British Gas 330 (Glow Worm)

[ma701ss]

Hi,

I have a British Gas 330 condensing boiler (manufactured by Glow Worm). I've been plasterboarding today and removed the downstairs light fitting and although the downstairs lighting circuit was off at the consumer unit I think because I touched the neutral and earth together the whole upstairs circuit RCD tripped. I flipped it back up and all seemed OK. The boiler is on the same upstairs RCD and I noticed this evening that the boiler was off but the programmer was still on and everything up to the fused spur was fine, so I presume there must be something wrong with the boiler.

The boiler had been working this morning and we've never had a problem in three years. I presume when the RCD tripped it's somehow blown something inside the boiler but what confuses me is why didn't the boiler circuit RCD or fuse in the spur trip out before it got to the boiler?

Is this likely to be something as simple as a blown fuse inside the boiler?

Thanks

 

[SafeGasInstall]

change fuse at fuse spure with another a 3 amp one

 

[diamondgas]

I hope it's just the fuse ma701ss I think it's this model Glow-Worm that the main pcb doesn't like to be interrupted. I had a glow worm do just that on a pal last year. He turned the spur off to do some work on the system and when it came to turn it back on it wouldn't start-up! Had to replace the main circuit board. I'm scratching my head but can't remember the model. I'll see if i can find the paperwork for it and get back to you

 

[diamondgas]

Found the job ---- GlowWorm 38cxi .. I think the BG330 is different but maybe inherited the same issue? The display was dead on the one I worked on.

 

[ma701ss]

Hi, thanks for the replies. I'd already checked the 3A fuse and it was fine. The programmer works when the fused spur is on. I also checked thew 630mAT fuse inside the boiler and it's intact. Must be the PCB or something then? Anyone know where I can get a cheap one from, or suggest the best way to get this repaired without being ripped off?!

 

[M.Joshi]

Sounds to me like a fundamental design flaw - have you tried contacting British Gas or Glow-Worm?

 

[diamondgas]

If the display is dead then maybe it's a related issue ... Honestly I just wouldn't know? Whereabouts are you in the UK? Post a request up here [DLMURL="http://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk/im-looking-plumber-gas-engineer/"]I'm looking for a Plumber or Gas engineer.[/DLMURL] You can then vet via pm's whoever replies

 

[Kev the gas]

^^^^^^^

As the man above said, before any more damage is caused.

These new boilers are the work of the Devil !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ma701ss]

I'm in SE London. Will take a look at that forum, thanks.

 

[diamondgas]

I'm in SE London. Will take a look at that forum, thanks.

Good luck ma701ss ... there's some decent folk who know there stuff on here ... If you get any pm's just click on their 'nick' and you'll get an idea of their knowledge and ask them whatever you need to know

 

[ma701ss]

Any idea though why something inside the boiler would fail if the central heating circuit RCD didn't trip, the 3A fuse hasn't blown and the boiler fuse also hasn't blown? It must have been when I tripped the RCD to the entire upstairs circuit because the boiler hasn't faild in 3 years, but it presumably shouldn't have caused any damage to the boiler.

 

[diamondgas]

I'd be guessing ma701ss ... honestly ! PCB's have within so many switches and relays that may well burn out when power is interrupted then restored...... Just think of a lightbub, how many times has it faithfully lit up when you've flicked the switch then on one occasion pop! Or 'bang' Or all the lights go out....! One of those things I guess

 

[SafeGasInstall]

How did you check the fuses ? Continuity test ? Have checked boiler for reverse polarity ? Removed pump yesterday which was changed 15 years ago ,Was wired up in corect L to live on pump N to earth on pump E to neutral on pump Lucky no fatality for 15 years !Ps I am in London too if need help !

 

[ma701ss]

How did you check the fuses ? Continuity test ? Have checked boiler for reverse polarity ? Removed pump yesterday which was changed 15 years ago ,Was wired up in corect L to live on pump N to earth on pump E to neutral on pump Lucky no fatality for 15 years !Ps I am in London too if need help !

Hi, I checked the fuse simply by noting the wire inside appeared to be intact. It's a pretty thick wire and I could see it clearly. I'm in Bromley.

 

[M.Joshi]

Re: Testing a fuse

Hi, I checked the fuse simply by noting the wire inside appeared to be intact. It's a pretty thick wire and I could see it clearly. I'm in Bromley.

Visual inspection may not reveal any tiny breaks. The fuse in the spur shouldn't be transparent - how did you check that?

If you don't have a multimeter/continuity tester, you can use a working torch. Unscrew the battery compartment cap and place the fuse inbetween the battery end and the metal contact on the torch barrel. There is a diagram showing this on the following website:

Electricity Safety | Plugs and Fuses | Replacing a Fuse | Northern Ireland | RoSPA

 

[SafeGasInstall]

I'm working in se London tomorrow , if you want me to pop in on the way home pls pm me and will book you in !Stan

 

[ma701ss]

The pic shows the cover removed and main PCB flipped down. The internal fuse is fine, tested with a multimeter today. There is a white box with electrical connections, which you can see at the back just above the PCB with one white and one black cable coming out of it. Is it possible there's a fuse in there too? The box has the flex cable from the spur going into it, and cables coming out. It must be a junction box but I don't want to take anything else apart. Just curious! The PCB is easily accessible but I'm not going any further.

 

[diamondgas]

ma701ss ... My missus would have been down on me like a dose of salts for not getting this sorted!!! LOL ..... Are you hoping to fix this yourself?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

i think he is , i offered my help but he has not contacted me , so I take it he is fixing it him self !
why not visit you tube my get some help from there

 

[diamondgas]

ma701ss ... you come here for advice so mine is get some one in who knows a thing or two; or take a chance that it's the pcb, order one and replace it! It'll save you the experts labour or cost you an incorrectly diagnosed faulty part from a bloke in Newcastle who hasn't had the chance to fault find and confer with manufacturers, when necessary, that it is indeed what they think may be the problem

 

[M.Joshi]

The box you refer to is probably the wiring centre - there shouldn't be any fuses in there.

 

[ma701ss]

Ha ha! Yes diamondgas I'm hoping to fix it myself. My missus is someone who says "Owwwwww much?!" to everything! She's had me doing DIY around the house for the past two years trying to get it up to scratch after moving in and another baby due at the end of May, so every penny counts! I'm also determined not to pay out for fixing something I probably caused in the first place (like an idiot) Thanks to everyone on here, and to safegasinstall - thanks for the offer but I'll be at work all day tomorrow.

 

[ma701ss]

An update on this. Chose British Gas £89 fixed cost all parts and labour option if they diagnose and repair within half hour. Guy I booked it with said it's half hour "at the boiler" so even if they need to go away and come back for a part, as long as the engineer is only working on the boiler for that time I won't pay any more. I said to him I suspect the problem is with the main PCB and he told me he'd put a note for the engineer. Engineer came out today, diagnosed main PCB as faulty within about 10 mins. Didn't have the part (a main part) for this British Gas 6-year old boiler and spent one hour phoning around his colleagues trying to find it. I even heard him on the phone saying "we should carry these parts on our vans really". If he'd had it, he would have fit it within the half hour. He then said it will be £229 (the next level up after £89) and he'd need to come back with the part. I spoke to his service manager and he said very rarely do they ever complete a job in half hour - what a con! He said why should I expect a part costing £160 to be supplied and fitted for £89? I said because that's why I chose this British Gas option, it's £89 for a fixed cost all parts and labour. All he had to do was unclip a few cables and clip in the new board. So they take your money knowing full well you'll probably nearly always pay the higher cost. What a joke, I told him to leave it. So, still no boiler working but at least I know the cause!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

glad you have sort it out

 

[ma701ss]

glad you have sort it out

Are you taking the Michael?