vRSLen

Hi

I have a Potterton boiler and the pilot light goes out after trying to re-set it

I have replaced the thermo-couple to no avail..... Any ideas?

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Jethro Tombs

Have you checked the pilot flame is on/reaches the tip of the thermocouple?

Browny_37

May need a clean out, ours is a very old boiler.
But works fine until it breaks down again which seems to be every 5-6 years.
Last time it needed new thermo couple and then that didnt cure it, got stripped down and cleaned out and was fine after that.

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gadgetman

I was about to ask about mine, lol.

Am I right in thinking that the gurgling I get when using hot water is to do with the diverter?

I'm trying to get it serviced, or get one of those boiler cover plans from my gas co.

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chriskite

Might be the overheat thermostat if one is fitted. You can tell if one is fitted by looking at where the thermocouple screws into the gas valve, if there is a piece of plastic with a metal insert with a wire leading from it, trace the wire and you should find a red reset button, just press it in and if it clicks it has reset. If this doesn't work try screwing the t/couple directly in to the gas valve where the other wire from the high limit stat goes. If this works then the high limit thermostat is faulty, if not then it is probable the gas valve gone for a burton.

Hope this helps.

vRSLen

The flame is set spot on thanks

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vRSLen

It may be an old boiler but it looks clean inside and around the burner

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vRSLen

Sounds more like air in the system?

The trouble with old boilers is getting spares

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vRSLen

Good call Chris, this will be the next place to check
But would that cause the pilot light to go out? Or just cut off the burner supply?

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chriskite

It would just cause the pilot light to go out, it interupts the small current from the thermocouple to the pilot coil in the gas valve.

vRSLen

Thanks Chris, will give that a go tomorrow

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chriskite

I've had customers that have been told "boiler too old, can't get parts" mainly by Gritish Bas, when the parts are available, most times off the shelf. The company i used to use ( different line of work now)was HRPC, now called parts centre. The have branches all over the uk. try this link
Parts Center - boiler spares and parts

Hope you sort the old boiler out soon

gadgetman

It's 4 years old (as is the house).

If I needed a new boiler, I'd go with one of those heat exchanger jobbies that uses next to no gas.

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Johnny50

Len,

My Potterton did exactly the same.
Turned out to be the control board inside.
It was swapped out by Scottish Gas under the monthly maintenance contract i took out, so i cant comment on the cost.

It's been fine since, that was about a year ago.

daiking

whilst not wanting to hijack the thread, if anyone knows owt about a Heatrae Sadia Megaflow DD170 tank electric hot water system then drop me a pm

Quinten

My potterton (Suprima 40) gave me similar problems a while ago, and in the end it turned out the air pressure switch. I have a troubleshooting .pdf somewhere at home which helps a bit diagnosing what part it can be. Initially I replaced the PCB (since they are very problematic), but that didn't turn it out to be (so I still have a spare one if you are looking for one).

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vRSLen

Still no luck as yet

Looks like I will have to get it looked at.

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vRSLen

Well, had the gas valve change tonight and all was well until my local engineer left....

Boiler was working a treat, but then cut out

Looks like it's over temp as the spark will not work until it has cooled down a bit....

Need to look at the flow share valve because initialy I had hot water but no heating.

I am determined to sort this issue out one way or the other,,,,

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gadgetman

Blame the engineer, and demand he/the firm, put right.

Offer the cost of parts only when asked to stump up.

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vRSLen

That would be a daft thing to do, as he fitted a new valve for free

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chriskite

Hi Len,
Here are a few things you can try.
On the overheat problem, how high is the boiler thermostat set, try setting it 1/2 to 3/4 of max, is the thermostat bulb pushed fully home in it's pocket, just follow the capillary tube from the boiler thermost to find the bulb (assuming it's not all electronic) and push it firmly into it's pocket.
Is the pump running, you can often feel it running or hear it if you place a screwdriver blade on the motor and listen at the handle, if running try changing the speed, most pumps are three speed. If not running check for power, if you've got power try tapping the motor body with a screwdriver or hammer handle, alternatively you can remove the vent plug from the motor (big screw on front) and using a small screwdriver turn the end of the shaft to check that the pump is free, a small amount of water will leak from the pump when you do this so an old towel/piece of rag placed underneath will not go amiss, it will also stop the vent screw falling through that gap in the floorboards that you didn't see, been there got the tee shirt.

As for the hot water no heating thing, first thing to check is, is the room thermostat turned up, i've been to many callouts when this was the "problem". If turned up and the programmer switched on for heating and the hot water turned off, the "flowshare" valve should drive open, if not move the lever on the side of the valve to the heating position, if the pump and boiler start then the synchron motor inside the valve motor is u/s,these are replaceable if you can dismantle the valve head/motor, some are held together with security screws. Synchron motors are available from the suppliers listed earlier in this thread an cost around £15 iirc. Hope this info helps.

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vRSLen

Thanks for that Chris

But after mucho observation, it looks like the thermo couple is being starved of flame when the boiler is working

I may have to carry out a mod

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flinty

What model of potterton is it? I've seen problems with the inner part of the flue corroding through on Primas and Suprimas. This causes POCs (exhaust fumes) to mix with the incoming air which makes the flame lift off the burner. If the flame lifts away from the thermocouple it will cool and snap the gas valve shut for safety switching off gas to both the pilot and main burner. This is the purpose of the thermocouple and as a safety device will require manual resetting (re lighting). Although this was on fanned flue primas that don't have a thermocouple. I had a repair on a potterton recently where the clip that held the thermostat sensor against the flow pipe had snapped and was not getting a sense of the temperature, thus the boiler overcooked and the overheat stat operated.


(I don't recommend messing with the safety devices of a boiler if you don't know what you're doing but some advice may help you nail down the problem when an engineer comes for a look)

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vRSLen

Hi, its an RS 50s and will for up to 20 mins before shutting down and needing a reset.

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flinty

Don't recognise that as a model, most pottertons have a name such as Prima, Suprima, Netaheat, Flamingo, Osprey, Performa, F@$in Horrible POS! etc

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