Worcester 424i RSF - Hot water going cold

[Stevepud]

Good morning all,

Hoping one of the resident experts will easily identify this problem.

We have a Worcester 24i RSF, its almost exactly 6 years old.
For about a year it's had an issue.

Whilst the shower is running, it'll be all good, then it'll 'trip' out and the water goes cold.
Turning the hot tap off and on again will very very rarely make it come hot again.

What will 99% of the time make it come back on, it gently tapping the bottom left front corner of the boiler.
The area I mean is the top of the grey platic front panel.


What happens is....

Boiler is on, and supplying hot water
Something happens and water goes cold
No flames are burning
No fans are on.

Tap the panel as decribed..
relays?? clicking inside front grey panel
igniter starts clicking/sparking
gas flows
burner ignites
water slowly gets hot again

Sometimes it'll work as described first time, sometimes it wont.

I've done a search here, and seen these other threads,

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=497305#497305 (Gas valve incorrectly setup)

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1660496#1660496 (relay on mobo fubar'd maybe)

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=974653#974653 (any number of things)


I initially suspected a knackered motherboard (mobo) in the front panel, as gentle tapping in that area made it work, so it seemed to me, like maybe some soldered joints had gone dry and the vibrations I created helped to 'make' the circuit.


Am I thinking along the right lines, given the description?
Any advice would be gratefully recieved as I've just about had anough of getting myself frozen inthe shower whilst fully soaped up!!

Anyone expert local to Gatwick have any experience here that wouldnt mind taking a look would be welcomed


Cheers

Steve


***EDIT***

It just did it again, luckily I had the front cover off...
If you look in the photo, you see where I am very very gently squeezing the panel,
It was so gentle. and yet was enough to get it clicking, sparking and ignighting....

Untitled

• Stevepud
• 26 Feb 2011
• 1

 

[craig51]

as you say possibly a knackered relay dropping out, or the HT lead is loose/damaged and its failing to rectify hence cutting out!

 

[nickso]

tapping the front of a 24i to get it working is usually the pcb.

 

[bengasman]

...We have a Worcester 24i RSF, its almost exactly 6 years old.
For about a year it's had an issue....

Sounds like it is time to get a pro in. At the cost of an average pcb, it would be an expensive mistake to misdiagnose it.
As it is well due for a service, you should get good value for money to get both done at the same time if you tell the RGI what the problem is when you call him.

 

[Stevepud]

Thats for your replies guys,

I had a good look at the PCB, but couldnt see any obvious issue (no dry solders, no burned areas)

I've put it back together, and of course it's working fine now.

I did have someone in around August, but he couldnt see anything wrong, typically it was behaving while he was here.


Are there any engineers here covering the Gatwick area fancing quoting me for an annual service and an investigation?


Thanks

Steve