Ideal Icos HE 18 Burner Box Failure

[willing2learn]

Hi gang, went to a customers house last week, can't remember the fault code off the top of my head. But basically replaced the dry fire switch as this what the code was pointing to. Anyway to cut a long story short, I stripped the boiler after this didn't remedy the fault, only to find the back of the burner box had completely melted away! This had then burnt through most of the wiring going up the back of the boiler, causing the fault code.

Has anybody seen this occur on one of these before? Trying to work out how it could've happened, maybe an arc from a dodgy wire?

They are quite hard up for cash, so I said I would see if I could get some parts to sort it (mate has an isar lying around so was thinking I could get most of the parts of that). I was just wondering whether I should be entertaining repairing it at all, or whether I should be suggesting it's time for a new boiler, as I mentioned to them, that replacing the parts doesn't guarantee this won't happen again, and I don't want them to keep chucking money at the bloody thing.

What would you chaps do?

 

[quality]

Problems with a rubbish boiler like this and of that extreme its an easy choice.

Strapped for cash or not I would advise on a replacement boiler.

even if and when its repaired its still a rubbish boiler.

 

[willing2learn]

That's what I was thinking too, seems a bit pointless constantly chucking money at it.

Problems with a rubbish boiler like this and of that extreme its an easy choice.

Strapped for cash or not I would advise on a replacement boiler.

even if and when its repaired its still a rubbish boiler.

 

[stevetheplumber]

there called ideal as there ideal for the scrap content

 

[BDL]

This is A VERY COMMON AND DANGEROUS FAULT. Ideal Boilers will not admit to it, but the problem relates to the combustion chamber heat panels. They can crack down the middle. Once cracked they fall apart and it seems they fall forward, this deflects the flame from the down firing burner onto the now unprotected chamber wall. Melts through, and only shuts down once the wiring looms have melted. If you are unlucky and the boiler is fitted in a kitchen cupboard, loft etc you may find things get nasty. Very common, always check the combustion panel pads on the service. Ideals brought out a service kit a few years ago. Solution?New heat exchanger and wiring loom. Hope this helps.

 

[adam84]

This is A VERY COMMON AND DANGEROUS FAULT. Ideal Boilers will not admit to it, but the problem relates to the combustion chamber heat panels. They can crack down the middle. Once cracked they fall apart and it seems they fall forward, this deflects the flame from the down firing burner onto the now unprotected chamber wall. Melts through, and only shuts down once the wiring looms have melted. If you are unlucky and the boiler is fitted in a kitchen cupboard, loft etc you may find things get nasty. Very common, always check the combustion panel pads on the service. Ideals brought out a service kit a few years ago. Solution?New heat exchanger and wiring loom. Hope this helps.

i agree i encounted this in garage once and was appalled when ideal said they wanted nothing to do with it, we fitted a viessman instead.

 

[flow rate]

Best thing to do with this is tell the customer it is not worth carrying on with the repair of the boiler. Ideal Icos are a nightmare. Bloody expensive parts and the repair could cost more in the long run than fitting a completely new boiler. Tell them to cut their loss's with this boiler and get a new one with a 2 year manufactures guarantee parts and labour, also recommend that you will install a better boiler that has the benefit that when parts are needing to be replaced they will be far more reasonable than the boiler that they have at the moment and fit a Main 25eco.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

best thing to do???????????? AXE IT TO DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[thereisawizza]

If you catch the panels before they collapse inwards (ie on servicing) there are updated ionization probes to be fitted that basically are now just clips for holding the panels in place! By calling them this and not "retaining clips" may have been one way round issuing a recall?........

First sign of any trouble with Isar/Icos etc, get something German in there.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

quote;get something German in there.
why? the Germans cant get it right either, valiants also prone to melting its heat exchanger,and wb been known for it baxis duotec stays in one piece.........the solo dont

 

[thereisawizza]

Haven't heard of melting h/ex, although have witnessed a couple of "cheese string" incidents following neoprene seal failures.....😱

 

[ian macca]

this is due to the pins that hold back the combustion pads,these pins corrode and let the pads fall away and melt the burner box,ideal brought out new pins shaped like coat hangers,to replace the old type if came across,ideal was covering these by replacing the whole heat engine as it is there fault due to poor design