Main Medway gas water heater

[solodiver2001]

Morning need some help please,problem is pilot lights but as hot water is called for there is none.changed thermocouple with new, cleaned pilot,took high limit stat of (did re connect ) still not coming on so running out of ideas.
how far should thermocouple sit above flame its as if its not in flame is this the cause but there is no adjustment..also how long do these units last is it time for customer to replace??

many thanks Steve

 

[broggo]

Needs a diaphragm fitting in the water section. Current one has a split in it.



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[stevetheplumber]

i assume you are not gsr and shouldnt be opening water heaters if pilots alight why are you changing thermocouples

 

[solodiver2001]

I am GSR i asked for advice not to be spoken to like a child u ****

 

[broggo]

People are too quick to judge on here. I'm guessing that there are a lot of lads who are just out of their time and still learning. A helpful pointer in the right direction doesn't hurt. As long as we don't go into detail of how to start stripping down appliances then I think alls well. I wish I had a forum like this when I first started.
Cut the guys some slack. We were all beginners once. (still learning now) things always crop up that make us scratch our heads.


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[diamondgas]

Why change t/cupl solodiver2001, is the pilot going out when you call for hot water? If pilot is staying on and no h/w then it'll most likely be the diaphragm as mentioned

 

[solodiver2001]

I replaced thermocouple as a starting point as was very worn the pilot was not lit when i arrived at property . I am a newbie to gas safe passed my exam in March this year and this forum is a very good tool for fault finding. Thanks for all comments positive and negative i ll update when i repair it.

 

[jtsplumbing]

These old main medway multi points are well past sell by date now, if you pilot is lit no hot water it will be gas valve fault, could be diaphragm (10/17572) but check that none of the buttons are sticking that will also stop it fireing, dont know if part still avail, so could be looking at replacement. Starting from 2013 water heaters will have to be condensing, somthing else to think about.

 

[splinterdream]

If you want to fault find, first try to find out how the appliance works. How does the pilot light stay lit? what happens when I turn on the HW? Where does the water come into the appliance and where does it go to get hot for exiting the appliance? The manafacturers instructions can sometimes be helpful with this. There will be a diagram at the front. Try to speak to the manufacturers technical helpline and ask them and always have a pen and paper ready and make notes.

 

[Mike Jackson]

All this is covered in the water heater ACS. It will also be in the CITB/Viper etc. text books.

 

[kirkgas]

I am GSR i asked for advice not to be spoken to like a child u ****

his reply asking if you are gas qualified comes from you changing a thermocouple which is keeping the pilot lit, a more basic error a qualified guy couldnt make if he tried, so draw your horns in and ask for some advice with the humilty your lack of experience calls for

 

[kirkgas]

People are too quick to judge on here. I'm guessing that there are a lot of lads who are just out of their time and still learning. A helpful pointer in the right direction doesn't hurt. As long as we don't go into detail of how to start stripping down appliances then I think alls well. I wish I had a forum like this when I first started.
Cut the guys some slack. We were all beginners once. (still learning now) things always crop up that make us scratch our heads.


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i agree we learn all the time, and i tell people i am very clever, cause i KNOW i dont know everything and have the confidence in my ability to ask for help when needed, casuse i know i can assist someone else with something i do know, but in this case changing a thermocouple when the pilot stays lit shows a very clear shorfall in control knowledge no matter whet the appliance is

 

[Nostrum]

Sorry, have to agree. You really cannot get any more basic than a water heater, and if you are struggling to understand how they operate I suggest you get an old one and rip it to bits while it's disconnected rather than play with one in situ that belongs to someone else.

I know it's not very constructive and that these things are maybe not as common as they used to be, but basic engineering principles should see you right on diagnosing the fault, something that they don't teach in college enough?

Your obviously enthusiastic to progress so you'll learn quickly given the right opportunities, but going it alone without the right technical knowledge isn't the way to do it.

Just to add, no one is having a dig at you personally, but in a few years time you'll appreciate how little they teach you to get you through an exam, it's the colleges (or should I say the certification bodies) fault not yours, just know your limits.

 

[moony]

It will be the diaphragm,

You can't have an attitude with someone who questions whether your gas safe if your changing a thermocouple when pilot stays lit - a simple yes I am gas safe but I do installs rather than fault finding for example.

To the others..... I know plenty of lads who are amazing at Installs - do everything correct but can't fault find for toffee. Doesn't mean they're not gas safe I know faults are covered in our gas exams but many struggle on these and just do enough to get through and get back onto throwing installs in

 

[mountainman]

I agree, I can do installs but the old body complains a lot now.
Give me a breakdown and that's a different matter.
Different degrees of specialism I believe.

 

[splinterdream]

And I am the opposite. 19 Years doing breakdowns and I am quite good at it however I don't like pipework or installs as I've never really done it and am therefore quite slow and lacking in confidence

 

[stevetheplumber]

I am GSR i asked for advice not to be spoken to like a child u ****

six week course ?

 

[solodiver2001]

The above no sorry 4 years and still learning sorry

 

[solodiver2001]

Water heater fixed replaced Diaphram also wire to high limit stat had break in it, learnt a whole lot on this break down many thanks for all the feedback.

 

[moony]

Well done on the job - you'll feel a lot more confident on the next water heater now.

4 year apprenticeship?

 

[Bernie2]

Yes knowing a bit about the engineering and Physics of what your doing is something they do not seem to teach much in colleges and on courses any more. Its all question and answers about certain scenarios but if you do not know the engineering and Physics it is hard to work out the answers to any new questions that come up. I think the main problem is simply lack of time and payment for getting people past exams. I suppose it would tend to make for only teaching people how to answer set questions not wider subject understanding. It is partly why I would advise newbies to read the first history of the appliance's they want to work on. How a boiler started from a simple kettle up to the modern age. Especially a history that explains what and why things like thermocouples were invented and how they are made and work and how control is integrated onto a pcb.

Its fascinating, but slow!