2 engineers 1 must be lying?

[Ms E]

Hi,

I would be interested to hear what people think about this situation as I don't know what to think.

Engineer A (s/e, sole trader) came out, said not sure how to fix boiler but could be circuit board, if so I would need to pay for new circuit board and labour and hope that fixed problem (as he did not have one with him/ have access to one) I said would think about it. If didn't fix the problem I'd have to pay again to try something else. [Boiler had power but was not firing up]

Next day I decided to go with a company who were offering fixed fee no matter what the repair, to get boiler working (Engineer B).

Engineer B asked if someone had switched the circuit board as the one in there was the wrong type. Said the one that was in there wouldn't work with my boiler and can't have been in my boiler when it was working (Dec 2010 to this week).

I am inclined to believe Engineer B as he didn't have anything to gain from telling me this, and I was already committed to paying the fixed fee.
But this would mean Engineer A REMOVED correct circuit board and put in wrong one - why would they do this?
Also, I had hoped to use Engineer A in future as rates are cheap, he is gas safe and came through word of mouth. But not if can't trust him!

Thanks for reading this post and sharing your thoughts,
Confused

 

[hammers4spanner]

what was wrong with boiler in first instant?

 

[jonnyboy]

Incorrect advice.

 

[hammers4spanner]

not sure how much info we can give on here as their is a gas safe health safety rules to follow

 

[jase158]

they both say same thing, circuit board has gone, so change it. maybe get a couple more people out and find someone you trust.
Very unlikely that engineer 1 put wrong circuit board in, perhaps you already had wrong circuit board in first place which worked but has packed up!! get it changed for right one and if this doesnt work then atleast you have got correct board in boiler and the problem will be found, boiler fixed!!

 

[snowhead]

I am inclined to believe Engineer B as he didn't have anything to gain from telling me this, and I was already committed to paying the fixed fee.

Did he fix it, by fitting a new board?

Are they still going with the fixed fee even tho' the existing circuit board is wrong?

 

[REDSAW]

its an ideal?

 

[Keefy]

The way I read it there's nothing been done yet as the OP is thinking about it.

 

[aligorgon]

If either or them replace the pcb and it doesnt sort the problem either take it back and get a refund or stick it on ebay and you will probably get 75% the value.

If your in doubt about how to trust ask engineer B for the part no of the existing pcb and either ring the manufacturer or check the manual to see if hes correct.

I cant see engineer A coming round taking a suspected faulty pcb out and replacing it for one which does not suit the boiler, and leaving you with the same problem as when he started..

 

[Dannypipe]

No one is going to stick a board of another boiler into your boiler in some elaborate scam. It's just too weird for words, and wouldn't be an easy thing to achieve anyway.

I think engineer B must have his wires crossed. Excuse the pun.

 

[Ms E]

No one is going to stick a board of another boiler into your boiler in some elaborate scam. It's just too weird for words.

Exactly - that's what I thought, it's just too strange.
The board which was 'wrong' said permanent pilot and it's a boiler that only fires up on demand. Engineer B said that there was no way my boiler could have been working with this PCB in it, over 10+ years...however it MUST have been working with it all that time as only other explanation would be that it was switched the day before by engineer A!!
Anyway, hopefully now we have the right board in we should have slightly fewer problems with it :S

Thanks for your thoughts and sorry I didn't put much detail on about the boiler/pcb etc

 

[Ms E]

[Fixed fee worked out cheaper because engineer A didn't have the right pcb in van and would have had to buy it new]

 

[Destroyer2813]

If either or them replace the pcb and it doesnt sort the problem either take it back and get a refund or stick it on ebay and you will probably get 75% the value.

If your in doubt about how to trust ask engineer B for the part no of the existing pcb and either ring the manufacturer or check the manual to see if hes correct.

I cant see engineer A coming round taking a suspected faulty pcb out and replacing it for one which does not suit the boiler, and leaving you with the same problem as when he started..

You cant take pcbs back you need to be 100% thats what it is

 

[Ms E]

You cant take pcbs back you need to be 100% thats what it is

Exactly!

 

[Whn1]

I've come across wrong pcbs fitted in a boiler straight from the manufacturer but in my case though the boiler didn't work at all.

 

[TBServices]

There's nothing scarier to a gas engineer than supplying a PCB.

 

[Dannypipe]

There's nothing scarier to a gas engineer than supplying a PCB.

(A self employed engineer!) Totally agree. Luckily to date, I've not had a wrong diagnosis on one. But I've had to take an educated guess sometimes!

 

[chris watkins]

Just playing devil's advocate here but is it not possible the engineer A new what was wrong (nothing to do with PCB) fixed it but thought I want more than just this one hour callout here.
I have this old PCB that looks roughly the same as the proper one if I exchange them & tell em I will have to go way to get a replacement they will never know & as I come recommended (& I am very cheap) they are bound to get me to come back. Then I will turn up with what appears to be a new one cos I wrapped it up in bubble wrap. Just taken an extra hour & the cost of the PCB.

Call me an old cynic if you like.

Note to customers
1. If they seem cheaper than all the rest there is a good reason !
2. Use engineers where possible that work on a fixed price repair !

 

[SafeGasInstall]

I would not personally believe engineer B , not saying he is a making it up

 

[Dannypipe]

Just playing devil's advocate here but is it not possible the engineer A new what was wrong (nothing to do with PCB) fixed it but thought I want more than just this one hour callout here.
I have this old PCB that looks roughly the same as the proper one if I exchange them & tell em I will have to go way to get a replacement they will never know & as I come recommended (& I am very cheap) they are bound to get me to come back. Then I will turn up with what appears to be a new one cos I wrapped it up in bubble wrap. Just taken an extra hour & the cost of the PCB.

Call me an old cynic if you like.

Note to customers
1. If they seem cheaper than all the rest there is a good reason !
2. Use engineers where possible that work on a fixed price repair !

Really??? A bit elaborate isn't it?!!

 

[chris watkins]

There's nothing scarier to a gas engineer than supplying a PCB.

(A self employed engineer!) Totally agree. Luckily to date, I've not had a wrong diagnosis on one. But I've had to take an educated guess sometimes!

Would I be right in suggesting that if you two (god forbid) got it wrong & it was not the board you would not charge the labour for doing so but only for the work to actually repair the boiler ?
This seems to me the nub of it, you are sharing the risk with the customer we can all get it wrong from time to time, if I think there is a risk of something outside my control going wrong I tell them I risk my labour they risk the cost of the materials. Is that not fair ???

 

[chris watkins]

Really??? A bit elaborate isn't it?!!

Do you think, you would be amazed what goes on in the smoke Dannypipe

 

[tom609]

Really??? A bit elaborate isn't it?!!

why not just blag it customer would never know so why go to that length just blow the fuse it wont work easy if you want to if your that way inclined easy to fleece customers if you want to make a quick buck

 

[Dannypipe]

Would I be right in suggesting that if you two (god forbid) got it wrong & it was not the board you would not charge the labour for doing so but only for the work to actually repair the boiler ?
This seems to me the nub of it, you are sharing the risk with the customer we can all get it wrong from time to time, if I think there is a risk of something outside my control going wrong I tell them I risk my labour they risk the cost of the materials. Is that not fair ???

Well you can't return a board once you've taken it. So if it isn't the board, then you are stuck with it....and you still have a problem with the boiler!

I once repaired a Gledhill Boiler Mate. Faulty board. I was pretty confidant in my diagnosis. I put the new £200 board in, and a different issue with the boiler started. I had to buy another board and had a total ball ache in getting the faulty (new board returned) I'm sure they thought I was pulling a fast one. I wasn't. I do a lot of Gledhill repairs, and carry spares, but I won't carry spare boards incase I have a faulty new one in stock. I'd never get my money back if it had been in the van for a couple of months.

Back to the point. If I diagnosed a faulty PCB and it wasn't that. I would have to pay for the PCB and I couldn't charge for the labour either. Who wants to pay for a wrong diagnosis? As said, this hasn't been an issue yet, but I'm sure it will happen eventually.

Doesn't help that PCB faults can be so elusive or intermittant.

 

[nicro3]

Again a lack of consistency.