Ariston EuroCombi sx20 MFFICE

[GrimReaper]

Hi,

I am hoping someone here can shed some light and offer me some advice sorry if the post drags on.

The above mentioned boiler has always been odd since we moved in loosing pressure (water), poor hot water flow upstairs in bathroom. Landlord called out his "fitter"... who serviced the boiler and gave u a safety certificate. At the time, I knew nothing, but have since sel educated from books, media and web sites like this.

His service... involved replacing air into the back top of boiler. The writing down some stuff, checking dials... and all this without removin front cover?...

Well we just got used to the boiler, topping water up through th flexible joint at the bottom, until it reaches between 1 and 1 and half bar.

Then a week ago, the hot water simply stopped... no hot water withou the CH being on at the sametime, and even then, the water is only luk warm.

Well Landlord brought his "new" fitter, who looked at it, and said "oh one of these. He then started to strip it down, and I explained how Ariston via a email to me, said it should be the Divertor Valve and probably de-scale. So he then proceded to order the parts needed. The next day they turned up with the Service kit for the Divertor Valv and some Fernox. He stripped down the Divertor Valve and found the Diaphragm was no only perished, but had a split. He then pulled out the heat exchanger? big grey vessel from rear... and left that for about two hours soaking. They then returned to refit, he had then forgotten how to put th divertor valve back together, so was fun and games whilst he tried t work it out. Eventually all was back where it should be, and the proceded to add water pressure back, then about 6 of the parts he ha unscrewed leaked, so he then got his "blue?" something to remedy th leaks. Time had now reached 9pm...... so he did a quick run aroun released air from radiators, but the boiler refused to kick in on ho water only, the fault was still there... only this time, it was worse the flames now turn off when you turn the hot water tap on...when in c and dhw mode. Radiators are lovely and hot, just no hot water, well.. it does fill up a small amount...you run it for about a litre, and the it runs cold, and the temp gauge goes from 70 to 40, turn the tap off and the boiler kicks in again, and heats again this small amount o water....

I asked the fitter were the micro switches at the top being pushe correctly by the t piece at top of divertor, he tried it with hi screwdriver and that kicked the boiler in..... so they decided to leav it for the night and order new microswitches, this was Wednesday. O friday, I rang Landlord and asked where they were... he said fitter i out of town and he is waiting for the switches, I lost it and said i was Next day delivery..... how long do you think me and my family ca do without hot water.... so I then emailed Ariston Tech support, the replied one sentence. You have a Circulation Problem.... a Good fitter will know this.

So I passed the info to landlord, maybe the switches were wasting mor money?.... I got a txt yesterday from landlord, suggesting that if still do not have hot water ( yeah sure the boiler fairies fixed i while we were asleep) we are welcome to come to his home and use hi bath??... I simply have not replied, as I am close to well blowing m top.

So please, any people who are well versed in this sort of problem wh has any suggestions and advice it will be really appreciated. Grim..

-- GrimReaper

[Ed Sirett]

This is the classic cascade of troubles stemming from the original fault of a split diaphragm followed by continued topping up.

The root cause of the DHW troubles is probably the small differential pressure diaphragm on the end of the diverter valve.

Trouble with boilers at this end of the market is that they tend develop new faults as you try to eliminate the original ones.

Given the problems the only sure way will be to replace both the expansion vessel and the complete diverter valve assembly and flush the system clean.

You might as well fit a new boiler...

It sounds grim but you'd know about that.

[Stuart Noble]

Could be a job for British Gas and their fixed price repair. £200 whatever the problem sounds good in this instance

[Ed Sirett]

Since the 'real' cost of this repair is way in excess of £200 they would surely find some way of wriggling.

Let's look at the real costs:

A new expansion vessel (OEM part £100-£150) or might be able to add generic elsewhere for £30. May be just a DHW diaphragm but we now have leaks. So really you're looking at OEM £100-£150 for a new complete assembly.

You might or might not get a result by simply replacing the parts and hoping that things work.

So realistically this is 1/2 day + £250 parts. With risks of no result.

Now BG will almost certainly try to swing the 'power flushing scam' at £400+VAT. Now the work would be 1 day plus £250 parts.

So maybe for £670 they can fix the boiler at a profit even.

[Stuart Noble]

I don't see how as things stand. I'd get in there quick before the whole BG scheme is abandoned. I'm sure they're going to get their fingers burnt

[Ed Sirett]

It could be a "percentages" marketing approach.

A number of the faults will be simple pilot error, or very simple faults from stock like pump replacement, thermocouples, synchron motors etc.

Of the remaining one they may well still not loose money with things like fans and gas valves, and water flow diaphragms which will take two visits but they get large economies of scale as they have a huge pool of workers to schedule efficiently.

Also they may be able to take the common spares for the boiler the customer (says they) has.

Of the remaining ones they will lose a bit and/or they will try to sell new boilers, insist on power flushing etc.etc.

[GrimReaper]

Ok, people..... latest update, might turn out helpful for others tryin

to trace similiar faults.

Boiler is now working as it should, albeit two minor leaks which jus need two new washers tomorrow.

New service kit was fitted to Divertor Valve, old parts wer perished(last week)

Fault then was only the Central Heating would work no hot water... tur on tap, to call for water, burner switched off, get about a litre of ho if lucky, definate Circulation problem.

Today, the fitter was back with his Rothenberger De-scaler- sludg remover......Pressure flush.

System was fully cleaned out, lots of sludge and black bits of metalli removed.

New Microswitches fitted also on top of Divertor Valve , they wer purchased anyway, so may as well fit.

Boiler was refilled....... and without switching on CH, just the DHW the system fired straight in, and very fast supply of HOT water, eve upstairs, never had it so fast. Quick flick onto DHW and CH and the same, all working perfectly.

So... chances are, it just needed a good flush, but as the micr switches were changed at sametime, they may also have had some bearin on end result, we will never know.

All I will say, is the system is now quiet... seriously quiet i operation..... there is a lovely whir.... rather than a clatter -rattl and clunk from boiler...... no radiators now whistle... the system i like new.

Thanks all, and I hope this may help others with similiar faults o same model.

Grim

-- GrimReaper