Glow worm Boiler Ignition Fault

[Chopin]

I am a new poster to this forum - not a heating professional, but a householder looking for advice. please.

I have a Glow worm 18hxi boiler with Magnatech installed in 2006 by a local engineer who has serviced it regularly and comprehensively every year - very competent, has done a lot of work for me over the years always very thorough and high quality. The boiler has performed well, though in 2016, when my usual engineer was in hospital, Glow worm/Vaillant had to replace, "the electrode, gas section, heat exchanger door seal and zig ignitor".

Just before my most recent service a week ago the boiler failed and showed fault F4. I reset but a day or so later it failed (F4) again. at the service the only visible fault was what appeared to be a very small amount of rust on the back plate which might indicate a small leak of condensate. The amount was tiny and possibly old because it was dry and could be rubbed off. Engineer thought it unlikely to be causing fault, but said should be monitored and would have a look in 6 months. Could find nothing else wrong, but made an adjustment to CO2 level on gas valve due to F4 fault. Unit started and ran perfectly on test, but failed next day and again today after running for a few minutes. Engineer spoke to Glow worm/Vaillant Technical who are currently guessing at a PCB fault, though I get the impression they are scratching their heads a little. My own question is could this be the case because the boiler starts and runs for some minutes before cutting out?

Any additional ideas would be most welcome please.

 

[oz-plumber]

We can't help with finding gas faults on gas appliances.

All I will say, there are a few items to check before replacing PCB.
It may be the PCB, but some basic checks should take about 10 minutes

 

[centralheatking]

I am a new poster to this forum - not a heating professional, but a householder looking for advice. please.

I have a Glow worm 18hxi boiler with Magnatech installed in 2006 by a local engineer who has serviced it regularly and comprehensively every year - very competent, has done a lot of work for me over the years always very thorough and high quality. The boiler has performed well, though in 2016, when my usual engineer was in hospital, Glow worm/Vaillant had to replace, "the electrode, gas section, heat exchanger door seal and zig ignitor".

Just before my most recent service a week ago the boiler failed and showed fault F4. I reset but a day or so later it failed (F4) again. at the service the only visible fault was what appeared to be a very small amount of rust on the back plate which might indicate a small leak of condensate. The amount was tiny and possibly old because it was dry and could be rubbed off. Engineer thought it unlikely to be causing fault, but said should be monitored and would have a look in 6 months. Could find nothing else wrong, but made an adjustment to CO2 level on gas valve due to F4 fault. Unit started and ran perfectly on test, but failed next day and again today after running for a few minutes. Engineer spoke to Glow worm/Vaillant Technical who are currently guessing at a PCB fault, though I get the impression they are scratching their heads a little. My own question is could this be the case because the boiler starts and runs for some minutes before cutting out?

Any additional ideas would be most welcome please.

It is easy to divide heating repair engineers in my experienced opinion
1. Experienced clever intuitive engineers who methodically fault find and fix the problem
2. The others who just start throwing replacement parts at the boiler until it is running
Beware of seemingly experienced engineers who appear to know their stuff in reality they take the make and model of the boiler stick it into their mobile which brings up the 10 most common faults and they work of that list....British Gas and a few other outfits do this
they are in category 2. and from their records they know what boiler you have before they darken your door. centralheatking

 

[Dan]

It is easy to divide heating repair engineers in my experienced opinion
1. Experienced clever intuitive engineers who methodically fault find and fix the problem
2. The others who just start throwing replacement parts at the boiler until it is running
Beware of seemingly experienced engineers who appear to know their stuff in reality they take the make and model of the boiler stick it into their mobile which brings up the 10 most common faults and they work of that list....British Gas and a few other outfits do this
they are in category 2. and from their records they know what boiler you have before they darken your door. centralheatking

We need lists of 10 most common faults for each boiler then lol Get some traffic.

Please be mindful that we have all types of engineers on here mate and I don't want to bad mouth any one type.

I'm hoping our new training and mentor schemes work out well. We'll make a whole new generation of boiler repair men.

Then a new generation of actual Engineers too.

 

[Chopin]

Thank you both for your warnings. I am aware of these dangers - happens in other instances too, of course, the motor trade being perhaps the most obvious. My own engineer has been doing services and other work for me for approx 15 years, methodical, meticulous, no faults/complaints whatsoever. I only posted because he (and Glow worm tech) are a bit at a loss to definitively run this to earth - neither I nor engineer want to get into the situation of just replacing parts sequentially with a prayer that 'this one will work'. In the absence of additional thoughts the best option might be to opt for Glow worm's one-off fixed price repair and pass the responsibility to them.

 

[centralheatking]

Thank you both for your warnings. I am aware of these dangers - happens in other instances too, of course, the motor trade being perhaps the most obvious. My own engineer has been doing services and other work for me for approx 15 years, methodical, meticulous, no faults/complaints whatsoever. I only posted because he (and Glow worm tech) are a bit at a loss to definitively run this to earth - neither I nor engineer want to get into the situation of just replacing parts sequentially with a prayer that 'this one will work'. In the absence of additional thoughts the best option might be to opt for Glow worm's one-off fixed price repair and pass the responsibility to them.

Its Autumn temps are heading down and a one off fixed price repair looks attractive to me
if it was early summer you could explore other options...however wait till tonight as others are out doing and may want to help when they get home. centralheatking