thread as i was only giving some experience/advice gained on a linea boiler that was displaying the same problems but as usual the op seems to have already worked it out that most bg engineers are incompetent numpties

 

[davebgas]

MOST not ALL........just like not all independent installers are the subject of BBC rogue traders.... it only takes a few to give us all a bad name... and I am willing to bet BG has many many many better engineers than bad, its just these few berks that give all a bad name

 

[gaspro1981]

i did not intend to tar all the bg engineers with the same brush my apologies to you if that was the case but i have had a few rude replys to my other postings from bg operatives which was not really called for and a little bit unwise as the advice that i had given was infact correct i dont pretend to know everything but the advice i give is safe and honest and i am only trying to help people out

 

[DP]

Gaspro, why does the main PCB need to be replaced? Is this a field practice for you or is there something you know but I am unaware of.

The main board is an interface board that has inputs applied to it and it in turn operates/ controls different components. When all is checked to be correct, ignition PCB (for this boiler it sits on the gas valve) opens the gas valve at ignition gas rate and also applies HT to the 'spark plug'. Gas lights and spark is removed. Gas rate ramps to 75% if boiler in CH mode, 100% for HW mode within 10 seconds else the boiler locks out.

When it comes to faulting a boiler, one has to know how the appliance operates, has to have ones ears, eyes and smell senses in full operation as these can often lead one to area of malfunction long before the tool case is opened, must have access to tools and testers to pinpoint the faulty part and finally with a bit of black magic and good luck thrown in, he might just be able to fix the fault. Anyone who says he can fix every fault, every time, any boiler is talking s***te. Such people doubtless choose to forget their failures