Ok, quick version is this…. Our combi boiler (Halstead Finest Gold) went into it’s safety lockout mode 12 days a go. We have no heating or hot water and called upon the services of a plumber who came highly reccommended. He stood In front of the boiler with a tech guy from Halstead on the phone and they tried every system check possible and decided the fault must lie with the pcb. It was also pointed out that the boiler looked in condition but as it was 12 years old (6yrs installed) it would need replacing. So faced with a choice of a few hundred pounds repair with no guarantee of a successful outcome or a huge expense of a new boiler we took a chance with the repair.
After a 5 day wait, the pcb was installed but the fault remained so the diagnosis was a new boiler. Before I go ahead and sell my worldly possessions to fund this new boiler istallation…. Is it worth me getting a second opinion? Or the fact that this guy is supposedly honest and seemed to have done all the necessary checks I should just accept that I need a new boiler?

Fault

Have you googled the fault and tried the fixes?

I’ve googled and it says this boiler is the shitest thing since shitty the shit stepped in a pile of shit. The common faults are diaphragm (replaced 2 years a go), the pcb and a whole list of other things. 🙁

Oh and thanks for the link 🙂

Go and ask on DIYnot.com but be careful as there are lots of pros on there and they like to be rude to householders. Make sure you give them all the info about the boiler and system or they will take the piss.

I’ve got a Halstead boiler as well and I’ve been having problems with it for over a year – ignition and overheating cut out. Got a plumber in and all he wanted to do was fit a new boiler so I went on to:

http://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk

One of the suggestions was to replace the thermistor. While comparing the picture of a thermistor on ebay to mine I discovered it was loose (as well as the overheating thermistor) – tightened it up and problem is now sorted. OK it’s unlikely your thermistors will be loose as well but it’s worth a check.

I had a Hastead, and it did as you said. I replaced the diaphragam, which initially made no difference, but discovered it would come on with a sharp tap to said diaphragm (discovered in rage). Would work for a few days, then would require sharp tap again. We kept going like this for years. Note, the boiler was in the loft, so the sharp tap wasn’t the most convenient thing to administer, although it did mean I could leave the cover off.

Now have a Bosch combi lovelything.

instead of the sharp tap apply vaseline to the shaft.. (seriuosly)..
if in doubt.. ever heard of a small company called british gas? a very nice man will come round look at it for 15 mins and tell u whats what fixed price repair guranteed take it or leave it.. the most it can cost you is nowt!
seemed to have seemed to be honest are some huge leaps of faith just ask the nice man from Bg round.. its FREE

womble72

If you get a new boiler would your plumber not be able to return the PCB for the old boiler and get refunded for it?

if you go down the route of a replacement boiler then it could be a good idea to compare the prices to http://www.mrcentralheating.co.uk/ this may help you get an idea of who is trying to rip you a new one on the price of equipment. If your friendly installer will let you buy the boiler then getting it though mr central heating could work out cheaper.

As totalshell said a free quote from BG is not a bad plan.

one off fix from BG could be a good option, although as you’ve found out they aren’t the best boiler out there and will you be faced with more bills like this? do you put it towards a new one?

PCB’s are non returnable once you have opened the box they are supplied in.

This is the trouble with modern boilers (especially combis) repair is often expensive sometimes difficult to diagnose and therefore they become like white goods (washing machines etc) and they get thrown away after 7 or so years.