Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
  • Plumbertrackworld…vokera linea boiler about to die but plumber can't tell me?
  • rockhopper70
    Full Member

    I have a linea 24 that was installed 12 years ago. Serviced annually by a decent plumber.
    In the last few years it has taken a bit off money off us, new heat exchanger, valve. Plumber suggests, however, we keep running it as new, modern boilers do cost significantly more to repair/parts when they do go.
    Recently however, the boiler is frequently tripping out on ignition, error code 01. This means failure to ignite. To reset this, switch boiler off, count to 10, then switch back on and it usually starts up, for anything from a day to a couple of hours. Repeat process.
    I have reported this to my plumber who says that unless another error code is raised, he can’t tell what the problem is so it would be a case of throwing parts at it in a trial and error basis.
    So we are now in the position, approaching winter, with this unreliable boiler and it appears that our options are repair at possible significant cost or buy a new boiler at significant cost. Frustratingly, it could be something and nothing but the plumber can’t establish this……
    Long intro for a quick question…..is this really the position we are in.

    Flaperon
    Full Member

    He’s just a crap plumber.

    Gas boilers aren’t complicated (“you’re not a gas engineer, you’re a gas technician etc”) and since it’s intermittent it’s probably something cheap like the flame sensor. Might just need cleaning…

    If you can get hold of the installation and service manual for your boiler it’ll almost certainly have a troubleshooting guide for him (someone else?) to follow.

    rockhopper70
    Full Member

    I’ll have a check in the manual but my plumber does come highly recommended.

    alanl
    Free Member

    Probably a thermocouple failure – it has a pilot light?
    £5 for the part, Screwfix even do them, a doddle to fit.
    Or if that has been changed, the pilot light has to be turned up slightly.

    The worst case is a gas valve. £70 ish to buy, 1 hour tops to fit.

    Could be a damaged cable. I’ve found a few boilers (mainly 20+ yrs old) with internal cables burnt, causing some shorts or breaks in the cable.

    peasant
    Free Member

    If it was mine i would not spend any more money on it ,put it towards a new one .the six big energy companies are being forced to give free boilers/insulation to people receiving certain benefits/tax credits might be worth a look at 🙂

    rockhopper70
    Full Member

    there is no pilot light on mine..it just fires up on demand.

    rockhopper70
    Full Member

    i wont get any sub for a replacement.

    bennn
    Free Member

    A Vokera Linea won’t have a thermocouple so disregard that post, no offence.

    It’ll likely be the ignition electrode, which is fairly inexpensive, but it is kind of a case of trial and error, it could well be the PCB or gas valve, at which point it starts getting expensive..

    At 12 years old, I’d expect it to be nearing ending it’s life anyway, and you’ve got to weigh up yourself the time/cost outlay of repair against replacement and higher efficiency of a new appliance.

    Hope this helps.
    Ben

    totalshell
    Full Member

    ignore 99% of the above your boiler is easily and inexpensively kept alive by a british gas fixed price repair (you dont need to be a customer) last time i checked they were 89 199 or 399 199 covers most repairs and they guarantee for a year.

    your local plumber is good for servicing and easy fixes but BG have all the expertise and technology to diagnose electrical issues.. dont buy vokera next time. worcester have a new model all witha real 5yr warranty..

    rockhopper70
    Full Member

    I had nearly given up on this and invited bg to quote for a new boiler. That was £3500 so a non-starter.
    By a stroke of good fortune, when I went to collect the middle daughter from high school a vokera van was parked up. Quick tap on the window and a chat and a few days later a vokera engineer calls, “off the record”. Guessed and sorted the problem in around 15 minutes. Ignition box swopped for around £20.
    Lesson…get the right chap for the job.
    Soooooo happy as the cold snap starts.

    TheFunkyMonkey
    Free Member

    Good find

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

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