In brief my combi 6 gas only boiler has been trouble for three years. Initially it worked. Then the heating stopped but the hot water worked. So we lived with this for a couple of years getting the occasional suggestions as to the cause. Recently just before the Cumbrae rally the hot water stopped working also. With help from rally attendees we went the through the usual fault finding process with electrics first which were correct. After stripping the cabinet out we were greeted with the red flashing LED which matched the red flashing led on the thermostat.
The red LED flashing indicates a gas issue.
Next step we connected my standalone Blue butane bottle with orange hose directly to the boiler after the isolation valve. A couple of power cycles letting the main pcb get its head sorted out the boiler flashed up working amazingly well on hot water and heating.
So it was looking like the gas supply. The regulator was disconnected then compressed air was blown down the line from the boiler end. The pipe at the regulator was blocked to build up pressure then released into a tissue which revealed lots and lots of oil. This exercise continued until hardly any oil was noticeable. Then we sprayed fast evaporating switch cleaner into the pipe running the same exercise until the tissue was totally clean. With all this oil it would be reasonable to assume the regulator would be choked also. As an observation the cooker was working with this gas supply but not the boiler. A new regulator was ordered from Amazon which arrived the following day.
The new regulator was fitted with confidence levels high. Pipe work reinstated then power on. Red flashing LED. Then we took a step back going through the timeline. We have two gasit bottles connected together with a Tee piece. This second bottle was fitted a year ago and filled whilst the first bottle was already full. We get the ferry (again) going to Morrisons for the LPG to fill our now empty original bottle. I then decide to use the front new bottle which has never been used since the original fill at the Shell garage Abington. It was decided to swap the hose back to the newly filled bottle.
We then flashed everything up and hey presto it worked.
In summary then we had a contaminated regulator, contaminated pipes and one contaminated full bottle. Now here is the rub. A curveball but not a show stopper.
The boiler isolator valve which is located right at the boiler input pipe was not used in case this was restricting the flow. On refitting the valve the boiler won´t work. Take it out and it does. Any thoughts on this one ?
On returning home once again the red led was flashing whilst previously everything was fine albeit having no isolator valve. I disconnected the boiler pipe then connected my bbq butane bottle . Boiler worked. I then disconnected the pipe and sprayed brake and clutch fluid directly into the boiler and left it evaporate for an hour or so. Reconnected the original pipework coming from the regulator and good gas bottle then went through a couple of cycles then she flashed up working fine.
I then refitted the isolator valve and the boiler wouldn´t work. Looking at the bore of the isolator diameter it is much smaller than the 8mm supply pipework. It very clean looking inside it also.
It has been suggested the gas solenoid valve in the boiler maybe sensitive to the gas flow.
Any thoughts on this one would be most appreciated. Today I am fitting a gasit oil filter just before the regulator input side.
The flame on three cooker rings also looks stronger with a tinge of blue at the base of the flames.
Now as an observation of mine. With oil in the gas and other additives it makes one wonder whether other motorhome or caravan users without oil filters have deteriorating hardware. This event must of been getting worse and worse over the years.
Can anyone suggest an isolator valve with 8mm fittings with the largest bore possible. I am not a gas engineer so out of my pay scale unfortunately. Is it possible to to increase the 8mm connections to say 10mm with a larger isolator bore valve.
atb
The red LED flashing indicates a gas issue.
Next step we connected my standalone Blue butane bottle with orange hose directly to the boiler after the isolation valve. A couple of power cycles letting the main pcb get its head sorted out the boiler flashed up working amazingly well on hot water and heating.
So it was looking like the gas supply. The regulator was disconnected then compressed air was blown down the line from the boiler end. The pipe at the regulator was blocked to build up pressure then released into a tissue which revealed lots and lots of oil. This exercise continued until hardly any oil was noticeable. Then we sprayed fast evaporating switch cleaner into the pipe running the same exercise until the tissue was totally clean. With all this oil it would be reasonable to assume the regulator would be choked also. As an observation the cooker was working with this gas supply but not the boiler. A new regulator was ordered from Amazon which arrived the following day.
The new regulator was fitted with confidence levels high. Pipe work reinstated then power on. Red flashing LED. Then we took a step back going through the timeline. We have two gasit bottles connected together with a Tee piece. This second bottle was fitted a year ago and filled whilst the first bottle was already full. We get the ferry (again) going to Morrisons for the LPG to fill our now empty original bottle. I then decide to use the front new bottle which has never been used since the original fill at the Shell garage Abington. It was decided to swap the hose back to the newly filled bottle.
We then flashed everything up and hey presto it worked.
In summary then we had a contaminated regulator, contaminated pipes and one contaminated full bottle. Now here is the rub. A curveball but not a show stopper.
The boiler isolator valve which is located right at the boiler input pipe was not used in case this was restricting the flow. On refitting the valve the boiler won´t work. Take it out and it does. Any thoughts on this one ?
On returning home once again the red led was flashing whilst previously everything was fine albeit having no isolator valve. I disconnected the boiler pipe then connected my bbq butane bottle . Boiler worked. I then disconnected the pipe and sprayed brake and clutch fluid directly into the boiler and left it evaporate for an hour or so. Reconnected the original pipework coming from the regulator and good gas bottle then went through a couple of cycles then she flashed up working fine.
I then refitted the isolator valve and the boiler wouldn´t work. Looking at the bore of the isolator diameter it is much smaller than the 8mm supply pipework. It very clean looking inside it also.
It has been suggested the gas solenoid valve in the boiler maybe sensitive to the gas flow.
Any thoughts on this one would be most appreciated. Today I am fitting a gasit oil filter just before the regulator input side.
The flame on three cooker rings also looks stronger with a tinge of blue at the base of the flames.
Now as an observation of mine. With oil in the gas and other additives it makes one wonder whether other motorhome or caravan users without oil filters have deteriorating hardware. This event must of been getting worse and worse over the years.
Can anyone suggest an isolator valve with 8mm fittings with the largest bore possible. I am not a gas engineer so out of my pay scale unfortunately. Is it possible to to increase the 8mm connections to say 10mm with a larger isolator bore valve.
atb
