boiler needs help

drag0nfly_69uk

this is "slightly" off-topic but me boiler is dying big time. i just wonder what 's the best or better combi boiler out there? my boiler is a potterton lynx, it's been with us around 12 or 13yrs ever since we moved in. during those yrs i replaced an ignition board, couple of switches (not at the same time). i think it's time i changed to newer model. nothing fancy (very poor, me) just enough for a 3-bed house with 7 rads. any suggestion is appreciated and where would be best to buy from...

thank you all

Burnt Chips

youve got 2 options m8, (are u sure your lynx is a combi)
IF so you need abot 85000btu (average 3 bed semi)

OPTION 1 (top of the range boiler) Valient or Bosch Wocester, both around the £700 mark, i could probally find 1 cheaper if you go this way, but remember (both boilers are German and its the same as ther cars, price of spares if and when needed is extortionate)

OPTION2 (cheap and chearfull) these boilers work out at about £350 ish and useually at B & Q Wharehouses, ravenheat, and Biasi, the latter having a 3 year no quibble guarentee, not much to em so fewer parts too replace, Logically after 6 years or so if major fault occurs (£200 ish) scrap it and buy another, will work out cheaper in the long run, I know fitted enough of em, Not too keen on Ravenheat and only use for bigger houses 120000 btus a third the price of equiverlant Valient. DAVE

drag0nfly_69uk

thanks dave, wish you were down south so you could come and fit for me too

Burnt Chips

Well down Nottingham next weekend (takeing wife for a bit of a secong honeymoon for her birthday) a reconsiliation present, if i shoot off I`LL BE DIVORCED

Channel Hopper

You could always do two jobs while youre down, mines still playing up

Your dragon can only divorce you once, and mine has given up on me after seeing the amount of two wheeled stuff coming through the house (and usually staying there)

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

Burnt Chips

TEMPTING C H WHY whats up with your boiler, (central heating BOILER that is.

Channel Hopper

Its well documented elsewhere in the forum

As summers here though I thought it could wait until it starts getting cold again

__________________
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

Burnt Chips

FOUND IT (had my head up me arse in March/APRIL) So wasnt on here then.
Right S D boiler, am i correct Heating works fine but when u open a tap burners dont raise (as hot water main burn) not a lot of people know this. Most common faults first

Faults FLOW switch (2 little micro switchs in a bank together) which push a plunger down a silver valve to switch over (about 7 inchs long ) (useually rusts where contacts are)

Diaphram a rubber seal underneath these switchs,

Programmer (stuck in heating mode) and not sending command for hot water,

Main pcb burnt out around contact points (or transformer)

And finally Gas Valve (not opening fully)

If its the S DUVALL that has reinforced rubber hoses (i dont fancy your chances) and if as you say you have all parts if you want pm me i`ll give you me home number and will go through each st 1 at a time.

jimbo

The saga of CH's boiler would rival War and Peace.

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Jimbo

rolfw

Possibly even The diehard trilogy.

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Burnt Chips

bet it dont beat ROCKY though

Channel Hopper

Ill upload some pictures. Youll see my plumbing is not unlike that out of the spacecraft in Alien

__________________
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

Burnt Chips

Give me the model number of yer boiler and ill c my mates (see if they`ll let me borrow there schematic of it to scan. Now shops gone (NEVER THOUGHT OF TAKING UP PLUMBING CH sounds like plenty of dosh in it down there,) ****all round here

Channel Hopper

Its the SD620 model, probably 15 years old, but was new out of the box approximately four years ago

I have a complete spare of which Ive taken the extractor fan out of so far

__________________
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

Burnt Chips

if itS THAT old it will probally have those braided rubber hoses,
MAN are those suckers hard to reseal, I ended up changein every hose in a boiler once. There not open now my mates shop so i`ll phone em monDay mornin and get back 2 u .

Channel Hopper

The originals were rubber pipe with an external fibre wadding that was held in place with jubilee clips

Ive found fuel pipe from Halfords works well, about £2 per metre as well

__________________
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

Burnt Chips

Yes but the ****er perish, and to replace 1, with the movement causes the next on that run to leak, i know many heating engineers who have had nightmares with these, am i right in thinking youve got a spare boiler, if so (not too bad a problem) as plenty of spares and as long as you use some sealing solution on the joints it should be ok.
(sealing solution ) i always opt for silicone, even good in tits.

drag0nfly_69uk

hi burnt chips: something hilarious has come up. today our friend, technical sales advisor for BG called to give us an estimate on replacing me boiler, here are bits of his highness handywork with a laptop: (all price excl VAT)

glowworm 30cxi £1745.65 (street price: 672)
install 2x15mmx3m £56.50
install 2x22mmx3m £66.40
connect boiler electric £65.25
std horizontal flue £160.11 (street price 59)
powerflush (??) £199
fit scale reducer £87
install ME bonding £114
electri core bonding £95

adding VAT the bill comes to a shade under £3100.

Wow, i am in the wrong job, let get C H and we shall go into plumbing together (are ok with it CH??). and I ask my missus what kinda pipes are they using??? even goldplated doesnt cost that much!

what would happen had i asked him to replace all the rads as well?? Only the good mr. bill gates or mr. beckham can afford that sort of stuff.

Channel Hopper

The last time I had British Gas in our house they condemmed the gas fire and the boiler. They then called Transco to cut of the supply until I had it fixed - their estimate for updating the outlest came to just over £500 and they charged the wife £130 fo rthe call out and estimate . Its only when I went independent a week later I was advise the only problem had been a fault in the gas meter readings and a leaky neoprene seal on the meter outlet to the house (though they did recommend replacing the first three metres of copper to the boiler)

Result was a bill for £174 and two hours work.

Turns out it had been British Gas that had originally fitted this pipe in the first place for the last house owner, they had charged over £400 just over ten years ago.

Naturally our supply is now one of their 'competitors'. I have yet to see the refund on their callout

__________________
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

Burnt Chips

Standard 3 Bedroom Semi (standard 2 floors) supply and fit
85,000 btu combi, 7 rads, all pipeing, I charge £ 1900.



Replace a combi (with a combi) £200

Replace a conventional (with a combi) £300

So its not that much of a Golden Goose.

drag0nfly_69uk

burntchips: see, you're replacing the boiler and all the rads and all the piping for £1900, BG changing the boiler ONLY for £3100

sharkyfin

Hi BC. Dunno if you will ever get to see this - I know this is an ancient thread - but I happened upon it while trying to help someone replace a boiler without having to take out a second mortgage. Tried to Private Message you but system wouldn't let me (I'm new to the forum so maybe trying to do something I shouldn't?). Anyway - question is - are you still in the boiler replacement trade and looking for business? If so send a reply to rupert_mcintyre*hotmail.com
Thanks in advance. (The asterisk is supposed to be the 'at' symbol but won't show up properly...)

Burnt Chips

Depends where you live?????????????????/