Ideal HE12 Boiler Help!

[never-in-doubt]

Hi

Newbie found this awesome forum via Google when searching for similar problems.

House is new(ish) - 5 years old and when built it came with an Ideal HE12 Combi Boiler System (I think). It has a little wall thermostat (Siemens) and the boiler itself is in the kitchen in a cupboard with a hot water thermostat upstairs in another cupboard.

Ok, so last night heating etc worked fine. Got up today and the house was like a fridge, turn heating on (via Siemens thermostat on wall) but after 10 mins nothing. Looked in kitchen, the control panel on the wall has both hot water and heating showing as on (the red light is on next to each) but when I open the cupboard and see the boiler unit, there is nothing there on that display. Usually, from memory there is green lighting with a number or something, but it's blank.

Anyone out there able to help? I don't have a boiler service plan or anything like that. I do have homecare cover but would rather not claim unless absolutely necessary lol. Similarly, I have seen a lot of people here mention about the PCB and it being plug-n-play so to speak, however I am not into stuff like that when it comes to heating so I would look to pay for it doing properly but just want to know exactly what I should be looking for cos I watch watchdog and they give off a bad impression of some service tradesmen...

Thanks again.

 

[Dotty]

Watchdog really just focus on an incredibly small minority. If you tell us your rough location one of us may be nearby and be able to help you accordingly.

Welcome to the forums!

 

[never-in-doubt]

Watchdog really just focus on an incredibly small minority. If you tell us your rough location one of us may be nearby and be able to help you accordingly.

Welcome to the forums!

Hi, thanks for your fast reply. I am in Leeds area (near Tadcaster LS25)

My apologies, I meant to say after watching such programmes I am sceptical about using yellow pages, hence I prefer to come to forums and try and get help that way as the guys on places like this are always best, after all they give up their time to help people like me so I apologise if comment suggested otherwise...

 

[Dotty]

No worries buddy, no offense was obviously meant and absolutely none was taken. Hopefully one of the lads local to Leeds will spot this.

 

[never-in-doubt]

Any plumbers local please PM me.... need to get this sorted asap

Thanks

 

[Mike Jackson]

I'd be inclined to get Ideal in on a fixed price repair for this. Blank display may just be the user interface gone but you can't tell if there are any other faulty components without the fault code on the display.

 

[never-in-doubt]

I have contacted Ideal, who state:

Thank you for your enquiry, the problem you have could be caused by a number of different issues including a fuse or possibly the PCB unit. I would advise contacting a local engineer to take a look who could ring our office whilst in front of the boiler (if needed) Or you can contact our Customer Service department on 01482 498660.

Likely cost is £245 for a fixed price thingy but surely that's a lot if it's just a fuse

 

[DirksPlumbing]

I have contacted Ideal, who state:

Thank you for your enquiry, the problem you have could be caused by a number of different issues including a fuse or possibly the PCB unit. I would advise contacting a local engineer to take a look who could ring our office whilst in front of the boiler (if needed) Or you can contact our Customer Service department on 01482 498660.

Likely cost is £245 for a fixed price thingy but surely that's a lot if it's just a fuse

Have you checked the fuse board at first? Is there a light on the fused spur at all? And is this one switched on? Not long ago I had a customer phoning me about the boiler being completely off 2 days after me servicing it. It turned out that the ironing board had pushed the fused spur switch into the off position.
So, it is never a bad idea to check the basics yourself. Including if the boiler is switched on itself.

 

[never-in-doubt]

Have you checked the fuse board at first? Is there a light on the fused spur at all? And is this one switched on? Not long ago I had a customer phoning me about the boiler being completely off 2 days after me servicing it. It turned out that the ironing board had pushed the fused spur switch into the off position.
So, it is never a bad idea to check the basics yourself. Including if the boiler is switched on itself.

Hiya

Ok, there is the boiler then underneath this there is a little control panel - the control panel is linked to the spur socket and lights up/off when I switch the spur on/off so I am guessing power gets all the way to that - it seems to be the boiler that is the only thing without lights...

This is all foreign to me lol

 

[DirksPlumbing]

Now I am pretty sure that the fuse might be blown on the PCB. The only problem is that 9 out of 10 do have an immediate reason like a defective fan, pump or even a defective 2 port valve. The reason could be outside the boiler and will most likely not be covered by the £245. A local installer or even selected electricians can find these things often quicker and provide a good service.
There only is a very remote chance of this happen through a power surge etc..

 

[DirksPlumbing]

By the way, do the red lights on the programmer go on and off with the spur?

 

[never-in-doubt]

By the way, do the red lights on the programmer go on and off with the spur?

Hi & thank you.

Yes, the red lights on the controller underneath the boiler (the separate controller unit thingy) can both go on/off when I switch the spur on/off. However it's still possible to use this and go in and turn heating and/or water off.

It's the boiler itself that is lights-out. Everything else to/from it seems fine. It was fine then the other morning when I got up, it was just off. It was cold/frosty that day mind you but all that sticks outside is the flue thing.

 

[DirksPlumbing]

Hi & thank you.

Yes, the red lights on the controller underneath the boiler (the separate controller unit thingy) can both go on/off when I switch the spur on/off. However it's still possible to use this and go in and turn heating and/or water off.

It's the boiler itself that is lights-out. Everything else to/from it seems fine. It was fine then the other morning when I got up, it was just off. It was cold/frosty that day mind you but all that sticks outside is the flue thing.

Unfortunately its nearly always during the heating period when the boiler packs in.
What happens when you switch the on/off switch in the front of your boiler? Flashing/noise or absolutely nothing?

 

[never-in-doubt]

Unfortunately its nearly always during the heating period when the boiler packs in.
What happens when you switch the on/off switch in the front of your boiler? Flashing/noise or absolutely nothing?

Nothing, it's just dead.....

 

[DirksPlumbing]

Unfortunately you might need to do a shot in the blue. If you get an installer in it might be cheaper unless there are multiple faults or the PCB is gone. If you take the flat rate and it is caused by the external installation you might end up with the flat rate and the installer on top.
What type of fuse sticks in your spur? 3/5/13A?

 

[DirksPlumbing]

By the way, did the lights on the boiler go off if there was no demand in the past?

 

[never-in-doubt]

Unfortunately you might need to do a shot in the blue. If you get an installer in it might be cheaper unless there are multiple faults or the PCB is gone. If you take the flat rate and it is caused by the external installation you might end up with the flat rate and the installer on top.
What type of fuse sticks in your spur? 3/5/13A?

I really don't know what fuse as I haven't looked... I would presume it's a 13amp, but the spur works cos when I switch that off, then the little controller also goes dark (the one that lets me choose heating/water etc)....

So you're saying that if I book in the Ideal engineer visit they will not touch anything from the wall -> outside?

Bummer

 

[DirksPlumbing]

I really don't know what fuse as I haven't looked... I would presume it's a 13amp, but the spur works cos when I switch that off, then the little controller also goes dark (the one that lets me choose heating/water etc)....

So you're saying that if I book in the Ideal engineer visit they will not touch anything from the wall -> outside?

Bummer

I am not saying they will not just they are not supposed to.

The fuse in the spur is supposed to be a 3A. If it is a 5A or bigger then the boiler internal fuse will overtake the protective part. Often I come across spurs where the fuse has not been changed to 3A or 5A as required.

 

[never-in-doubt]

By the way, did the lights on the boiler go off if there was no demand in the past?

Sorry what do you mean? The lights on the boiler remain on always, as we always have the hot water facility and heating turned on. Obviously we don't have the heating on all the time but it's usually switched on, at the wall so to speak.

* Just had insurance check my policy and they are sending Homeserve round, which has to be a good start - I will post up whatever they may say.... thanks again appreciate your assistance here

 

[DirksPlumbing]

Your boiler is supposed to have a permanent mains connection. Just some did wire them so the boiler gets only mains power if there is a demand. This stresses the PCB/boiler a lot and can lead at a faulty valve already to a total black out of the system.

But not to worry, you should be in good hands now.

 

[never-in-doubt]

Your boiler is supposed to have a permanent mains connection. Just some did wire them so the boiler gets only mains power if there is a demand. This stresses the PCB/boiler a lot and can lead at a faulty valve already to a total black out of the system.

But not to worry, you should be in good hands now.

Ahh thanks, maybe this is what happened with ours cos when you turn the spur off the whole boiler did used to turn off.....

Good hands, with homeserve lol. Maybe not, but hey - its free for a diagnosis if anything I guess

 

[DirksPlumbing]

It is correct when you turn off the spur. Just it would not be if both lights on the controller are off and the boiler goes dark as well.

 

[never-in-doubt]

It is correct when you turn off the spur. Just it would not be if both lights on the controller are off and the boiler goes dark as well.

From memory, when you turn off the spur the wording within the controller go grey (as if a battery back-up runs it) so we can see them, but when the spur is turned on then these lights become brighter black in colour. By lights I mean the wording that says "Set CH Status" or "Set HW Status" etc etc..... so there is power when the spur is off, but it greys the words out.

The boiler goes off when you switch off the spur.

 

[never-in-doubt]

Hi

Homeserve engineer 'can't touch our boiler as the Cylinder is Unvented'

ermmm, any idea's what this means? It's a new house, literally 5 years old! *sobs*

 

[BLOD]

To work on an unvented cylinder he should be G3 qualified and to work on a boiler he should be Gas safe Registered.
If you've been paying for boiler cover get them back - he shouldn't need to touch the unvented cylinder to repair your boiler