Help with boiler that keeps stopping

[mattroberts]

Hello,
We have a Glowworm FuelSaver F30 (installed we think when the house was built in 1989) that is not working properly.
A couple of weeks ago it would not fire up, so we called a plumber who showed us the PCB had broken and was shorting on the board (you could see the spark jumping on the board between 2 of the electrical parts).
He replaced it and the boiler was able to fire back up.
Since then the boiler will fire normally but after a while stops and won't restart until I pull the bottom cover of the boiler out and push it back.
I'm not sure if the boiler is turning off from the thermostat or simply failing during a normal heating cycle, but it won't fire back up until you move the cover.
There is a reset switch underneath the boiler, so initially I thought moving the cover was pressing this. But I took the cover off and when the problem happened again pressing this switch made no difference.
My question is really:
Does this sound like a boiler fault that is related to the replacement of the PCB (is there a loose connection that is being knocked back in by moving the cover) or is this just an old failing boiler.
Replacing the PCB (£400) took the last of our savings and we can't really afford to pay for the plumber to come back and tell us to replace the boiler (which we are saving to do at the end of this year) so any help anyone could give will be gratefully received.
Many thanks in advance, Matt

 

[stoker122]

Could be a loose plug onto the board as you say.

 

[Thoggy]

Ring the plumber back

 

[tom609]

ask him to have another look to see if the pcb is faulty it has been known that new pcb s are faulty ifhe is your regular gsre he will be honest with you

 

[mattroberts]

Hi, thanks for everyone's responses, I'll call them tomorrow and let you know once they've been.
Tom609 - it's a firm and we've had 3 different plumbers each time. 1st one serviced the gas fire, but broke the clips on the grate which fell off. 2nd secured a moving soil pipe but left a gap between it and waste pipe in the floor which had to be sealed after. 3rd was for the PCB board. They were recommended by friends but lost a bit of confidence with them
Thanks again, I'll update you

 

[RGII79]

i doubt very much the pcb was gone the spark generator on the pcb for that boiler does look like its shorting out but thats the design of the board
most likely an issue with the pilot tube blocked or spark lead connection

 

[sam51]

Hello,
We have a Glowworm FuelSaver F30 (installed we think when the house was built in 1989) that is not working properly.
A couple of weeks ago it would not fire up, so we called a plumber who showed us the PCB had broken and was shorting on the board (you could see the spark jumping on the board between 2 of the electrical parts).
He replaced it and the boiler was able to fire back up.
Since then the boiler will fire normally but after a while stops and won't restart until I pull the bottom cover of the boiler out and push it back.
I'm not sure if the boiler is turning off from the thermostat or simply failing during a normal heating cycle, but it won't fire back up until you move the cover.
There is a reset switch underneath the boiler, so initially I thought moving the cover was pressing this. But I took the cover off and when the problem happened again pressing this switch made no difference.
My question is really:
Does this sound like a boiler fault that is related to the replacement of the PCB (is there a loose connection that is being knocked back in by moving the cover) or is this just an old failing boiler.
Replacing the PCB (£400) took the last of our savings and we can't really afford to pay for the plumber to come back and tell us to replace the boiler (which we are saving to do at the end of this year) so any help anyone could give will be gratefully received.
Many thanks in advance, Matt

£400, to supply and fit a pcb.is digusting.no wonder every body wants to be a plumber.

 

[stoker122]

Hello,
We have a Glowworm FuelSaver F30 (installed we think when the house was built in 1989) that is not working properly.
A couple of weeks ago it would not fire up, so we called a plumber who showed us the PCB had broken and was shorting on the board (you could see the spark jumping on the board between 2 of the electrical parts).
He replaced it and the boiler was able to fire back up.
Since then the boiler will fire normally but after a while stops and won't restart until I pull the bottom cover of the boiler out and push it back.
I'm not sure if the boiler is turning off from the thermostat or simply failing during a normal heating cycle, but it won't fire back up until you move the cover.
There is a reset switch underneath the boiler, so initially I thought moving the cover was pressing this. But I took the cover off and when the problem happened again pressing this switch made no difference.
My question is really:
Does this sound like a boiler fault that is related to the replacement of the PCB (is there a loose connection that is being knocked back in by moving the cover) or is this just an old failing boiler.
Replacing the PCB (£400) took the last of our savings and we can't really afford to pay for the plumber to come back and tell us to replace the boiler (which we are saving to do at the end of this year) so any help anyone could give will be gratefully received.
Many thanks in advance, Matt

Sam51 is right, get the board sorted and look for someone with a conscience!!

 

[tom609]

£400, to supply and fit a pcb.is digusting.no wonder every body wants to be a plumber.

if the company only changed your board you need to find another company cos they are taking it imo

 

[iain85]

Could be a loose supply cable connection by the sounds of things. Like suggested previously ask him to come back and check but watch what he is doing. Ie making sure the connections are good.
iain

 

[mattroberts]

Hi, thanks again for everyone's advice. After a bit of to and fro-ing he has agreed to come back tomorrow morning. This will be covered under the cost of the previous work, on the assumption this is not a new problem but one caused by the original work. I will obviously be watching him like a hawk, does anyone have any advice as to what I should be looking for? I don't want to get fobbed with a "random new problem"
Cheers again guys

 

[Iplumb123]

All the money you have paid and will have to pay for other faults arising and the fact that its old already you should really look at getting a new boiler.

 

[mattroberts]

Hi Iplumb123. Agreed, and spending the £400 did feel like good money after bad. But that was the last of our savings and we're not going to be able to afford a new boiler for a while.
He still hasn't turned up (10:30 appt), so any suggestions as to what I should watch?

 

[Howsie]

Sounds like he won't know himself if he's not turned up yet. Not looking good I'm afraid.

Fingers crossed for you.

 

[tom609]

people get delayed give him time or call to find out still think 400 way too much for board only how long was he there for and did he do something else as well

 

[mattroberts]

Hi, the 400 was a revised price. Initially the bill was for £460, which was supposedly 2hours of diagnosis and 2 hours to fit. It was brought down to £400 when I pointed out he'd only been here 30mins the first day doing diagnosis. So we paid for 1 hour first visit, then for 2 hours to fit plus board

 

[Iplumb123]

I can't be of further assistance bud sorry in my work we do most things but rarely when it comes to the internal workings of boilers but if all he done was fit the PCB then watch what he does with it when he's there if he jiggles the wires and plugs on it and it works then it was his fault in installing it, he really should have advised you to get a new boiler instead of trying rob you of your money on a fix he probably knew wouldn't last long anyway, but I hope you get sorted.

 

[Howsie]

people get delayed give him time or call to find out still think 400 way too much for board only how long was he there for and did he do something else as well

Indeed they do, but they usually call before they're late and not 90 minutes afterwards...

 

[stoker122]

2 hours to change a board! Should have got it right in that time.

 

[iain85]

Did he sort it?

 

[europhil]

That's one hell of a mark up. Where are you? Kensington?

 

[mattroberts]

Hi, update as promised. Had 2 more visits now from the firm, a new guy then the one who replaced it. Connections were checked, so was the wiring next to the tank upstairs. Problem still exists. Original plumber is saying it is the wiring somewhere in the house and we need to get an electrician in to check.
Getting very frustrated as the problem occurs every day and is only fixed by pulling off the cover and pushing it back.
Guess we'll have to get an electrician, then bill the company back if he finds the fault is in the boiler