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-   -   Replacing an oil CH boiler myself? (https://www.diybanter.com/uk-diy/605607-replacing-oil-ch-boiler-myself.html)

Rob Graham February 18th 18 08:38 PM

Replacing an oil CH boiler myself?
 
I did a Camray oil boiler installation myself over 20 years ago, and have twice had to rebuild the baffle plates, successfully in that the last re-build was some 5 years ago, but the machine is getting long in the tooth and anothe baffle failure might well be increasingly likely.

In terms of everything another boiler isn't that expensive, but having had a quote, which was monstrous considerable the inducements to become less polluting, I am wondering whether there are regulations now in place that would prohibit me just doing the replacement myself.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Old Codger[_6_] February 18th 18 09:49 PM

Replacing an oil CH boiler myself?
 
On 18/02/2018 20:38, Rob Graham wrote:
I did a Camray oil boiler installation myself over 20 years ago, and have twice had to rebuild the baffle plates, successfully in that the last re-build was some 5 years ago, but the machine is getting long in the tooth and anothe baffle failure might well be increasingly likely.

In terms of everything another boiler isn't that expensive, but having had a quote, which was monstrous considerable the inducements to become less polluting, I am wondering whether there are regulations now in place that would prohibit me just doing the replacement myself.

Any guidance would be appreciated.


A bit of googling suggests that it is still possible/permissible to diy
an oil fired installation:
https://www.diy-forums.com/threads/r...-boiler.31244/



--
Old Codger
e-mail use reply to field

What matters in politics is not what happens, but what you can make
people believe has happened. [Janet Daley 27/8/2003]

Michael Chare[_4_] February 18th 18 10:00 PM

Replacing an oil CH boiler myself?
 
On 18/02/2018 20:38, Rob Graham wrote:
I did a Camray oil boiler installation myself over 20 years ago, and have twice had to rebuild the baffle plates, successfully in that the last re-build was some 5 years ago, but the machine is getting long in the tooth and anothe baffle failure might well be increasingly likely.

In terms of everything another boiler isn't that expensive, but having had a quote, which was monstrous considerable the inducements to become less polluting, I am wondering whether there are regulations now in place that would prohibit me just doing the replacement myself.

Any guidance would be appreciated.


Which Camray boiler did you install? Why can you not just replace the
baffle plates?


--
Michael Chare

Dave Liquorice[_2_] February 19th 18 12:39 AM

Replacing an oil CH boiler myself?
 
On Sun, 18 Feb 2018 12:38:14 -0800 (PST), Rob Graham wrote:

In terms of everything another boiler isn't that expensive, but having
had a quote, which was monstrous ...


You might be entitled to a free boiler and installation under the ECO
scheme. They changed the rules recently and a lot more people now
qualify who didn't before.

I am wondering whether there are regulations now in place that would
prohibit me just doing the replacement myself.


It's in your own home, your not getting paid, provided you are
"competent" and follow the regs I don't think there is anything to
stop you. Same applies to gas.

--
Cheers
Dave.




Harry Bloomfield[_3_] February 19th 18 10:18 AM

Replacing an oil CH boiler myself?
 
Dave Liquorice explained on 19/02/2018 :
It's in your own home, your not getting paid, provided you are
"competent" and follow the regs I don't think there is anything to
stop you. Same applies to gas.


That is how I too see it. The only point of doubt is in determining who
might be described as 'competent'. Judging by the mistakes I have seen
made by fully qualified gas engineers, I would feel much safer doing a
self install.

Roger Hayter[_2_] February 19th 18 10:28 AM

Replacing an oil CH boiler myself?
 
Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Dave Liquorice explained on 19/02/2018 :
It's in your own home, your not getting paid, provided you are
"competent" and follow the regs I don't think there is anything to
stop you. Same applies to gas.


That is how I too see it. The only point of doubt is in determining who
might be described as 'competent'. Judging by the mistakes I have seen
made by fully qualified gas engineers, I would feel much safer doing a
self install.


With an oil boiler, someone with the proper, recently calibrated
instruments should check combustion when commissioning it. It seems
hard to go wrong with installation otherwise, provided one has
sufficient common sense and knowledge of suitable materials to seal the
flue properly, and put it in a sensible place.

--

Roger Hayter

[email protected] February 19th 18 11:12 AM

Replacing an oil CH boiler myself?
 
On Monday, 19 February 2018 10:29:01 UTC, Roger Hayter wrote:
Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Dave Liquorice explained on 19/02/2018 :
It's in your own home, your not getting paid, provided you are
"competent" and follow the regs I don't think there is anything to
stop you. Same applies to gas.


That is how I too see it. The only point of doubt is in determining who
might be described as 'competent'. Judging by the mistakes I have seen
made by fully qualified gas engineers, I would feel much safer doing a
self install.


With an oil boiler, someone with the proper, recently calibrated
instruments should check combustion when commissioning it. It seems
hard to go wrong with installation otherwise, provided one has
sufficient common sense and knowledge of suitable materials to seal the
flue properly, and put it in a sensible place.


don't they monitor themselves nowadays?

Roger Hayter[_2_] February 19th 18 12:28 PM

Replacing an oil CH boiler myself?
 
wrote:

On Monday, 19 February 2018 10:29:01 UTC, Roger Hayter wrote:
Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Dave Liquorice explained on 19/02/2018 :
It's in your own home, your not getting paid, provided you are
"competent" and follow the regs I don't think there is anything to
stop you. Same applies to gas.

That is how I too see it. The only point of doubt is in determining who
might be described as 'competent'. Judging by the mistakes I have seen
made by fully qualified gas engineers, I would feel much safer doing a
self install.


With an oil boiler, someone with the proper, recently calibrated
instruments should check combustion when commissioning it. It seems
hard to go wrong with installation otherwise, provided one has
sufficient common sense and knowledge of suitable materials to seal the
flue properly, and put it in a sensible place.


don't they monitor themselves nowadays?


Dunno! But you really still need to check all is working on
commissioning, for reasons which should he obvious to anyone who has
ever bought complex machines, such as cars.

--

Roger Hayter

Rob Graham February 19th 18 09:22 PM

Replacing an oil CH boiler myself?
 
On Monday, February 19, 2018 at 12:28:12 PM UTC, Roger Hayter wrote:
wrote:

On Monday, 19 February 2018 10:29:01 UTC, Roger Hayter wrote:
Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Dave Liquorice explained on 19/02/2018 :
It's in your own home, your not getting paid, provided you are
"competent" and follow the regs I don't think there is anything to
stop you. Same applies to gas.

That is how I too see it. The only point of doubt is in determining who
might be described as 'competent'. Judging by the mistakes I have seen
made by fully qualified gas engineers, I would feel much safer doing a
self install.

With an oil boiler, someone with the proper, recently calibrated
instruments should check combustion when commissioning it. It seems
hard to go wrong with installation otherwise, provided one has
sufficient common sense and knowledge of suitable materials to seal the
flue properly, and put it in a sensible place.


don't they monitor themselves nowadays?


Dunno! But you really still need to check all is working on
commissioning, for reasons which should he obvious to anyone who has
ever bought complex machines, such as cars.

--

Roger Hayter


Many thanks, guys, for your comments - all positive fortunately

"Urban myth" is a modern web sourced phrase that didn't exist when I was rebuilding this late 18th century cottage, but it might well be the basis of the fact that in Scotland, if you have a degree in electrical engineering it is a mark of your 'competence' to do the wiring in your house!! Likewise, on the basis that soldering is the key to a lot of electronics, I am therefore 'competent' to do plumbing :) .

I am comfortable with the competency requirement.

I'll buy locally and will get the supplier to calibrate it. Yes, I could do the baffle plates again but the pressed steel box they fit into probably wouldn't take a third visit, and the boiler is not likely to be much more the 50/60% efficient.

And a second yes - there is the Government inducement to replace old boilers, but the two quotes I have received are charging £3k/3.5k for 4 man days of work. I installed that last one, and I have a volunteering neighbour who spent his business life selling and installing wood burning stoves/ boilers - I think we should be a fine team.

Dave Liquorice[_2_] February 19th 18 10:47 PM

Replacing an oil CH boiler myself?
 
On Mon, 19 Feb 2018 12:28:09 +0000, Roger Hayter wrote:

It's in your own home, your not getting paid, provided you are
"competent" and follow the regs I don't think there is anything

to
stop you. Same applies to gas.

That is how I too see it. The only point of doubt is in

determining
who might be described as 'competent'.


Following the regs would be a good start. Followed by good
craftsmanship.

Judging by the mistakes I have seen made by fully qualified gas
engineers, I would feel much safer doing a self install.


Aye, just had our boiler replaced (freebie under ECO so no opporunity
to DIY). The also installed a TF1 magnetic filter, backwards.

With an oil boiler, someone with the proper, recently calibrated
instruments should check combustion when commissioning it. It

seems
hard to go wrong with installation otherwise, provided one has
sufficient common sense and knowledge of suitable materials to

seal
the flue properly, and put it in a sensible place.


Following the regs should get the flue in the right place, flue
position takes up a lot of pages...

don't they monitor themselves nowadays?


Dunno!


No, well not oil ones, they are on or off. I don't think there are
any modulating oil boilers that might need a feedback loop.

You can roughly adjust the power of a given boiler by manually
altering the pump pressure and changing the jet. This alters the
amount of oil sprayed into the combustion chamber and thus alters the
amount of air required for proper combustion, this is also a manual
adjustment.

But you really still need to check all is working on commissioning, for
reasons which should he obvious to anyone who has ever bought complex
machines, such as cars.


Oil boiler complex? Lump of cast iron, some baffles, oil pump driven
by a motor that also drives a fan, couple of thermostats, and a
control box that does nothing more than check there is a flame, if
there isn't when there should be it tries to ignite one for about 10
seconds then locks out.

You do need to check the oil pressure, smoke and CO2 levels in the
flue gases and the flue gas temperature are correct for the jet and
burner head installed. The CO2 level is adjusted by altering the air
inlet damper. Flue gas temp by oil pressure, I guess smoke just
follows if the air/oil ratio is giving proper combustion.

--
Cheers
Dave.




Michael Chare[_4_] February 20th 18 10:11 AM

Replacing an oil CH boiler myself?
 
On 19/02/2018 11:12, wrote:
On Monday, 19 February 2018 10:29:01 UTC, Roger Hayter wrote:
Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Dave Liquorice explained on 19/02/2018 :
It's in your own home, your not getting paid, provided you are
"competent" and follow the regs I don't think there is anything to
stop you. Same applies to gas.

That is how I too see it. The only point of doubt is in determining who
might be described as 'competent'. Judging by the mistakes I have seen
made by fully qualified gas engineers, I would feel much safer doing a
self install.


With an oil boiler, someone with the proper, recently calibrated
instruments should check combustion when commissioning it. It seemsit.
hard to go wrong with installation otherwise, provided one has
sufficient common sense and knowledge of suitable materials to seal the
flue properly, and put it in a sensible place.


don't they monitor themselves nowadays?

I doubt it. They just need to be checked once a year when being serviced.

--
Michael Chare


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