what do you think the problem is please?

[chatterbox63uk]

Hi good afternoon - i am new to the forum and have a problem that I want advice on as I dont now if its a serious problem or something simple:

My boiler is about 20 years old (sorry I dont know the make), my problem is I seem to have no control over the central heating or the hot water (it is not a combi boiler)

When I turn the timer on, the heating runs fine and the radiators up stairs get very hot and the ones down stairs not so hot, after a while the timer turns itself off (although not programmed to do so) and then when I turn it to the off position it comes on and all the radiators get very hot. Although the dial on my hot water tank is set down to about 40deg the water is roasting.

A friend of my sons was going to fit a new timer but I believe he didn't as the new timer is a 3 wire fitting and I think the wire coming from my boiler has 5 wires in it?

I really want this fixing but would like to know a bit about what I am talking about before I call somebody in.

I have been in the house for 4 years and the boiler has not been serviced in that time - yes I know - shame on me 🙁

If any body could give me advice please on what they think the problem is and a realistic cost for having it fixed.

Oh I should also mention that a few weeks ago I found out that there was boiling hot water in the header tank, my friends son turned the dial down on this and I believe that problem is not happening now but I dont know if its related to the other problem so sorth mentioning.

Thanking you in advance x

 

[Rickster123]

Hi chatterbox, any chance of a bit more info? A pic of the clock, your boiler and your controls would be a great help?

 

[chatterbox63uk]

hi ya, thank you for replying - i can send a pic of the timer when i get home and let you know what the make of boiler is but when the boiler door is open its a screwed on panel, if its safe for me to remove this to get a pic i will do ?

 

[Barry98]

Sounds like a few issues chatterbox, welcome to the forum my advice would be get a pro in to look at it all

 

[chatterbox63uk]

Hi, thank you Bod, I do intend on getting a professional in but was hoping to get diagnosis opinions on here first - just so I know what I am dealing with. In all honesty I dont want somebody coming in and charging me £1,000 for a job that only really needs £500 worth of work doing, and please, I dont mean that to be disrespectful in any way.

 

[diamondgas]

:welcome: to the forum Chatterbox63uk 🙂

With the limited info you give I'd edging towards electronic controls such as zone valves! They can be the usual suspect when the timer seems to have a life of its own ... As said though a bit more info and a few pics won't go a miss 🙂

Cost depends on what the issue is but an initial assesment will cost you whoever's call out fee/labour charges I'd imagine .

 

[Mike Jackson]

In this sort of instance I would charge a diagnosis fee and then give a cost for repairs. If the system was beyond economic repair and I got the work I would knock of the cost of diagnosis.

 

[Barry98]

Hi, thank you Bod, I do intend on getting a professional in but was hoping to get diagnosis opinions on here first - just so I know what I am dealing with. In all honesty I dont want somebody coming in and charging me £1,000 for a job that only really needs £500 worth of work doing, and please, I dont mean that to be disrespectful in any way.

i know what your saying , theres a lot of bad press for us alot warranted i admit , however there are some good ones too. you could look at putting a post ini the "i need a plumber" section on hear then look at who messages you back the subsequently look at some of there posts to see what vibe you get.

 

[chatterbox63uk]

thank you diamondgas 🙂 i will upload some pictures later.

 

[chatterbox63uk]

Hi, okay, pictures attached. Boiler is a Halstead Hero 40, I have opened the door on it and the inside panel is extremely hot and as you can see there are scortch marks ....... do these pics help at all?

 

[REDSAW]

:welcome: to the forum Chatterbox63uk

few probs there starting with the pump.

needs proper inspection tho as one leads to another fault.
how long has it been like this?.

 

[arran197]

That doesn't look nice! That's quite an old clock too. But Drayton should be able to provide you with something similar to replace it if it is the problem!

 

[chatterbox63uk]

Hi Redsaw - thank you for your welcome wave - I am pretty sure I had the pump replaced about a year ago. As for the problems I originally posted, I guess they have been going on for a couple of months now.

 

[diamondgas]

Chatterbox you'll need someone to check out the system design. I'd say if it's a 'y'plan then the programmer is the most likely suspect. However if it's an 's'plan then you may have a faulty zone valve? If you can trace your pump and anything looking motorised attached to the pipes (airing cupboard maybe) take a few pics 🙂 End of the day you're gonna need a service. Do what a lot of folk do and call someone in to service and then hit them with "Oh! by-the-way my heating's playing up........!" Most will take a look and not charge you for the diagnosis .. IMHO

 

[chatterbox63uk]

thank you Diamondgas, I will do that, thank you also to all those who replied to my post, its nice to know there is somewhere I can go to get honest advice in the future as being female I dont have a darned flipping clue lol

Gillian x

 

[diamondgas]

Where you based Gillian? There's a forum on here where you can place a request. "I need a plumber/gas engineer forum" ... Put a general whereabouts and wait for pm's to come through. You can check out the folk who reply prior to agreeing a visit 🙂

Good luck!

 

[aujm98]

Hi Chatterbox,by the sounds of your problem you could have a wireing issue for the controls three wires in the timer doesn't sound right but then there could be a junction box further up the system,secondly the scorch marks on the boiler don't look good either,an indication of a definate boiler service is iminant but on the whole i would say that you get all this checked out and be prepaired that a new boiler would have to be fitted if cost is an issue then invest in the repair if it isn' to far gone.

 

[gasmarc]

Get the boiler serviced and buy a new programmer and ask the engineer to fit it