Hello all, me again.

Here is the part in question......(kindly web-published by Colin Wilson).

www.phoenixbbs.co.uk/elbow_1.jpg
www.phoenixbbs.co.uk/elbow_2.jpg

It's brass, about the size of a man's thumb. The nipple at the back is
important in order for service engineers to attach a rubber tube, for
pressure testing I expect.

The bottom, outer thread, connects to the gas valve.
The front, inner thread, connects to a pipe which goes into the boiler
casing.

See how the engineer has hacksawed the first few mil off the inner thread,
to try and get it to fit. That's the bit of the thread that the engineer
bent.

I had a friendly, and wise, independent engineer round today. He said he
would "try" and create a new part. But if anyone out there has a similar
part I will gladly pay for it.

Richard
Leeds


"Simon Stroud" wrote in message
...
"John" wrote in message
...

"Richard Owen" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I've recently moved house (September), and I continued my British Gas
3-star
service contract that I have had for 5 years.

An engineer came round this Monday to do the annual service on the 24
year
old Glow Worm boiler. As soon as the engineer left, the pilot light
went
out, and kept going out within a few minutes of relighting. The same
engineer came back today to solve the problem by fitting a new gas
valve,
cheerfully joking about Murphy's Law when you start messing with
something
after months or years of fault-free operation.

During the fitting process the engineer accidentally bent the thread
of
an
elbowed threaded pipe. This is an irreplaceable part due to the age
of
the
boiler, so the only option was for the engineer to arrange for a quote
for
a
new boiler. The British Gas quote-monger will be coming round this
evening.

Cheek! If I took my car in for a service and the garage damaged the
engine,
I'd hardly get a bill for a new car would I?

Does anybody know where I stand regarding responsibility here?

1. Even if I wanted to replace the boiler, I would probably not
choose
British Gas because of the cost.
2. If I hadn't paid them to service the boiler, I wouldn't be in
this
situation.
3. The engineer admitted the damage, so shouldn't British Gas
rectify
their error?
4. If they offer a discount because of their error, could I get a
quote
from a different supplier and ask British Gas to pay the equivalent of
their
offered discount?


I cannot think offhand of a bit of vulnerable threaded bent pipe on an
old
type GlowWorm boiler although the model details would be a big help. In
any
case it may not be beyond a bit of judicious straightening and maybe a
thread clean up with a die nut. SERIOUS damage could hardly be
considered
accidental and it could be that Mr hamfist was bucking for his
introducers
commission from his employers.
I'd get a local independant guy to take a look before chucking big money
even after discounts at BG. If the local guy can and does effect a
repair
you should claim the cost of the repair from BG although it might take a
bit
of a fight to get it.


If it's a Fuelsaver 55F or compatible, you are welcome to any bits of my
old
one that is hanging on the wall waiting for me to pull it out and brick up
the flue hole. It's been in that state for nearly 3 years since we put the
new combi in the garage and it's serving a useful purpose of plugging the
hole to stop draughts. You (or anyone else) are welcome to any "no longer
available" bits out of it! Collect from Basingstoke or postage at cost.

Contact me by email avoiding the obvious "spam trap" if interested.

Regards,
Simon.