Pilot lights keep going out (Worcester)

Nick · 2008-01-17T13:27:01+00:00

I have a Worcester combi boiler which is about 11 years old. It isunder contract with B Gas. Recently it started blowing pilot out.What happens is that if you turn on the hot water (tap or hot water)its works ok for about 5 mins and then there is a clicking noise andpilot and flames blow out. I then have to light the pilot by firingthe button 5-7 times. It will work again for about 4-5 mins and samehappens again - clicking noise, flames/pilot go out. This happensconsistently on hot water. If we use the central heating then it mayblow out 1 or 2 times in evening.I have called out Bgas 3 times and they have not been able to fix it.They have changed a thermostat and then a sensor but without luck.They are now saying that the boiler is too old and needs replacing.And CH also needs a power flush to get rid of debris. They say thereis no other remedy.Now if there was debris that was causing the tripping then I wouldexpect this to happen more on the CH side rather then the hot water. Iwould also expect the tripping to be random rather than consistent.I am totally unhappy with B Gas being unable to find the fault andtelling me to replace boiler. Yes the boiler is old but it has hadabout 60-70% of the components replaced in the last 2-3 years. I ampaying them 16.75GBP per month and I think they are not putting in theeffort to find the real fault.One of the things I have noticed is that when we used the hot waterbefore, it used to get really hot after 4-5 mins and it used to gointo a rest mode and started up again after a minute or so. Its notdoing that - it just trips now. I told that to the B Gas engineer andhe repleced the sensor but it has not made any difference. Is itpossible that the internal is not receiving enough air (fan maybefaulty)?I think there must be another reason for all this other than thedebris.Can you please give me some advice/pointers as I am going to call outB Gas for the last time.

N

Nick 18 years ago

I called out Bgas for the last time. A chap came out and immediately said that it was the heat exchanger which was blocked up because of muck in the CH system. He said that BGas would not repair it as it was due to dirt in the sytem which should have bee flushed out and they cant replace it anywahy because the part is not availanle anymore.

He said my only option was to get them flush the system (600GBP) and then have heat exchanger repaired by them at 70GBP/HR. Alternative was to get a new boiler fitted by them for 3500GBP. He also said that I was so lucky that I got 12 years of this boiler; they dont last that long. I told him where to go.

I am totally naffed by all this. BGas have been 'servicing' this boiler for the last 4-5 years and they have this annual service (if you can call it that - engineer looking at the boiler with a torch for

5 mins). They never told me that I needed a flush and now that the heat exchanger is gone, they say that its not covered because the system should have been flushed. A bit cop-out for them if you ask me. What diabolical service!

Vote

E

Ed Sirett 18 years ago

I'm not sure that I trust them with their assertion "the heat X is blocked"? This is a combi, so presumably a sealed CH system. Seeing as it's already done 12 years there could not have been too much wrong with it. Unless you have been topping up frequently (like more than once a week for a year or two) there is not much chance of sludge.

Time for you to either fix it yourself or find out from your nieghbours/ colleagues/friends who they know who can fix it.

Vote

B

bartleypm 7 years ago

I have a similar problem where for some reason our pilot light keeps going out on our WB 400 highflow after 30mins to 1 hour. I have had BGAS out 3 ti mes and they have replaced the various sensors and are now looking at repla cing the pump, which does feel very hot!?

We noticed this problem when we returned from Holiday where we also noticed our living flame gas fire wouldn't light - it was if both appliances were starved of gas!

Any help would be appreciated as I suspect the next call out will be the la st!

Vote

H

Harry Bloomfield 7 years ago

snipped-for-privacy@googlemail.com pretended :

Are you absolutely sure that boiler even uses a pilot light? It seems to be a fairly modern boiler and modern boilers don't have pilot lights consuming gas when off. They use electronic ignition to ignite the burners as needed.

Vote

H

Harry Bloomfield 7 years ago

snipped-for-privacy@googlemail.com formulated the question :

The old story of chucking expensive parts at a problem, to try to diagnose the real real issue, if they are lucky.

Vote

J

John Rumm 7 years ago

Getting someone to check the dynamic gas pressure at the meter under load would seem like a good starting point. If your supply pressure is too low, then there is not much you can do at the appliance end to fix it.

Vote

G

G r o g 7 years ago

Our Worcester boiler, not a combi, was giving us similar problems. The experts were all gloom and doom so we called in a local plumber. He reckoned the pipe to (or from) the exhaust was blocked. He took the pipe out, flushed it through, re-fitted it and bingo - no more problems. Worked fine ever since.

Vote

B

Brian Gaff 7 years ago

I have a similar problem where for some reason our pilot light keeps going out on our WB 400 highflow after 30mins to 1 hour. I have had BGAS out 3 times and they have replaced the various sensors and are now looking at replacing the pump, which does feel very hot!?

We noticed this problem when we returned from Holiday where we also noticed our living flame gas fire wouldn't light - it was if both appliances were starved of gas!

Any help would be appreciated as I suspect the next call out will be the last!

Vote

C

Cynic 7 years ago

This thread started years ago

Vote

J

John Rumm 7 years ago

Perhaps, although it does have a new on topic question appended.

Vote

Pilot lights keep going out (Worcester)

Join the Discussion

Didn't find your answer?