Problem with Gledhill Gulfstream 2000

[black2908]

Hi,

I’m hoping someone is out there that can help with an issue I have with my Gledhill Gulfstream 2000 boiler. I've had this boiler since I moved into my house from new in 2005.

Over the last week or so it has started making a loud humming noise intermittently. I starts quietly, building in volume until its very loud (enough to wake you up!) then it dies down again to nothing. The noise is similar to what you hear when the heating kicks in but the volume gets much louder.

It happens between 2-5 times per day and can be at any point in the day but most noticeable in the morning when the heating comes on as per the timer. The heating is timed to go off around 10:30 pm but last night the noise woke me up at 1:30 am so it’s not just happening when the heating is ‘on’.

It’s difficult to track down whether the noise is coming directly from the boiler itself in the cupboard upstairs or from the loft directly above where the pipe goes directly above it.

From researching on line few people seem to have a good word to say about this model. I’ve called a few plumbers/heating engineers and either been told that they won’t work on it or that its better to get a new boiler. I’ve almost resigned myself to this but I’m convinced that there must be somebody out there that has experience of this fault on this model who may be able to give some advice on what is wrong.

Thanks

 

[diamondgas]

I'll start with honesty .. Never seen one in my life! That said though I've worked on a couple of thermal store boilers in my time and a few of them were Gledhill ..

My first question to yourself is, Does your boiler have separate timing for the hot water? Thermal stores are mostly on 24/7 to keep the thermal store hot but The mi's for yours mention a remote hot water timer.

Another question ... Have you tried it on the electric override to see if the noise goes away? If not it may be worth a try as that has the possibility of focusing towards the "gas" side of the unit, or something else!

there are a lot of working parts within the unit that could generate a humming noise, 3 pumps, a fan, gas valve, heat-exchanger and even PCB! I'm guessing it's related to keeping the thermal store hot!

Last question is have you been inside, took the case off and are familiar with the bits and bobs in front of you or are you not that technically minded? 🙂

 

[black2908]

Removed - duplicate post

 

[black2908]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

I'm afraid I'm a complete beginer when it comes to this so I have never opened the case and looked inside.

I don't think there is a seperate tiimer for hot water. We can run hot water whenever we need it so I think its just the heating on a timer.

Where would I find the electric overide - is it a switch on the front panel? If I press it do I need to reverse it afterwards or just leave it?

 

[Kev the gas]

Spooky post!, I took one of these out this week for the same problem.

I was brought in to replace not repair so I cant help with the fault!

However i recommend you take it out asap, on the the unit I removed the internal wiring was totally burnt away, where it had been melted by the water in the copper storage cylinder.

I found approx 4, 3 core cables totally brittle and showing bare wires in many places, how there wasnt a fire or ?? I dont know.

This unit it had a twin channel timer badly fitted onto the front, there was no immersion heater back up.

Kev

Best thing about this unit was the £80 scrap!

 

[black2908]

Hi Kev,

I took the front cover off and there is a flashing red led on a pcb under under the cover. Not sure what it means but I guess it's not meant to be flashing. Perhaps it's linked?

If it have to get a new boiler then so be it but its a lot of expense if its a relatively simple fault to fix.

Thanks

 

[diamondgas]

To try it on electric only you switch the rotary switch next to the on/off switch to "emergency h/w" or "emergency heating and h/w" ... That's according to the instructions I've downloaded anyways 🙂

If Kev's right though, then yours may not have electric back up as well?

The instructions also come with a good fault finding ..... However your fault is noise so I wouldn't worry too much about the lights flashing .... Do you have the installation instructions by-the-way?

Please don't start messsin inside as you could well do more harm than good IMO ... that in mind though with the front off you may better be able to pin point the source of the noise...

reason i asked about the timer was to do with the times you heard the noise, with heating off during the night etc .. that points towards keeping the thermal store hot which can kick in at any time ... So the that rules out the heating pump! Still loads of other things possible alas ..... Have you tried contacting Gledhill? They may be able to suggest someone in your area 🙂

 

[black2908]

Hi,

I have removed both the front and top cover today and listened to the noise twice. I'm pretty sure that it's not coming from anything inside but instead from a white box that sits on top of the casing. The pipe connects into it that goes up into the loft and another pipe goes into the casing.

When the noise happened this white box was vibrating - it could have been the vibration making the noise!

I have the instuctions but cant figure out what's in this box. Could it be a fan?

I haven't phoned gledhill yet. I have spoke to someone who is a recommended engineer for them but they said they had never come across this problem. They also recommended that I get a new boiler which I am considering but before I go to this expense I wanted to try and isolate what it might be to see if it could be fixed.

Thanks

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

i have to work on boiler mates sometimes,they should all be sledged to death imo

 

[diamondgas]

Inside the white box is the boiler fumes flue exhaust and air intake flueing pipes. None moveing parts in there. If the noise is from within you also need a GSR engineer as you could do something you may not live to regret ... 🙂

You may need the flue examined but don't rule out the fan or boiler kettling perhaps? Hard to say sitting here in Newcastle and not hearing the noise 🙂