Hi,
Can I pick your brains?
My boiler is often reluctant to start, sometimes it does, sometimes it seems that it will if the demand is from the central heating but not for hot water and sometimes the other way round, so it's probably just luck as to when it does decide to work[?]. When there's demand, and it doesn't fire, there is a humming/quiet ticking sound that fades after a few seconds, and when the demand ends there a whirring that sounds like a valve being closed[?]. The Water Heating or Demand lights don't come on, let alone Ignition or Flame - that's all the display I have. The pump will start to get hot if I try for too long or too often. It usually starts eventually but sometimes refuses but then works perfectly later in the day. Once I tried it at the kitchen tap to make sure it was working before going to shower and it worked downstairs but not five minutes later upstairs. The pump spins freely enough with a screwdriver but if it's not firing correctly there is absolutely no sign of movement of the spindle when demand is made. Sometimes, once it's running, the shower - an old thermostatic Aqualisa - will alternate between unbearably hot and almost cold [I thought it was designed to keep a steady temp regardless of the hot supply...?] Reading other questions here these problems seem to point to a faulty run capacitor. It's nearly 30 years old but it looks OK - no bulges, leaks or splits - but considering how often you had to change fluorescent tube starters I guess it's done pretty well.
Does anyone think this is likely to be the problem and it's worth trying to fit a new one? Do they fade away or just go from working to not working at all? The boiler is so far past its prime it's not worth the cost of a new pump or anything else on that scale, but a few quid for a new capacitor would be great if it kept it going a little longer.
BTW, I can't see me ever opting for a heat pump on space, cost and convenience grounds, and with the future of gas uncertain does anyone have any opinions on electric combi boilers to be used without hot water storage? I don't use much gas so I can imagine the savings on standing charges for gas, servicing and maintenance might balance the higher energy costs, but do they work well enough? One concern is just getting a heavy duty power supply to the boiler - I've no idea what that would involve.
Many thanks.
Can I pick your brains?
My boiler is often reluctant to start, sometimes it does, sometimes it seems that it will if the demand is from the central heating but not for hot water and sometimes the other way round, so it's probably just luck as to when it does decide to work[?]. When there's demand, and it doesn't fire, there is a humming/quiet ticking sound that fades after a few seconds, and when the demand ends there a whirring that sounds like a valve being closed[?]. The Water Heating or Demand lights don't come on, let alone Ignition or Flame - that's all the display I have. The pump will start to get hot if I try for too long or too often. It usually starts eventually but sometimes refuses but then works perfectly later in the day. Once I tried it at the kitchen tap to make sure it was working before going to shower and it worked downstairs but not five minutes later upstairs. The pump spins freely enough with a screwdriver but if it's not firing correctly there is absolutely no sign of movement of the spindle when demand is made. Sometimes, once it's running, the shower - an old thermostatic Aqualisa - will alternate between unbearably hot and almost cold [I thought it was designed to keep a steady temp regardless of the hot supply...?] Reading other questions here these problems seem to point to a faulty run capacitor. It's nearly 30 years old but it looks OK - no bulges, leaks or splits - but considering how often you had to change fluorescent tube starters I guess it's done pretty well.
Does anyone think this is likely to be the problem and it's worth trying to fit a new one? Do they fade away or just go from working to not working at all? The boiler is so far past its prime it's not worth the cost of a new pump or anything else on that scale, but a few quid for a new capacitor would be great if it kept it going a little longer.
BTW, I can't see me ever opting for a heat pump on space, cost and convenience grounds, and with the future of gas uncertain does anyone have any opinions on electric combi boilers to be used without hot water storage? I don't use much gas so I can imagine the savings on standing charges for gas, servicing and maintenance might balance the higher energy costs, but do they work well enough? One concern is just getting a heavy duty power supply to the boiler - I've no idea what that would involve.
Many thanks.
