Is this a boiler problem or...?

[Tarquin]

Following some pipework to fit a heated towel rail carried out by a mate last weekend (Working Plumber, Corgi Registered etc.,) we've had problems with the heating.

Presuming it to be an airlock that was causing the upstairs rads to heat up nicely and the downstairs to be cold and following advice i've tried bleeding the rads, partially bled the system and still no joy.

The boiler, a Potterton Netaheat is cutting in and out every few minutes but until last weekend was working fine. That said we had a similar problem that lasted a few hours before clearing itself when we removed a rad in the kitchen as well. In fact we can get some heat downstairs and have had hot down, cold upstairs on one occasion as well, but the boiler cutting out seems to be the focus of the problem????

The plumber is coming in this Sunday but I won't be able to speak with him until then and having read various bits online am wondering if there's any spare parts that would be worth me getting in beforehand. Obviously don't want to spend loads but if it's a relay or similar....

 

[GQuigley67]

the engineer will get the parts necessary as he can get them cheaper, and most places only let you buy spare parts for boilers with a Gas Safe card. Also you don't know for sure the fault in the boiler the engineer should be able to diagnose this.

 

[Tarquin]

Ok, thanks...

The problem is that he works away from Monday to Friday so won't be buying anything on a Sunday ;>)

If it's not the boiler and I think you could be right, I guess there's still an airlock so will search the forum for advice.

I forgot to mention that there's a drop down reset button underneath the boiler that I had to use last time this happened and have used a dozen times so far this week.