Combi boiler and huge gas bill

by **Masterminded** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 1:49 pm

I have a Halsted Ace High combi boiler, nearing 5 year old and serviced annually, the last service being early Nov 08.
Last month we noticed a bad smell in the area of the boiler after it was on for a while. Maybe an underlying smell of gas, but a more rotten smell. This only lasted a week and was never too bad.

Just this past 10 days or fortnight the boiler has not been firing when you turn on a hot water tap, only when you turn on a couple or 3 taps will the burner ignite. Once going there is no problem.

The pressure gauge is showing small fluctuations, but maintaing around 1.5 - 2.0. On an odd occassion I would top this up.

My most recent gas bill landed and is 80 - 100% more than this time last year and I can't justify that on either price increases or usage.

Does anyone have any pointers on where the problem may be?

by **Steve the gas** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 6:21 am

Hi,
Get your system tightness tested - just in case!!
I bet its the fact of the cold weather and using it a lot.
Wife,GF or kids at home a lot in the day?
Can you make a calc on units used per day?

by **htg engineer** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:42 pm

Probably a problem with the diverter (water problem) possibly a stretched or split diaphragm.

As for the gas consumption, I would get an RGI to carry out a tightness test and to check and set the gas pressures.

htg

by **Masterminded** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 9:59 am

I had the engineer out who said the problem was a small switch not being activated due to lack of pressure. I told him about the diverter and he said that could be the problem but couldn't fix right now.

He cleared copper sulphate from pipes and serviced etc. Pressure was at 1.3 and he said it needed to be at 1.9 to operate properly.
Since service the problem has remained, there is nothing wrong with our water pressure, but the boiler now drops to 1.1 or so when not on for a while.

Should I get him out and have diverter replaced? Or is the drop in gas pressure something to do with it?

by **htg engineer** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:40 pm

"Should I get him out and have diverter replaced? Or is the drop in gas pressure something to do with it?"

what gas pressure ?

I'm assumiong the 1.1, 1.3 and 1.9 your talking about is the system pressure (pressure gauge on boiler), normal operating pressure is between 1.0 and 2.5. It will rise when the heating is on and fall when the system cools down.

"Probably a problem with the diverter (water problem) possibly a stretched or split diaphragm" this remains the case, what did he do to combat the lack of hot water when the tap is opened ?

Did he check/set the gas pressures ? gas rate the appliance ?

htg