Hello all,

I think I need to to make a decision on the current heating system.

Currently I have a Keston 50 boiler working a non vented heating and
hot water system in the bungalow - all installed new in 2000.

Last week I noticed the hot water cylinder has developed a leak (small
drip) but the cylinder is an Oso with a RRP in the order of 900
pounds (I can source one for about 600 though) plus the labour to fit.
These cylinders now have a 25 year guarantee (but mine only had a 5
year one) so I put the failure down to one of those things and just
get on and replace it.

However life being what it is the heating did not come on this
morning, the mains supply fuse had failed.

I lifted the cover off the boiler and saw water dripping out of the
air intake filter housing, it was raining at the time and the intake
rises vertically through the roof approx 1 metre. I dried the small
amount of water out with a piece of kitchen towel and used a hair
drier to finish off the drying. A similar thing happened 2 years ago
and the gas valve had to be replaced at about 300 pounds.

So the decision I am considering is as there are only two of us living
here in a 2 bed bungalow using showers rather than baths should I
forget staying with a non vented system and replace the Keston with a
new stored water combi using the cylinder replacement cost to offset
the price.

We had a french combi years ago and hot water in the summer was
lethargic but I understand things have improved since then.

Any thoughts to help my aged brain make a decision?

Dave

On 20 Apr, 13:37, ClarkD wrote:
Hello all,

I think I need to to make a decision on the current heating system.

Currently I have a Keston 50 boiler working a non vented heating and
hot water system in the bungalow - all installed new in 2000.

Last week I noticed the hot water cylinder has developed a leak (small
drip) but the cylinder is an Oso with a RRP in the order of 900
pounds (I can source one for about 600 though) plus the labour to fit.
These cylinders now have a 25 year guarantee (but mine only had a 5
year one) so I put the failure down to one of those things and just
get on and replace it.

However life being what it is the heating did not come on this
morning, the mains supply fuse had failed.

I lifted the cover off the boiler and saw water dripping out of the
air intake filter housing, it was raining at the time and the intake
rises vertically through the roof approx 1 metre. I dried the small
amount of water out with a piece of kitchen towel and used a hair
drier to finish off the drying. A similar thing happened 2 years ago
and the gas valve had to be replaced at about 300 pounds.

So the decision I am considering is as there are only two of us living
here in a 2 bed bungalow using showers rather than baths should I
forget staying with a non vented system and replace the Keston with a
new stored water combi using the cylinder replacement cost to offset
the price.

We had a french combi years ago and hot water in the summer was
lethargic but I understand things have improved since then.

Any thoughts to help my aged brain make a decision?

Dave

Forgot to add dried out boiler still not working so a repair will be
required at an unknown cost.
(see what I mean about an aged brain)
Dave

On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 05:37:24 -0700 (PDT), ClarkD wrote:

However life being what it is the heating did not come on this
morning, the mains supply fuse had failed.

Where is this fuse located and what is its rating?

Geo

On 20 Apr, 15:10, Geo wrote:
On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 05:37:24 -0700 (PDT), ClarkD wrote:
However life being what it is the heating did not come on this
morning, the mains supply fuse had failed.

Where is this fuse located and what is its rating?

Geo

Geo

3 amp in the switched fuse spur that feeds the heating system

Dave

In message
,
ClarkD writes
Hello all,

I think I need to to make a decision on the current heating system.

Currently I have a Keston 50 boiler working a non vented heating and
hot water system in the bungalow - all installed new in 2000.

Last week I noticed the hot water cylinder has developed a leak (small
drip) but the cylinder is an Oso with a RRP in the order of 900
pounds (I can source one for about 600 though) plus the labour to fit.
These cylinders now have a 25 year guarantee (but mine only had a 5
year one) so I put the failure down to one of those things and just
get on and replace it.

However life being what it is the heating did not come on this
morning, the mains supply fuse had failed.

I lifted the cover off the boiler and saw water dripping out of the
air intake filter housing, it was raining at the time and the intake
rises vertically through the roof approx 1 metre. I dried the small
amount of water out with a piece of kitchen towel and used a hair
drier to finish off the drying. A similar thing happened 2 years ago
and the gas valve had to be replaced at about 300 pounds.


Any thoughts to help my aged brain make a decision?



Gas valves carry gas, not water

why was it replaced to cure a drip ?


--
geoff

On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:22:06 -0700 (PDT), ClarkD wrote:

3 amp in the switched fuse spur that feeds the heating system

Oh well - I would have thought it unlikely that rainwater across the mains would
blow a 3 amp fuse. More likely that water got on some electronics and caused a
secondary failure. Might be worth replacing the fuse (same 3A and once-only) to
see what happens...


Geo

After serious thinking geoff wrote :
Gas valves carry gas, not water

why was it replaced to cure a drip ?

Perhaps the water dripped onto the gas valve and damaged it.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

On 20 Apr, 19:06, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
After serious thinking geoff wrote :

Gas valves carry gas, not water

why was it replaced to cure a drip ?

Perhaps the water dripped onto the gas valve and damaged it.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

Guys

Yes, the gas valve is below the air intake and was damaged by water
into the electrics last time, this time I made sure it was all dry
before I replaced the fuse.

The situation now is upon demand from the programmer the pump starts
and the boiler powers up but does not step on to start the air fan
which would occur before the gas valve would operate. Also there are
no flashing LED indications on the control unit which does not give
comfort that that is still operational.

Now the panic has subsided a little it may be that working through a
flow chart it could be a boiler stat, overheat cutout or similar.

My thoughts earlier today were based on at what point do you stop
spending on what you have and start again !

Could the needed outlay of a grand or thereabouts for a new cylinder
be better spent an a new system?

Again your thoughts are appreciated.

Dave

ClarkD expressed precisely :
The situation now is upon demand from the programmer the pump starts
and the boiler powers up but does not step on to start the air fan
which would occur before the gas valve would operate. Also there are
no flashing LED indications on the control unit which does not give
comfort that that is still operational.

Are there any fuses on the boiler PCB which might have blown?

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

In message , Harry
Bloomfield writes
After serious thinking geoff wrote :
Gas valves carry gas, not water

why was it replaced to cure a drip ?

Perhaps the water dripped onto the gas valve and damaged it.

How ?

More like - "we've got one here, tighten up that joint and charge the
bugger for that old gas valve on the van ..."


--
geoff

On 20 Apr, 21:06, geoff wrote:
In message , Harry
Bloomfield writesAfter serious thinking geoff wrote :
Gas valves carry gas, not water

why was it replaced to cure a drip ?

Perhaps the water dripped onto the gas valve and damaged it.

How ?

More like - "we've got one here, tighten up that joint and charge the
bugger for that old gas valve on the van ..."

--
geoff

Hi again

Harry - I have not tried to open the cover of the PCB but there appear
not to be any user changeable within the boiler casing as far as I can
see.

Geoff - the last gas valve went with a bang and was certainly
terminal, which is why I checked things before I just replaced the
fuse this time.

I have a labour only maintenance contract on the boiler at the moment
so I will await their diagnosis rather than over extend my abilities
by prodding too far into the workings.

My original question was, is it sensible to consider changing out to a
new combi or pay out and keep the existing?

Dave

In message
,
ClarkD writes
On 20 Apr, 21:06, geoff wrote:
In message , Harry
Bloomfield writesAfter serious
thinking geoff wrote :
Gas valves carry gas, not water

why was it replaced to cure a drip ?

Perhaps the water dripped onto the gas valve and damaged it.

How ?

More like - "we've got one here, tighten up that joint and charge the
bugger for that old gas valve on the van ..."

--
geoff

Hi again

Harry - I have not tried to open the cover of the PCB but there appear
not to be any user changeable within the boiler casing as far as I can
see.

Geoff - the last gas valve went with a bang and was certainly
terminal, which is why I checked things before I just replaced the
fuse this time.

There really isn't anything in a gas valve to go bang

The only electrical part is the solenoid coil which is potted

.... might have been the connector

--
geoff

In article ,
ClarkD writes:
However life being what it is the heating did not come on this
morning, the mains supply fuse had failed.

I lifted the cover off the boiler and saw water dripping out of the
air intake filter housing, it was raining at the time and the intake
rises vertically through the roof approx 1 metre.

If rain is coming in through the air intake, that needs
fixing. I'm not familiar with the Keston 50, but on a
Keston Celcius 25, I would expect that to do damage -- the
mains transformer, gas valve, and fan motor are quite nearby,
and if it got further down, the circuit boards too.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 05:42:57 -0700, ClarkD wrote:

On 20 Apr, 13:37, ClarkD wrote:
Hello all,

I think I need to to make a decision on the current heating system.

Currently I have a Keston 50 boiler working a non vented heating and
hot water system in the bungalow - all installed new in 2000.

Last week I noticed the hot water cylinder has developed a leak (small
drip) but the cylinder is an Oso with a RRP in the order of 900 pounds
(I can source one for about 600 though) plus the labour to fit. These
cylinders now have a 25 year guarantee (but mine only had a 5 year one)
so I put the failure down to one of those things and just get on and
replace it.

However life being what it is the heating did not come on this morning,
the mains supply fuse had failed.

I lifted the cover off the boiler and saw water dripping out of the air
intake filter housing, it was raining at the time and the intake rises
vertically through the roof approx 1 metre. I dried the small amount of
water out with a piece of kitchen towel and used a hair drier to finish
off the drying. A similar thing happened 2 years ago and the gas valve
had to be replaced at about 300 pounds.

So the decision I am considering is as there are only two of us living
here in a 2 bed bungalow using showers rather than baths should I
forget staying with a non vented system and replace the Keston with a
new stored water combi using the cylinder replacement cost to offset
the price.

We had a french combi years ago and hot water in the summer was
lethargic but I understand things have improved since then.

Any thoughts to help my aged brain make a decision?

Dave

Forgot to add dried out boiler still not working so a repair will be
required at an unknown cost.
(see what I mean about an aged brain)
Dave


This sounds to me that there is a problem with the installation of the
air intake. This should be carefully arranged to never suck in rain
water...

If the boiler is dead then you might consider a radical upgrade.

However why has the cylinder failed? (this is presumably a thermal store/
heat bank or unvented cylinder). These are not low end kit and they
should be fixable.

Anyway it sounds like some serious well costed advise is needed which
some pictures might be able to shed some light on.


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html