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[Andy H]

On my Vaillant combi there is a 'chimney sweep' setting. Everything gets wound up to 11 (until it hits the high limit). I assume that setting is there to blow the cobwebs out of the heat exchanger.

In normal use the weather compensation maintains the flow temperature at around 40 deg C so the boiler is running in full condensing mode. I can hear the condense dripping into the waste pipe so the heat exchanger is probably wet most of the time.

[aaronjb]

Well, I am less than impressed by "Group Serve" (Vaillant service), personally.

Called them out (at a cost of £200) to see if they could a) fix the leaking filling loop and b) find out why the pressure drops every time the boiler runs (the more it runs, the more it drops).

He wasn't more than a foot in the door when he said "Do your pipes run through the screed? That's usually where the leaks are."

So I pointed him to the leaking filling loop.. he dismissed that.  Hooked his multimeter up to the pressure transducer to read the voltage and isolated the boiler.

The pressure started to go up all by itself .. "Oh, I don't know why that's happening. Let's ignore that, though."

Reopened the taps to the CH system and the pressure dropped, "See, your leak is definitely outside the boiler."


Then he checked the gas pressure with his manometer and his gas leak detector.




... found a gas leak into the boiler, called Transco to cap it off and oppsed off.  Thanks, Vaillant! I guess the union nut into the boiler doesn't count as part of the boiler so it's not your problem.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Your fault sounds like a potentially knackered pressure vessel if the pressure is rising so easily

[Kevin Wood]

So I pointed him to the leaking filling loop.. he dismissed that.

Of course he did. You're not the Gas "Safe" "Qualified" "Engineer", so what would you know?

[aaronjb]

Spot on Kevin!

Your fault sounds like a potentially knackered pressure vessel if the pressure is rising so easily

It could well be, although nothing seems to pass the PRV.. however:

I've now had a local plumber out who checked for leaks with his manometer - no leaks found between the meter and boiler.
He checked using bubble fluid - no leaks found.

He did unscrew the filling loop however to find that both isolating valves are leaking - the CH leaks outward and the cold water feed leaks as well.

He went off to City Plumbing to get a price on the filling loop and valves and on the gas valve as well as a precaution, coming back in two days to fit.


Then Transco turned up.. very nice man, I must say - he checked for gas leaks with his (expensive looking) sniffer with the boiler off, boiler running, boiler off and the door shut for a while etc etc and his conclusion? 0ppm gas, no leak, perfectly safe to use.


The owner of the plumbing company I called after Glow Worm is writing a letter to certify that there was no leak, that the filling loop was leaking and that their engineer should have a) fixed the filling loop and b) not turned my gas off for no reason because he's that annoyed about their behaviour on my behalf


I, of course, am now out £200 to Glow Worm (which I'll contest) and the parts alone for the boiler are >£200.. ho hum!

At least I'm warm and I haven't exploded.

[Kevin Wood]

Ahh.. There you go. Mains was leaking in through the filling loop and raising the pressure. Wouldn't have taken the first "Engineer" much thought to have figured that basic fault out.

[aaronjb]

Indeed not - the second plumber (local firm) listened to what I said about the filling loop, unscrewed it at one end, realised that water was dripping out of both the CH side and the cold water side and said "Yep, looks like both valves are passing. I'll get them ordered up if they're not already in stock".  Took him oooh, at least five minutes.

Which is less time than the Glow Worm engineer spent trying to look clever with his multimeter..

[TD]

Indeed not - the second plumber (local firm) listened to what I said about the filling loop, unscrewed it at one end, realised that water was dripping out of both the CH side and the cold water side and said "Yep, looks like both valves are passing. I'll get them ordered up if they're not already in stock".  Took him oooh, at least five minutes.

Which is less time than the Glow Worm engineer spent trying to look clever with his multimeter..

I don't understand why a Glow Worm 'engineer' turned up? I phoned the number on vaillant website.....and a Vaillant 'engineer' turned up in a Vaillant van. After changing the parts.....he connected a device that was the size of a tech2 via usb (it looked like a usb port) which put the boiler through its paces and checked for faults....It doesn't sound like the guy you had that kit 

[Kevin Wood]

I don't understand why a Glow Worm 'engineer' turned up? I phoned the number on vaillant website.....and a Vaillant 'engineer' turned up in a Vaillant van. After changing the parts.....he connected a device that was the size of a tech2 via usb (it looked like a usb port) which put the boiler through its paces and checked for faults....It doesn't sound like the guy you had that kit 

Doesn't matter, because it couldn't have told him the filling loop is knackered anyway. You need a pair of eyes and a brain first and foremost. Like using a Tech 2 to diagnose a puncture!

[TD]

I don't understand why a Glow Worm 'engineer' turned up? I phoned the number on vaillant website.....and a Vaillant 'engineer' turned up in a Vaillant van. After changing the parts.....he connected a device that was the size of a tech2 via usb (it looked like a usb port) which put the boiler through its paces and checked for faults....It doesn't sound like the guy you had that kit 

Doesn't matter, because it couldn't have told him the filling loop is knackered anyway. You need a pair of eyes and a brain first and foremost. Like using a Tech 2 to diagnose a puncture!

True, but it may have error codes stored.....that may have helped in diagnosis....if AAron's boiler is new enough to have what is basically an ecu... 

[Nick W]

I don't understand why a Glow Worm 'engineer' turned up? I phoned the number on vaillant website.....and a Vaillant 'engineer' turned up in a Vaillant van. After changing the parts.....he connected a device that was the size of a tech2 via usb (it looked like a usb port) which put the boiler through its paces and checked for faults....It doesn't sound like the guy you had that kit 

Doesn't matter, because it couldn't have told him the filling loop is knackered anyway. You need a pair of eyes and a brain first and foremost. Like using a Tech 2 to diagnose a puncture!

Or Mercedes Star machine to find a leak in an air suspension.

[aaronjb]

I don't understand why a Glow Worm 'engineer' turned up? I phoned the number on vaillant website.....and a Vaillant 'engineer' turned up in a Vaillant van. After changing the parts.....he connected a device that was the size of a tech2 via usb (it looked like a usb port) which put the boiler through its paces and checked for faults....It doesn't sound like the guy you had that kit 

Glow Worm, Vaillant .. they're the same company My boiler is Glow Worm so I booked it through their website.. his van said "Group Service", "Vaillant" and "Glow Worm".

The boiler is about four years old - maybe not quite as fancy as your Vaillant, but it does have a digital screen and when the pressure drops below minimum logs an error code ("F9"). Which would just tell him what I already told him - the pressure drops to minimum and then the boiler shuts off..

[TD]

I don't understand why a Glow Worm 'engineer' turned up? I phoned the number on vaillant website.....and a Vaillant 'engineer' turned up in a Vaillant van. After changing the parts.....he connected a device that was the size of a tech2 via usb (it looked like a usb port) which put the boiler through its paces and checked for faults....It doesn't sound like the guy you had that kit 

Glow Worm, Vaillant .. they're the same company My boiler is Glow Worm so I booked it through their website.. his van said "Group Service", "Vaillant" and "Glow Worm".

The boiler is about four years old - maybe not quite as fancy as your Vaillant, but it does have a digital screen and when the pressure drops below minimum logs an error code ("F9"). Which would just tell him what I already told him - the pressure drops to minimum and then the boiler shuts off..

Ahh ok 

[TD]

TD, I suspect that a complete kit is all that they would sell you, because they make loads more money that way - the "excuse" being that it aids diagnosis and speed ot repair and there might be other faults, so best to change the lot!
Might I suggest that you check the sensor for identifying part numbers and manufacturer, because it's likely to be a supplied part, and research via RS Components of Farnell catalogues - and get one whilst you can.....

Ron.

I'll have a look into that.....thankyou 

Well, ive had a look and the only numbers on it is on the rear, 'VR20' which is name for the sensor and a barcode.
Put in VR20  in the spares website of Vaillant and it comes up with a price of £186.85+vat 

Other plumbing sites are similar price 

You can buy the whole kit for that price 

Of course it could be that Vaillant want you to buy their new controller called Vsmart  Similarly priced and does weather compensation but doesn't use an outside sensor. It uses t'internet to find out what the temp is at your location.....and uses an app for your smartphone to set/control it   

[Bigron]

TD, they are lifting your leg!
I don't promise to fare any better, but I'll see what I can find for you. If you have ANY other identifying marks, such as a manufacturer's name (not Vaillant) that would be great.

Ron.