Do I need a new boiler?

[pch]

Boiler is 5 year old Potterton Performa 24 Eco HE, has worked perfectly till now supplying hot water & 9 rads. Have previously had to refill & bleed rads only very occasionally.
Last few weeks had to refill more frequently till would not keep pressure for even a day, then noticed drips from boiler and switched all off & called engineer.
He diagnosed possible leak at/in heat exchanger & faulty diaphram in 3 way valve.
Due to cost of heat exchanger he first replaced O rings/seals in feed pipe & reassembled & tested, however now said system was leaking from several places including secondary heat exchanger, and would be much quicker & better long term value to replace boiler with latest version Potterton 25 Eco HE.
I got impression that he did not know what was causing all the leaks & did not wish to keep diamantling & changing components to arrive at a complete repair.
So any ideas on how to get to the root of the problems & is £1400 a fair price to cover supply & fit an upgraded boiler and to cover the 2 trips & 3 or 4 hours he has already spent here over a busy christmas period?
Thanks.........Paul

 

[fixter1]

could be condensate pipe blocked and backing up into the heatexchager then leaking into fan??? anyone correct me if im wrong

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

your engineers a idiot,no you dont need a new boiler just some one who knows it,and tbh they dont come more simplified than a performa they can last up to 15 years so he is trying to rip you off

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

FIXTER,it cant on the performa,it has a fly by wire direct to detection on the condensate trap it will go to flame failure long before the fan fills up,the trap being a lot lower than the fan,the fly bys on top of the trap

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

post some pictures of the leaks,i/we can tell you what it would cost to sort it probably only needs washers/o rings these cost a few quid,your boilers a long way from needing renewal

 

[fixter1]

thanks for corecting me on that one gasman

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

no problems fixter,the performa he being the same combi as the baxi 105 he and main 24/30 he all have this simple idea but it stops any damage if the conden blocks/freezes

 

[fixter1]

how dose the device work by water contact???

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

yes simple screw trough the bottle,causes a continuity break on the detection circuit go,s strait to flame failure if you come across one of these boilers and think you have a condensate problem pull the white wire of the bottle and re set if its the cause it will run

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

now to pch the op please if possible get us those photos,i am afraid your engineer is trying to con you

 

[fixter1]

thanks mate ill be intrested to see theses pics 2

 

[metaldust9]

gasman i had that problem the same today pulled wire off and it stayed on think the pipes are to close to an outside wall and freezing told the bloke to lagg them

gas man can you pour warm water down the flue on the baxi,s done it few times on worcesters but not on baxis

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

you can on the duo tec,not recommended on the performa

 

[pch]

Sorry for poor pics, taken with camera with no flash in dark corner.
1st photo water was dripping from lower left of front of the boiler.
2nd photopart is on it's side, shows area of trunking above primary heat exchanger, there appeared to be leaks round hose type clip.
3rd photo shows pipe leading to primary heat exchanger after attempted fix with new O rings & lots of sealant.
Boiler now has "do not use sticker" on it

 

[metaldust9]

main same as performa so would that be a no

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

if its a 30 he or 24 he,it gets confusing with main as the band a,s are 30 or 24 eco he do you know if its a band a or b?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

View attachment 1671View attachment 1670View attachment 1669

Sorry for poor pics, taken with camera with no flash in dark corner.
1st photo water was dripping from lower left of front of the boiler.
2nd photopart is on it's side, shows area of trunking above primary heat exchanger, there appeared to be leaks round hose type clip.
3rd photo shows pipe leading to primary heat exchanger after attempted fix with new O rings & lots of sealant.
Boiler now has "do not use sticker" on it

so the recupirater o rings are leaking? £3 each would take me 10 mins to change so if you were in my patch you would be charged £45 labour £6 parts the £45 inc filling/draining changing parts and de air locking if req,you defo dont need a new boiler but lets give the engineer the benefit of the doubt if you have a main heat exchanger leaking(highly unlikely) £110 20 mins to change if its the recupirator (even more unlikely its gone on the unions £85 parts 20 mins to change do you see where i am coming from?? its very likly you just need o rings so i strongly believe your engineers trying to rip you

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

i feel so strongly about this i would fit you in tomorrow on my last working day of the year if you were local i hate seeing so called engineers trying to rip people like your self off

 

[Blackcatgas]

View attachment 1671View attachment 1670View attachment 1669

Sorry for poor pics, taken with camera with no flash in dark corner.
1st photo water was dripping from lower left of front of the boiler.
2nd photopart is on it's side, shows area of trunking above primary heat exchanger, there appeared to be leaks round hose type clip.
3rd photo shows pipe leading to primary heat exchanger after attempted fix with new O rings & lots of sealant.
Boiler now has "do not use sticker" on it[/QUOTE


...........

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

tbh in all my years of working on these boilers i have never failed to get a good seal on the o rings if used with silicone grease, i keep every single part in stock for this boiler including all the internal pipe work

 

[pch]

I was giving him "the benefit of the doubt" as I am sure that he knows more of central heating boilers than I ever will, however I did not have confidence that he had actually been able to diagnose the problem & calculate the costs of repair against the cost of a new boiler.
He did quote £320.00 for a new primary heat exchanger, & did try to replace O rings to reseal one of the leaks, at one point water did seem to be coming from several points around the boiler.
I actually believe he was concerned this job could hang round his neck like a dead albatros as he did not know what had caused the leaks.

So if anyone round East London/South Essex wants the job, you would have my eternal gratitude...............Paul

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

come on fellas you know this is easily sortoutable any takers?????????,and no London would be a step to far even for me LOL

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

£320 for the main heat exchanger i know its London but he,s taking the p***

 

[villa_tom]

SORTOUTABLE great word!!!!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

hey tom went up your way in the summer bullrings fun on the weekend