Baxi Solo 3
 

Hi all

Hope some one can help.

I came home tonight after work to find that my Baxi Solo 3 40 PF is
not working.

I switched off at the wall for a few mins and turned the knob on the
boiler to off.

Then with CH & HW set to continuous i turned heating on at FCU and
turned knob on front of boiler.

Boiler light came on.
Fan light came on

But Pilot and Burner light stayed off.

Is there anything I can do before calling a heating engineer.

Thanks

Andy

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Andy Pandy wrote:

Hi all

Hope some one can help.

I came home tonight after work to find that my Baxi Solo 3 40 PF is
not working.

I switched off at the wall for a few mins and turned the knob on the
boiler to off.

Then with CH & HW set to continuous i turned heating on at FCU and
turned knob on front of boiler.

Boiler light came on.
Fan light came on

But Pilot and Burner light stayed off.

Is there anything I can do before calling a heating engineer.

Thanks

Andy

Depends how competent you are. You should find a diagnostic chart on the
back of the removeable panel at the bottom of the boiler. Work through that
to see where it leads you. It sounds as if the pressure switch may have
failed. This detects that the fan is running, and stops the boiler firing if
it isn't. make sure that the pipes and electrical connections going to the
pressure switch are ok. But see where the diagnostic chart leads you - it
will tell you how to interpret the little LED indicator lights.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

In message , Andy Pandy
writes
Hi all

Hope some one can help.

I came home tonight after work to find that my Baxi Solo 3 40 PF is
not working.

I switched off at the wall for a few mins and turned the knob on the
boiler to off.

Then with CH & HW set to continuous i turned heating on at FCU and
turned knob on front of boiler.

Boiler light came on.
Fan light came on

Probably faulty air pressure switch or knacked pcb.

Is the ignition neon coming on, can you hear the spark (a ticking at
about one second intervals)

If so, then either the pcb or pilot valve



But Pilot and Burner light stayed off.

Is there anything I can do before calling a heating engineer.

Thanks

Andy

--
geoff

Thanks Guys

When I got up this morning the electricity was off.

I reset the trip and it went straight off again.

I turned FCU to boiler off and elecricity stays on.

It seems the problem got worsr over night!

At least yesyerday I could get 2 lights on and no electricity trip.

Is the ignition neon coming on, can you hear the spark (a ticking at
about one second intervals)

Geoff

I can hear nothing (could not yesterday before triping started
anyway)

Set Square

Thanks I have took the cover off an will look at diagram. I also
downloaded a nice pdf file for Baxi maintenance just now so will look
at that.

Wow it gets better

I have taken the front cover off and have removed contol panel and
have eased the PCB out.

Every time i have been turning power on at FCU then the power has
tripped in the house. (only since this morning)

I have checked on price PCB ( one or two places, new and
reconditioned)

If you do need spares, have a word with Geoff at
http://www.cetltd.com/default.asp

Thanks set square.

I have checked all wires and pipes to the pressure switch.

My situation is now this. i do not know for sure that it is the PCB so
have tried one or two things to eliminate the fcu , clock, etc (easy
stuff but none the less).

I now arrive at this.

I have taken the plug connector out of the PCB that takes a live ,
neutral and earth to the pump (so totaly isolating pump) and now when
I put FCU on at switch, the electricity does not trip at the consumer
unit.
When I then turn the control knob the same lights as before come on ie
Boiler light and Fan light (though as i stand on a chair and look at
the fan it is not turning!)

So im back to my original position as my first post only yesterday i
was at this position without the need to isolate the pump to maintain
electricity to the house.

Is this indicative of a pump problem that got worse over night ?

Is ther a test for the pump that I may do (maybe plug into socket on
ring (L,N,E and see if consumer trips or pump works?)

is there a way to test the PCB without actually buying another one.

Realy appreciate sugestions

thanks Andy

Hi Guys

Sorry to be a pain but I must post this.

I was concrned as i read my last post

(though as i stand on a chair and look at
the fan it is not turning!)

Fan not running but light on!

So i turned boiler aon and as the Fan On Light illuminated I saw the
fan turn a smidge but was obviously struggling. i turned all power off
and manually turned the fan,, it is really stiff and screeches.

Wow it seems that this is the problem but why is the connection of the
pump now tripping the house electricity?

Shall i take it out and wd40 or greese or should I replace?

In my first post I thought that the fan was on simply because the
light said so ,, but now as I have took cover off i can see the fan
not turning.

Andy

"Andy Pandy" wrote in message
...

Wow it gets better

I have taken the front cover off and have removed contol panel and
have eased the PCB out.

Every time i have been turning power on at FCU then the power has
tripped in the house. (only since this morning)

I have checked on price PCB ( one or two places, new and
reconditioned)

If you do need spares, have a word with Geoff at
http://www.cetltd.com/default.asp

Thanks set square.

I have checked all wires and pipes to the pressure switch.

My situation is now this. i do not know for sure that it is the PCB so
have tried one or two things to eliminate the fcu , clock, etc (easy
stuff but none the less).

I now arrive at this.

I have taken the plug connector out of the PCB that takes a live ,
neutral and earth to the pump (so totaly isolating pump) and now when
I put FCU on at switch, the electricity does not trip at the consumer
unit.
When I then turn the control knob the same lights as before come on ie
Boiler light and Fan light (though as i stand on a chair and look at
the fan it is not turning!)

So im back to my original position as my first post only yesterday i
was at this position without the need to isolate the pump to maintain
electricity to the house.

Is this indicative of a pump problem that got worse over night ?

Sure looks that way

Is ther a test for the pump that I may do (maybe plug into socket on
ring (L,N,E and see if consumer trips or pump works?)

There is if you have a length of 3 core flex and a plug with 3 amp fuse. It
would be better to test the insulation with a megger but if you haven't got
one

is there a way to test the PCB without actually buying another one.

If the pump is your problem you might not need to

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Andy Pandy wrote:

Hi Guys

Sorry to be a pain but I must post this.

I was concrned as i read my last post

(though as i stand on a chair and look at
the fan it is not turning!)

Fan not running but light on!

So i turned boiler aon and as the Fan On Light illuminated I saw the
fan turn a smidge but was obviously struggling. i turned all power off
and manually turned the fan,, it is really stiff and screeches.

Wow it seems that this is the problem but why is the connection of the
pump now tripping the house electricity?

Shall i take it out and wd40 or greese or should I replace?

In my first post I thought that the fan was on simply because the
light said so ,, but now as I have took cover off i can see the fan
not turning.

Andy

Sounds like the 'fan on' light simply means that power is being supplied to
the fan. There is probably another light which comes on when the pressure
switch switches - indicating that the fan is *really* running.

I've not had too much success reviving stuck fans - leave it to the experts
like Geoff, and get one of his re-conditioned units.

To answer the question in your previous post, you can test the pump by
putting a 13A plug on its cable (with a 3A fuse in!) and plugging it into
the ring main. If it's ok, have a close look at the connections in the
boiler - you might just have disturbed something and caused a short in the
pump department.

--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

In message , Andy Pandy
writes
Hi Guys

Sorry to be a pain but I must post this.

I was concrned as i read my last post

(though as i stand on a chair and look at
the fan it is not turning!)

Fan not running but light on!

Yes, I misread that last night as fan running

... new one on it's way !

--
geoff

Thank you all

Watch this space!

Next episode tomorrow night.

Andy

Well

New Fan installed and boiler fires up fine. Brilliant.

Only prob now is that when I connect the pump to the PCB the Consumer
unit trips still !

Could the fan becoming stiff (in the first instance a couple of days
ago) and so not working have somehow put load on the pump or PCB as it
was struggling to rotate.

I will test Pump tomorrow with a flex to socket on the ring!!

Fan is excellent Geoff thanks, but stay by the phone.


Andy

In message , Andy Pandy
writes


Well

New Fan installed and boiler fires up fine. Brilliant.

Only prob now is that when I connect the pump to the PCB the Consumer
unit trips still !

Water in the pump electrics ? Take the cover off and have a look


Could the fan becoming stiff (in the first instance a couple of days
ago) and so not working have somehow put load on the pump or PCB as it
was struggling to rotate.

No, they're both powered directly via relays on the pcb


I will test Pump tomorrow with a flex to socket on the ring!!

And I bet it'll trip it out


Fan is excellent Geoff thanks, but stay by the phone.


Andy



--
geoff

Water in the pump electrics ? Take the cover off and have a look

No water found



And I bet it'll trip it out

Yes it did as soon as I connected to the ring.

I fitted a new pump today and all (fingers crossed) seems fine.

Thanks Geoff

Old fan will be send on Monday.

Andy

In message , Andy Pandy
writes

is there a way to test the PCB without actually buying another one.

Not easily, I have a test rig which simulates the inputs and outputs.

You need to simulate the temp sensor, the APS, etc and have some means
of simulating the flame sensing. Just not worth it for £30, delivery and
VAT
--
geoff

"Andy Pandy" wrote in message
...


Well

New Fan installed and boiler fires up fine. Brilliant.

Only prob now is that when I connect the pump to the PCB the Consumer
unit trips still !

Could the fan becoming stiff (in the first instance a couple of days
ago) and so not working have somehow put load on the pump or PCB as it
was struggling to rotate.

I will test Pump tomorrow with a flex to socket on the ring!!

You would be better testing the disconnected pump with a Megger. Pumps are
notorious for suffering leakage into the terminal box or even worse into the
windings.
Worth keeping in mind that its often possible to change just the "top" of
the pump without removing the volute casing.
IIRC there is a "universal" replacement pump top produced by Ideal