Baxi Solo 2 50 PF

[Philip Rayne]

Apoligies if this is not the correct place to ask this.

My baxi boiler no longer appears to have a boiler light lit. The heating is not coming on. It is a Baxi Solo 2 50 PF. I don't have the instructions for this unit, and to be honest don't really know much at all about boilers.

Could someone please tell me how I should go about trying to light the boiler light? All I can see is a knob that starts at 0, *, 1, 2, 3, 4,5 ,6. I have no idea what this does or if it is important.

Thanks for any advice (and please bare in mind I have no practical knowledge on these things).

[Angela]

instructions

Try the baxi site - this is the list for the literature page, it doesn't have a baxi solo 2 but does have a solo3 which is may be pretty similar when it comes to lighting.

[BigWallop]

Pick out the literature for the Solo 3 PFL from the menu on the left of the screen, then use your right mouse button to click over the download link and select the "Save Target As" option in the dialog window that appears. It should help you find out how to use the boiler.

[Set Square]

Not sure what you are referring to as the "boiler light". This is a fan assisted boiler with electronic ignition, and has no permanently-on pilot light.

Are you sure that the boiler is receiving a demand signal from your programmer and room and/or cylinder stats? Is the boiler's own thermostat turned up to a suitable position?

Has the boiler ever overheated and tripped out on its over-heat thermostat? If so, it may need resetting by pressing the red button. [On my earlier model, this is accessed by pulling off the removeable cover at the bottom front of the casing. The button is then on the left hand side].

Incidentally, you should find some fault-finding hints on the inside of this cover once you have removed it.

[geoff]

In message , Philip Rayne writes

From memory

working from the connector down through the neons :

1 - lockout 2 - power to pcb 3 - fan on 4 - demand for heat (pilot and spark) 5 - main valve on

this will tell you the status of the boiler

Ignition should be automatic when there is a demand for heat

[geoff]

In message , Angela writes

[R P McMurphey]

theres only 3 leds on my baxi solo mk2 40pf

steve

[Set Square]

Do any of these light when the boiler fails to fire? If so, how many?

[R P McMurphey]

2 lights are on when it is not running burning but 3 light when the auto spark lights the main burner and it is heating water....iirc.

steve

[Philip Rayne]

Thanks for the replies. The boiler is now working.

A few occasions now it has not come on for the heating. The water still comes on. I didn't know much about the boiler before so I was confused about the pilot light.

When I tried the heating no lights came on at all. I have tried leaving more space around the boiler to see if perhaps it is overheating. I guess I will only know that if it happens again.

[geoff]

In message , R P McMurphey writes

They're not LEDs, they're neons and there should be 5. Do you have two dead neons then ?

[geoff]

In message , Set Square writes

If it goes into lockout, then there are two neons illuminated -the lockout and power (switched live) neon. It's so long since I actually did one myself, I can't remember if it goes into lockout if the spark fails to light the pilot. I'll look on Monday. This isn't to say we don't repair a lot of them, it just means I'm getting less hands-on.

[geoff]

When there is power to the pcb, there are no neons illuminated. Switched live brings the second neon on, assuming that there is a demand for heat, the third neon comes on with the fan. When the pressure switch moves into the normally open position, the 4th neon comes on, indicating that the pilot and spark are energised. When the board senses the pilot flame and brings on the main valve, the 5th neon is illuminated. If the boiler goes into lockout (as I said earlier) neons 1 and 2 are illuminated.

When the boiler is working (i.e. gas on), neons 2, 3, 4 & 5 are all on.

HTH

[Set Square]

I assume that Baxi have added more diagnostics to later models. My 1992 vintage Solo WM 70/4 PF [GC No. 41 077 55] definitely has only 3 lamps - described in the installation manual as "Indicator Lights" on the control box. They look like LEDs to me - but they could be something different. These come on in sequence as the boiler goes through its startup cycle. All

3 are lit when it is running. None are lit when it cuts out on its normal stat or when switched live is turned off by the programmer or room stat. There are no lights for power or lockout.

The current range appears to be Solo 3 - which presumably have the additional lights. The OP appears to have a Solo 2 - which is intermediate in age between my Solo (1) and the current Solo 3. Maybe the Solo 2 only has

3 lights like the original Solo?

[geoff]

In message , Set Square writes

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't you say you had a solo 2 not a solo mk1?

The Solo 3 has the same pcb as the Solo 2

The Solo Mk1 pcb is completely different

[Set Square]

I never said I had anything until just!

The OP (with the problem) said he had a Solo 2. Someone else with a Solo 2 said his had only 3 lights. You said a Solo 2 has the same board as a Solo 3 which has 5 lights - implying that a Solo 2 will also have 5 lights.

I (with my experience of the Mk 1 only) was trying to offer a possible explanation for the differing views as to what a Solo 2 actually has.

In the meantime, the OP's boiler appears to have started working again - all by itself - so we shall probably never know exactly what he's got!

[geoff]

In message , Set Square writes

The solo 1 and solo 2 are completely different

Until it dies on xmas eve....

[Ed Sirett]

I was about to speculate that. The power and demand neons will be on much more than the others and might well have burnt out.

[Gripper]

Just spotted this thread:- I have one of these boilers, and it's getting a bit long in the tooth now, but the only problem I've ever had with it is the fan on the powered flue. It is fairly exposed to dust and especially heat, being sat over the combustion space, blowing hot air out the flue. The induction (brushless) mains motor powering the fan gets it's bearings clogged over time with dust, so the fan struggles and then fails to spin up. When this happens the burner will not light, as there is a sensor to ensure sufficient flow of air before allowing ignition. The cure is very simple: take off the cover (2 crosshead screws), and gently clean the motor bearings with a brush, give them a good squirt with WD40 to free them up and off you go. I have had to replace the fan and motor assembly once when it was really burnt out but they cost about 120 pounds, so it's worth trying the simple stuff first. If you get adventurous it's easy to remove the assembly yourself for cleaning/replacement, but obviously you do that at your own risk. HTH Neil

instructions

[geoff]

In message , Gripper writes

Spraying with WD40 is only a temporary short term solution. The bearings are packed with grease and once this is gone it's gone.