Potterton

[Michael]

Hello folks! Yes its me again with the Potterton Suprima 80 which only works on full temp setting. And then the water temp only reaches

60degree before the boiler goes off for 5mins. Comes for a few mins when water out pipe from boiler reaches 45-50degree. Boiler is now 3 years, problem since new. Pump is set to fast speed, no problems with pump, no air in system either. Previously had supurima 50 which worked excellently with only half full temp setting, with all same pipe work.

What has happened so far...

1. New PCB
2. New Temp Sensor
3. New temp control pot
4. Another new temp sensor

1-4 made no difference, same problem.

Anyone with any advise welcome....

[tony sayer]

In article , Michael writes

'Err, chuck it out and pretend that its been pinched and claim on yer insurance for another one?

Tony Sayer

fellow Suprima 80 victim:(

[Ed Sirett]

Try new reconned PCB from cetltd.com I'd have no faith the new PCB was any better than the original. There are Suprimas that do work OK. They seem to be the main choice for current new build (more fool them).

[raden]

In message , tony sayer writes

You'll be telling me next that there's a problem with Suprimas

OP - sorry, a bit short on ideas on this one, unless there's an obstruction in the system, but then, the temperatures would prolly rise higher on re-ignition. Is the pump circulating the water properly?

Are the LEDs behaving themselves?

Is it a new pcb or one of mine ?

(CET)

One has to ask, why you didn't get the problem sorted while it was under warranty

[raden]

Thanks Ed, but basically you're measuring one resistance against another, and unless he's so extremely unfortunate to have two boards with a very rare fault, is extremely unlikely.

I must admit to being stumped on this one as the OP has changed all the bits I would expect to be at fault. Having said this and had a ponder ... the temp sensor is delicate and may have been damaged

OP - can you find out the resistance of the temp sensor at room temp and the resistance when it cuts out ?

[Michael]

--------------------------------

Thanks everyone once again, there must be a potterton guru who knows what the problem is. Surely replacing a suprima 50 for a suprima 80 would mean more heat meaning less higher heat setting required. Half setting for suprima 50, hot water after 30mins, now with suprima 80 full heat setting needs 1 hour for reasonable hot water only enough to keep your hands in a running tap. Not really hot enough. Same issue with the rads

Why I did not get the problem sorted within the 1st year, well you can see no one actually knows what the problem is to apply a fix. So if any potterson guru meaning person working in the suprima design office at potterton/baxi should read this - please put us all out of our misery, well me anyway, by revealing to us the answer.

For now, when the thing is knackered, the chance of the replacement being a potterton, well it's a bit like NASA putting men on Mars, fairly remote

[tony sayer]

In article , Michael writes

Why don't you write to them, recorded delivery, and ask them what they intend to do, hopefully they might send one of their staff round, before you throw it to the press or TV etc?. Course you won't do this, but it might wake them up, after all that PCB has been to total pile of cack right from the word go.

[raden]

In message , Michael writes

Well, I'm prolly as close as you are likely to get in uk-diy, and I don't have an answer on the information you've given

As for Baxi / (potterton) admitting any sort of problem - forget it

They claim there is "no issue with the pcb" , despite the fact that half the pcbs I repair are Suprimas

[tony sayer]

In article , raden writes

There're lying toads then.

Feck 'em, next time we get a boiler there not on the guest list.....

[Richard Savage]

I was in my local Plumb Center 2 or 3 months ago and raised the subject of my Suprima 80 constantly tripping out (this was before I re-made every solder joint on the PCB thus fixing the fault). The bod behind the counter told me that last year Potterton changed PCB supplier and, wait for it, replaced all PCBs in Suprima boilers that were in store,. i.e. pre-delivery. Does that sound likely?

Richard

[Malc]

Not having seen the start of this thread I'm wading in. I used to work for Potterton in the 80s in the R& D dept. A lot of their stuff was made down to a price to compete with electromechanical stats etc. The cheapest manufacturers were used at all points and some of the dodges used to make the first electronic tank stats work were ludicrous. I made myself quite unpopular with my boss by telling him so in a memo (first job out of uni too). I dunno if they are like that now of course but....

-- Malc

[raden]

In message , Richard Savage writes

I've not seen any, it takes time for them to filter through to me, it would make sense from their point of view, before victims actually get together and bring a class action

I was told today that every Wimpy home in the UK built in the past X years is fitted with a Suprima ... should keep me going for a while.

[raden]

In message , Malc writes

Were they totally s**te then?

I think not

They have gone a long way down hill recently, I know a lot of fitters who will no longer fit a Potterton boiler

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I suppose the rot could have set in by then in R&D which took some time to filter through to production. Certainly their actual products until, what, the late '80s were among the best in class. I sometimes wish my old Kingfisher would fail so I was forced to fit a more efficient one.;-)

[Malc]

Fairly s**te yes. The boilers which generally speaking were designed much earlier, were reliable, the controls much less so. At one point we were selecting relays for the tank stats based on how slowly they would switch, the slower the better. If we weren't getting enough slow switching ones (for production) we'd adjust the timer so that more passed (or failed dependent on your view point). The potentiometer for the stats was a preset because the guys who designed them thought people would just set one temp then leave the stat alone which is not what happens. The stats and the EP range of controllers were powered by capacitive droppers to save money which let through mains spikes and cause the stats to blow up and the controllers to switch on permanently and....................

enough?

[Pete C]

LOL!

Why do they need to switch slowly?

Basic mistaken assumption.

A resistor and zener would take care of that.

No wonder the UK needs more plumbers, to keep replacing that lot.

cheers, Pete.

[Rob]

Can't speak for every area, but I know that every house on Barratt estates in our area are fitted with Suprimas. And some other house builders too....that's a LOT of Suprimas. Will keep you in PCBs for ages, Geoff!

Can you say "down to a price......."?

-Rob

[Ed Sirett]

Yep, they are the in choice for all new builds, even the more upmarket builders. I think that Architects are specifying Poxi Battertons based on the Profile and Netaheat stuff from 20 years back. However next year there won't be anymore being fitted in new build 8-) It remains to be seen what condensing model is going to be... so long as its not the Baxi Barcelona....

As for the controls why would anyone want to fit an electronic tank stat, the hysteris of a normal bi-metal drayton/horstman/honeywell unit is useful. The low tech stuff is fine. OK the little neon showing 'sat'(isfied) is marginally helpful.

[Andy Hall]

There could be a business opportunity though, just like Geoff has found with Suprima boards.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[raden]

In message , Malc writes

As do at least half the control pcbs on a majority of boilers - really doesn't help when it comes to Suprimas