Nightmare time with Worcester Bosch repairs

[Cazza]

Hi

Was wandering if anyone can tell me if a competent boiler repair man should be able to detect a leak on an isolation valve to the boiler fairly easily. Worcester Bosch repair men came out 10 weeks ago to repair what was a leaking left flow unit. They also took boiler apart and replaced a few other things just in case that could leak (prv and expansion vessel). To cut a long story short I've had continuing pressure loss since they came out, one bar every 2 weeks. They kept telling me it couldn't be the boiler but I kept running isolation tests which proved to be the boiler. In all they've come out 7 times and 4 times there has been a leak on the left and right isolation valves. They tried tightening one, then replacing both washers, then replacing the right valve and now hopefully they are coming back to replace the left valve which still looks to be leaking.
Their attitude has been horrible, they are now unwilling to come out again they said if there is a continuing pressure loss after their visit today. I've had this worry for 10 weeks, had to run 4 isolation tests, had to take 8 days off work for their all day appointments getting up very early. I don't think I should have had to go through this. They kept telling me I had practically a new boiler so not to worry about the pressure drop. I think they should have ran some sort of isolation test on the second visit to determine where the leak was and properly diagnose it first (on the second visit they actually put in a new heat exchanger instead of finding the valve leak). Can any competent boiler repair man tell me what they think please?

 

[SimonG]

Is this still ongoing?

I'm sure that a visit from a competent engineer would have had you sorted.

 

[sammathias]

How is topping up pressure to two bar adding a load of air into system. Please explain?

 

[Cazza]

UPDATE: The boiler gauge has still lost pressure from 1.5 bar to 1.2 bar within exactly a week. So I've decided to write to Martyn Bridges, top technical person at Worcester Bosch with all that's happened. I will let you know IF I hear back.

 

[John.g]

Not sure if this is with the boiler isolated or not for the week?. One way or the other the boiler or boiler/system is after losing almost 0.9 litres of water or else air is still being released through the boiler auto air vent.

 

[Cazza]

Hi. No not isolated, just normal. I've started an isolation test this morning. Not adding anymore water to it (1.2 bar start off) in case of adding back in any air. My gut feeling is it's not auto air venting, especially as i've got new lot of inhibitor in the system. The two new isolation valves don't appear to be leaking, so I think they fixed that. I have seen on google that if the pump setting is too high this can cause a pressure loss (something to do with cavitation don't really understand) so maybe its that I don't know if Worcester checked this.
It will be interesting to see, with the two new isolation valves, if there is any pressure loss whilst boiler isolated. But I wrote off to Marytn Bridges because like Bosch themselves told me it shouldn't be me still worrying about it, after Bosch found a pressure drop on the boiler gauge.

 

[sammathias]

Blah blah. Going around in circles and yet still don't listen to a word suggested.

 

[Cazza]

I've taken on board what everyone has said. Well I ran the isolation test for the last 24 hours and it dropped 0.15 bar at least. I've just taken 200 ml out of a radiator with it still isolated and it doesn't drop on the gauge. This is telling me its definately the boiler losing pressure. Whether that is because of air still venting 9 days later I don't know. But my guess is its still just going to keep on dropping as that's what its always done.
I wrote to Martyn Bridges but had an out of office reply that he is not back for 2.5 weeks. Just my luck.
I guess I will have to get out my own engineer and send the bill to Bosch because if there is a leak they've caused it?

 

[Cazza]

I've reversed the isolation test and i'm going to carry on giving it the obligatory two weeks, so if after the 18th April it keeps on dropping pressure then i'll know for sure its not just air venting and can update Mr Bridges with the information.

 

[Riley]

I've taken on board what everyone has said. Well I ran the isolation test for the last 24 hours and it dropped 0.15 bar at least. I've just taken 200 ml out of a radiator with it still isolated and it doesn't drop on the gauge. This is telling me its definately the boiler losing pressure. Whether that is because of air still venting 9 days later I don't know. But my guess is its still just going to keep on dropping as that's what its always done.
I wrote to Martyn Bridges but had an out of office reply that he is not back for 2.5 weeks. Just my luck.
I guess I will have to get out my own engineer and send the bill to Bosch because if there is a leak they've caused it?

I realise your frustration Cazza but seriously how have they caused it?? No one will set out to purposely cause an issue with your boiler. You do realise that there is a good chance that your boiler may just have had more than one issue. I went out to a WB the other day and there were three separate leaks on it. The third was an absolute nightmare to locate and I only found it because of a drip passing through the beam of my torch. Don’t be so aggressive and I’m sure you will get there. If you don’t then keep on at WB but I would not lead with them causing leaks as they will just not take you seriously. Be factual

 

[Cazza]

Well my conclusion is in the last 6 days it has not dropped (hardly anything anyway). Its now been over 2 weeks since WB last came. I've not had the heating on much. But if there was a leak it would have shown even switched off i'm guessing. When I put the heating on next winter if it starts losing pressure again then all I can think it is the pump setting is too high and causing air venting (would explain the vibration noise I get as well). So when I get it serviced next year I will ask them to check this and slow it down a bit. So i've no need to go back to WB. But I am glad I persevered with them and got them back out because on their very last visit they did fix the isolation valve leaks which needed to be done. I don't think my last post was aggressive, I even had a question mark as to question if they caused the leak. Anyway no point in arguing.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts, just glad I can leave it be now.