On-Call (frozen condense)

[GreenArmy]

oh dear! what a week on-call! Have had the busiest week ever with loads of burst pipes and have had to help out with boiler breakdowns.
Now every frozen condense pipe ive done this week is from the Worcester Greenstar range. 22mm frozen, 1 1/4 frozen all different lengths (its been quite unbelievable really).
I was thinking how strange its just Greenstars that ive had frozen and was wondering if its just the fact that the ones ive been given are worcesters or does there seem to be a trend here?

 

[Puddle]

oh dear! what a week on-call! Have had the busiest week ever with loads of burst pipes and have had to help out with boiler breakdowns.
Now every frozen condense pipe ive done this week is from the Worcester Greenstar range. 22mm frozen, 1 1/4 frozen all different lengths (its been quite unbelievable really).
I was thinking how strange its just Greenstars that ive had frozen and was wondering if its just the fact that the ones ive been given are worcesters or does there seem to be a trend here?

Well it proves Worcester are good condensing boilers,I wonder how many of these so called HE boilers boilers make the grade as alot do not seem to condensate that much at all

 

[GreenArmy]

Well it proves Worcester are good condensing boilers,I wonder how many of these so called HE boilers boilers make the grade as alot do not seem to condensate that much at all

That's what i was thinking. Had an old bloke giving me a right hard time this morning as his had frozen for the 5th day in a row. He thought i worked for the contractor that done the install (who had been back to make external condense pipe bigger (1 1/4)). When i said its just the extreme weather he was arguing like mad that it was installed wrong (it isnt). Thought he was going to have a heart attack the stubbon old sod. Had to calm the situation and tell him that i take on board his complaint and will pass on to my supervisor.
Had another bloke this week who had a frozen water main (so no water) who argued that i had to get water on for him or couldnt i phone the water board to find where its frozen? Some people..........

 

[moogwai]

i had a call back to a 42cdi that i fitted......boiler wouldn't fire up,turns out the condense pipe was also frozen!! what a pain in the ar*e!! no where to run the the condense pipe internally so unfortunately and ironicaly when the weather is at it's coldest the boiler may not work!!!

 

[Puddle]

Maybe going to have to think about some system of heat trace on condenate pipework

 

[pauls]

so what is the easiest or best way to try and thaw out the condense pipe

 

[paulgid]

a kettle of hot water

 

[GreenArmy]

depends really. I thawed out a few short 22mm runs with a bowl of hot water, then on the next one which was 1 1/4 and running approx 2.5 meters used 4 kettles of boiling water which still didnt thaw all of it. One of our guys has been sawing it off internally and leaving a bowl under it but not really practical for a 96 year old. The worcester website has a page on thawing the condense pipe. Common winter boiler enquiries - Worcester, Bosch Group UK installer site for details.

 

[Winston]

Hair dryer to gently thaw it out would be my guess not sure I will tell the mrs though