Worcester Ri flooded through condense!!

[gassafe]

Popped out to an Ri today that had back filled through the condense, there was an outside overflow pipe that should have saved the boiler but it was blocked with moss!!! It connects to the outside down pipe which is full of leaves etc!

I took the boiler apart & dried water from the fan housing, burner, baffle & even the gas valve was full of water :/ luckily the boiler was off at the time & did not try to run with water in it as the lady spotted it gurgling back into the boiler. Got everything nice & dry & put it all back together, the boiler fan starts at normal speed but then ramps up to crazy speed for a 12 Ri & then the blue light just flashes on & off relatively fast with no attempt to open the gas valve or start ignition sequence.

Im popping back with a new fan on Monday morning as I'm guessing it has to be the pcb damaged in the fan, I'm thinking if taking a gas valve too but hoping it will be okay? Anyone had a similar job & revived a previously wet gas valve? All the electrics stayed dry in the valve & no water passed thought the valve back into pipework luckily!

 

[ambrosia]

Worcesters have terrible fans, bridge the pressure switch to see if boiler lights if it does change the fan, all that water in the boiler could have somehow gotten into the fan

Greenstar PCB are usually pretty good and rarely need to be replaced, unless it too got wet

 

[gasmanrob]

If it has the gas valve that sits tight on the casing at the bottom disconnect the leads and dry them thoroughly

 

[gassafe]

Yeah there was water in the plastic housing in the back of the fan, I guess It came up through the sump & out of the fan housing.

The gas valve it a later one I guess, there was a gap between the casing & bottom of gas valve. I dried everything with the hair drier, all the connections & pcb stayed dry & free from water so hopefully it's just the fan.

 

[gassafe]

Worcesters have terrible fans, bridge the pressure switch to see if boiler lights.

will the boiler light up straight away with the aps bridged? Iv not tried this before but should be fairly easy to link out if I can get access to wires with that fan in the way!!

 

[ambrosia]

no bridge it after fan has started, just move the air pressure switch 1st so you can access it

 

[IDCHAPPY]

Had a similar thing happen to a vokera compact, it's never been the same since... on the positive side, it should get me a boiler change 😀

 

[scorps]

Got called out to a Sime before xmas when we had the weather bomb warning from a landlord,the gutters were blocked and overflowing above flue rainwater flowing into flue.The fan and gas vlve were full of water.Stripped it down cleared water,dried everything out,had to blow through gas valve to empty it.Turned back on,fired up ok.Went outside to clear gutters whilst up ladder heared boiler go off,back to same Fault code.Repeated above several times same thing kept happening,boiler was under warranty so got them out,they changed the gas valve.Sime have excellant after sales BTW.

 

[arran197]

Sounds like the fan to me. They're not known to be the most reliable on Greenstars anyway. I'd re route the condense too.

 

[Millsy 82]

If water has been through the fan and gas valve I would just replace both. It won't of done either any good and I wouldn't want to be called back in a few weeks.

 

[Millsy 82]

no bridge it after fan has started, just move the air pressure switch 1st so you can access it

I can't see the point in doing this as the aps only ever works when the flue blocks up. They are not like in the older models as it is permanently closed then if flue blocks up it opens.

The way to test it is to check continuity through the 2 wires going to it and disconnect the tube to it and run it.

I would also look at the flue over heat sensor as these won't like getting wet either.

 

[arran197]

Does the fan stop running after it has gone really fast?

 

[gassafe]

I can't see the point in doing this as the aps only ever works when the flue blocks up. They are not like in the older models as it is permanently closed then if flue blocks up it opens.

Good advice, it must be true & I have seen on boilers that iv serviced the hose has pulled off its connection point on regular servicing of different Worcester boilers & the boiler runs fine, so I guess it breaks contact when the flue is blocked as you say!

 

[gassafe]

I managed to save the fan, the white wire had come off the connector block on the fan, I must have damaged it when trying to disconnect it from the fan, reconnected & the fan worked normally without going supersonic speed so it must be a control wire or fan speed?

The gas valve would open but did not ignite properly, a new gas valve was fitted & finally managed to get it going again!! I just hope that's the last I hear of it!

 

[Millsy 82]

Good advice, it must be true & I have seen on boilers that iv serviced the hose has pulled off its connection point on regular servicing of different Worcester boilers & the boiler runs fine, so I guess it breaks contact when the flue is blocked as you say!

It is trust me I changed one once thinking it was not working and phoned Worcester and they told me it was one of those red faced moments when I had to say I have got it wrong i need to order a different part.

 

[gassafe]

It is trust me I changed one once thinking it was not working and phoned Worcester and they told me it was one of those red faced moments when I had to say I have got it wrong i need to order a different part.

We all hate those red face moments... But we've all been there :/