Blocked plate heat exchanger sludge. Potterton Peforma no hot water. Heatinggeek
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- Опубліковано 20 сер 2024
- In this video, I unblock a plate heat exchanger after being sent to replace a diverter valve.
I often see this misdiagnosed on these boilers. This was a quick simple boiler repair that insurance doesn't usually cover. See my tools bellow
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Just done this job, excellent results, ours was completely blocked like yours. I didn't wear gloves and survived lol. Need to remember to clean out the bit that the plate exchanger bolts onto as ours was clogged as well. Might celebrate with a nice hot bath tonight thanks
Great informative video. Nice to see some good old fashioned repair work and not wanting to fit a boiler for the customer.
I don't want to lift a boiler. To difficult:-)
I always give plates a dose of SOS. Always gets them working like new for a couple of quid rather than cost of new plate. Have done some plates more than once over the years. Thanks for another top video, HG. Please keep them coming.
Me too. Done a few more than once. Never had a problem with damage.
i do wish you lived in my area as you are so consistently right and and also methodical - i would be able to trust your judgement in diagnosing a problem instead of being in the hands of the - lets just replace it brigade.... many thanks for your showing there are some very good trades persons out there
There are loads of good trades. Just need to find them. And keep them. :-)
Just did a similar thing on a Worcester PHE. Considering a new plate for one of those is 150 quid, for the sake of a couple of hours labour and a bottle of descaler, it's a much more reasonable fix if cost is an issue!
Only downside is the water where I live is harder than Mike Tyson so I doubt it will last!
Good vid. 👍
Heating geek you fucking legend, I followed your advice and now my Mrs can scrub her flange with constant warm water without shouting abuse at me every morning!! Respect. The only problem I encountered was the seals I bought off fleabay were smaller than the originals, luckily the old seals have held out.... Thanks
Well done, another repair at minimal cost, you correctly diagnosed that it was likely to be a blocked PHE was down to your insight & experience and thats something they will never be able to teach in a classroom.
I learned the hard way though.
I fitted a diverter and after filling up the boiler overheated on HW. I then knew that the plate had caused the issue in the first place. No one told me. I found out the hard way and it sticks with you that way.
Exactly. :-)
I did this with my dad about a week ago. We used OneShot to unblock it. This fixed the issue of luke warm water. Basically saved ourselves a few hundred pounds!
Another great Vid . And to be honest you could learn more with you for a day than you could at a training centre for a week . Gas safe need to make the CCN1 more about working on boilers and fault finding rather than some heap of crap gas boiler from 1970 that no one will see any more . Top work
Thanks. :-)
Defiantly need more technical repair stuff in the CCN1 or at least in the boiler module.
@@HeatingGeek That was one of the major things that disappointing me when doing CCN1.
I agree , a basic electrical understanding should also be included , gas never fails. I’d like to see install , service and repair elements. In brief if you want to do install you say run a gas run , install flue , commission so on. You see my point I’d like to see it more based on the job rather than finding a BS number in a book.
@@umark6695 Im trying to sort something out for training people. One day!!!
@@heatservicebwcuk1545 You have to know the job, BS igem or whatever it is now. But hands on boiler repair is a very important part of it. I wish college taught me a lot more of it.
Another great one HG. It’s amazingly easy to clean the plate HE, others would just replace.
An easy boiler to work on too, unlike that Whooshitter Botch crap.
I’m still awaiting a video on basic safety checks on a boilers. I think that would be good for the hard of thinking & course cowboys👍👍
Ok basic checks I will do after fixing my own boiler and PCB stuff.
Can't stress enough to blokes out there - wear eye protection. Never look over any acid you're using. You will get a freak splash or droplet (like I did with undiluted formic acid) Not as corrosive as this one. And I was standing up well away (I thought) and I got splashed directly in my eye. I was lucky I can still see because it didn't hit me in the pupil but one side of it. Whenever you're thinking '...maybe I should wear goggles...' DO IT. Just repeat to yourself ''Only one pair of eyes".
I only have 1 eye as it is..... I do always wear eye protection. I have another video on the subject that makes that clear. :-)
Lukewarm DHW issue solved, I ended up replacing the heat exchanger but priceless video. Cheers 👌
quality job... id never thought of using this.. i thought it would have just eaten away at the metal but seems to bring it up like brand new!
keep these coming :D
It will pit the metal if you leave it in there for too long and you need to keep it away from the copper studs. Have a bucket of water to flush the top off if it happens.
@@HeatingGeek Or find that funnel Lol.
#
Fixed the same issue with my own potterton thanks to this video. Great vids, keep them coming. Am helping me through my studying for my gas safe exams.
Have you seen Tinas channel. Loads of good content for new engineers etc.
Tina?
@@mistadeano100 Gas Training Tutorials (Great For Beginners and Refreshers) ua-cam.com/channels/rot.html...
That's amazing. Thank you. I will have a look
@@mistadeano100 No problem. :-)
I have been successful putting strong descaler into the wash machine cold supply with the boiler off and hot tap open. Its messy and you have to push it through but it works and as there's no disassembly you dont need to be gas safe.
generally it the ch side that blocks, not the potable water side.
Quick heads up, while this method (if done efficiently) does work, it is only temporary solution, as you will have to do same thing after 1-3 years as it is nearly impossible to get all of the minerals out. To aid extraction i suggest running it under tap with as much pressure as possible, and then shaking out all the ''flakes'', then repeating step shown in video multiple times until there are barely any flakes comming out. To extend life of heat exchanger, keep your hot water temperature as low as possible. A new heatexchanger can get clogged in about a year if water temperature is set to max possible temperature. My personal experience from fixing boilers.
Good info
Thanks for getting back, no I didn't really clean it out as such just a wipe round with finger inside make sure no bits stuck in, the exchanger wasn't as dirty as yours in vid and I wasn't going to bother, but a fair bit of crap did come out of it, and water flowed thru much better .
Cheers
Got to say I do like watching these especially being new to the game keep up the good work👍🏻.
Good. Im glad you like it.
Wow, that sure frothed out eating up all the bad stuff plugging the exchanger. Good job.
Another great video.
Your videos have helped me so many times.
Start your own training school HG you will have 100’s of us Engineers booking on.
I would love to. Ned a lot of help to get it sorted. Do you have a friend called Mark???
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@Heath Remington instablaster ;)
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Great video
I was working on one of these boilers last week it was doing the same thing, so i took the plate out had a look it was clear then i moved the hot water diaphragm housing out the way to checked the rod was ok, the rod was stuck in the heating Position, i had the service kit on the van changed it job done. I like these boiler the acces is great.
They are good boilers to repair. The APS can be a pain and PCB issues can present themselves in some weird ways. Generally parts are cheap and not to bad to replace.
you dont need to change it....if you clean the rod very carefully it works fine again....just remember the exact position of each part...
Just done mine , thanks for the info. Easy peesy as they say in Scotland
Do this at your own risk. As good as this method works and sounds there is allways a risk of acid eating through thin plates of heatexchanger and DHW presure going in heating system. Had that happen once in my experience even with propper chemical used. Great video never the less.
I haven't had it happen to me but I know it can. Just do it as quick as you can!!!
there is no chance for acid to destroy the plate....its not common iron,its "rustproof",common iron will be destroyed......
If the problem is big i take the plate back to base,and i leave it inside the acid OVERNIGHT!!!! Nothing ever happens...
De-scaling a plate - plate, Most satisfying part of the job. 🤣
Its just a bit of cleaning. :-)
Another very informative video mate thank you keep em coming 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks. :-)
thanks for the video, done mine today didnt do it in 30 minutes but about 45, would of been quicker but put it in the wrong way round which took a while to work out
No problem 👍
Brilliant video, great way of solving a common problem. Subed for future vids
Thanks. :-) Glad you like them.
Can anyone translate the 0:18 - 0:21 part? The talking is too quick for me to understand.
Your videos are very helpful. Thank you
Thanks. :-)
Good video I have a Bosch worcester 30si greenstar think its blocked all works fine but I get a bang now and then only on heating side tried x800 in system for a week bleed air out no joy ask loads of plumbers look at me gone out
careful not to be over your work. as the steam can be bad to breath in. Nice Vid
Yeah I know, its pretty bad stuff. Thanks for watching> :-)
Great video.. I done this a few years ago. Tiny splashes went on my £120 snickers work trousers. So tiny, like pin head size. I had to bin them. :(
Watch your eyes using this kinda stuff.
Its really bad!! Keep your head right away.
Don't ever do it in someones house!!!!
@@HeatingGeek black swan drain cleaner. Pretty awesome for cleaning p2p h/e. I always always wear a face shield ppe, Great stuff dude. Keep um comin' 😉
@@rayc1503 I didn't have gloves. (I did but couldn't find them and had 11 other jobs that day) Its very dangerous stuff. I try not to take chances with it and always have clean water near by.
@@HeatingGeek Good man, Keep safe dude. FOR ANYONE ELSE ATTEMPTING THIS GOGGLES AND DRAIN CLEANING GLOVES ARE A MUST at minimum 😊
@@rayc1503 defiantly!
Nice bit of Alchemy there!!! Great video man! You're right, initial thought was diverter valve!
I missed this comment before. ;-)
Brilliant video. Wish you lived near me. Proper tradesman
Thanks 👍
Cheers mate...Good video
Thanks :-)
Heatinggeek great video again must say and also drain cleaner is good stuff cheap to use 👍 I won't spend £63 on a machine Lol
If it was as quick as this I would get one. It would be much safer.
Even better way of doing this
I think this is called Agua Fuerte in Spain, I fixed my Vaillant boiler with this last week. The spanish also use this a a PH balancer for their swimming pools. No joke...
I will use a PH balancer in my pool too. :-) One day........ :-(
Lol yeah, I know what you mean :)
Great video again, i've used kirock k before, but that's a lot more milder, more for kettles or to be left over night,.
Is knock out, spirits of salt and kilrock spirits of salts and other brands the same stuff?
Also seen people recommend One shot drain cleaner? again is it same stuff?
great tip on the flow pipe/diverter valve getting hot or not.
looking forward to the pcb tips, as had a old worc 28cdi pcb out today, no sparking but everything else working, did all the basic electrical test, all good.
I wanted to test the big blue spark transformer for resistance, lot harder than my own worc 25si to get apart, it had a smaller second sparker that the leads directly connected to, anyhow after a fiddle about,seen it was not removable put it all back together to my surprise it came back to life!!!! happy customer and me, happy not having to find a replacement recon pcb on ebay for a 30 year old boiler!!!!! keep up the hard work mate, great job to tips.
Thanks a lot. The spirits of salt I use is 32% hydrochloric acid. they do a 19% and 21% the 32 is just quicker.
I sometimes use Mortex brick and patio cleaner. Its 20% and good for general stuff.
All of the above will burn you and anything it spills on in the van.
The PCB stuff is general and not as deep as I would like to go.
Great video …..but have got motion sickness you should shake the camera a bit more 😂👍
I know. It doesn't get much better
Try putting fx2 or another strong de slugger into the AAv on the pump then closing the flow & run the hot water then the chemical heats (works better hot) & cleans the whole circuit in the boiler without removing the plate & changing the seals & it's easy to drain the chemical out as its only in the boiler....I'm in London & never saw scale in a heat plate just sludge from heating side in the plate.
I have only seen scale over near SL postcodes. Like you said, just sludge in the plate.:-)
how would you drain after
great vid
Thanks Bloke, after watching this worked like a dream ... you should advertise more on your channel the work would pour in or a comprehensive tool kit from amazon or similar
I probably will advertise soon. Just lost my main income. Glad you go it sorted. It is only a temporary measure as the plate will block again. Maybe 3 months maybe 3 years.
Hi Heating Geek
Love watching your videos . Have you used Kamco FX 2 for cleaning plates ? I find it much safer, also a 5 litre container with the side cut off most plate will fit into it and can add hot water to help with descaling, I’ve been a gas engineer since 74 but still find your videos helpful all the best.
Wow thats high praise from someone doing it as long as you. I have used FX2 and FX but its not quick enough for me. It is a lot safer though. I do take care when using spirits of salt.
I have been burned.
Well done, great stuff learning more every time.
Did you isolate the flow and returns before draining down the boiler?
Or did you drain the whole system?
Did you pressurise the expansion vessel so it would hold a vacuum or just ensure it was pressurised before refitting and filling system as a form of process?
Great information, appreciate your videos. Can you use the same trick for the main heat exchanger aswell?
Thank you
Great vid mate! Might have to give the spirits of salt a go 👍🏻
It works.
Always works for me too.
I really wish you were my plumber!
Another great video thanks .
Thanks for watching :-)
Very informative video thank you once again
Thanks. :-)
This has cured a symptom to restore the boiler to service. However the original underlying problem (or cause) has not been addressed and the primary circuit requires power flushing.
Yes you are right. However the customer isn't covered own their insurance policy for this. This is how we keep people going until they get it sorted. :-)
HeatingGeek OK understood and thanks for the reply. I enjoy your videos btw.
@@normanboyes4983 No problem. :-)
Quality mate 😁😁
Hi HG. Brilliant Video. Very good filming. Watching this I feel confident enough to attempt this job for myself. I am assuming pressurizing the expansion tank is not required in order to change the plate but just a good idea to do it whilst drained down.
What I would like to know is regarding air in the system. is this ALWAYS going to happen and can you explain the process used for purging. Thanks
I hope your Gas Safe!!! Its easy enough. Most boilers self vent so its not usually an issue.
Baxi 105he heat fine . Hot water cuts out when it gets to temp and burner cycles on off. Hw at tap goes cool.
Hex and boiler pipes. Clear. Thermistors ok. Pump ok. And he fitted new divertor. I'm wondering if divertor is playing up. Brand new .full divertor.
Over heat stat has continuity also and swapped for known good one. Still plays up.
Whats the burner pressure? High and low? Probably the low is set too high or the harness/pcb is faulty. KISS
I bet it will be the burner pressure. :-)
Can all heater exchangers been cleaned, regardless of how severe to blockage is?
Presuming you're a licensed to work on heating systems, I wonder why you use hydrochloric acid as its known to attack stainless? On the other side of the pond in America with on demand dhw and boilers a relatively new phenomenon, many diyers are advised to use vinegar and a pump to cycle this solution for about an hour to descale plate exchangers. Some areas of the USA have heavy minerals so a semi yearly to yearly descaling helps to rid plate exchangers of scale deposits. Stainless seems to be the leading material for longer life of heat exchangers.
Does your water supply vary in minerals where it might be a regular service to descale heat exchangers whether as a diyer or service by professionals without using caustic acid?
It does damage stainless. I agree.
However its not in there long enough to cause a problem. About 5min max and then flushed out. If you left it in there for a long time it would cause a lot of problems. I wait for the reaction to stop and then flush through straight away.
He's not descaling limescale, he's cleaning the heating primary side of the plate. I's clogged with ferrous/rust flakes from internal corrosion of radiators, etc. Limescale doesn't usually clog the hot water side of plates in UK.
@@HeatingGeek It will still cause damage to the heat exchanger. By apply hydrochloric acid to the stainless steel you are removing the oxide layer which prevents stainless steel from corroding. The oxide layer will reform in the presence of oxygen but unevenly and can leave the plate prone to other types of corrosion. I don't know what concentration of HCl you used but if high enough it will also attack the copper brazing of the plates. This type of heat exchanger should be able to last 15+ years if treated correctly. There are other chemicals that can remove the sludge as effectively without damaging the heat exchanger, e.g. organic acids (mineral acids such as HCl should be avoided due corrosion) such as formic, acetic, citric acid, I'd advise using one of those instead, plus they are safer.
If possible the system should be dosed with chemicals on installation to prevent as much of this sludge as possible and a strainer should be fitted to prevent it from reaching the heat exchanger. When the heat exchanger is found to be blocked like this the system needs to be flushed.
Source: I work for a manufacturer of this type of heat exchanger.
www.biogenactive.com/products/industry/scale-132-copper/
@@woodbine66 thats not true mate, there wasnt any sludge in this boiler the water was crystal clear when drained. The black flakes would have been limescale formed on the heating side.
Don’t know why but I was holding my breath when you poured that acid in and it let off vapour.
Brilliant advice & help. One question tho- do I change heat exchanger then power flush? Or powerflush then change with new heat exchanger? Cheers Marc.👍🇬🇧
If you powerflush the system from the boiler pump you can clean the heat exchanger in situ. No need for a new one.
Another great vid. Thanks. With these symptoms, do you generally always firstly suspect this is a plate issue with any combi?
No not always. On this boiler its so easy to remove the plate I will always do it first. Electronic Valves will often overheat the boiler before passing. You just get a feel for it I guess. Wish I could give you better advise but I don't have a decent answer.
I get what you are saying that is really helpful thanks.
Thanks for the great tips, I learn even more reading your replies in comments below.
I am a newbie, could you tell me what is the best sizes of drain down hoses to carry for draining down boilers please.
All!!!
I carry U gauge tube, hose pipe, condense pump tube and a weird silicone hose a friend gave me. Basically whatever you think you need.
You don't need loads of it just enough to adapt from one type to another.
@@HeatingGeek and don't forget a funnel😳
When you diagnosed the fault was the hot water getting hot and cold over n over etc and also did the boiler lock out and restart etc I’m doing my gas course currently so the help would be very much appreciated
Yes thats correct. The boiler never locked out (that would need reseting). It did go off on temperature and then relight a few (5-10) seconds later.
Excellent 👍👍👍
Thanks. :-)
That divertor pin always leaks can you do a video on that aswell very common issue
Yes it does. I thought that would be a bit basic but have no problem doing it.
Next one I see I will do it.
HeatingGeek change rubber or whole diverter?
@@aj7303 Just the little gland seal or 'O' ring.
That gland on its own is available as a replacement
@@davidragnoli5162 Yep. last time I got them they were £1.50 each. Sometimes they are cheaper though.
Cool stuff
Thanks. :-)
Great video! We have an ideal standard boiler. It was new 3 years ago but already 4 heat exchange replacements! Water sample was fit for purpose but something keeps getting through even though we have two magiclean pumps! We have three almost brand new plates that we have kept and they said we could clean ourselves. Would this work?? Also, have you got any further suggestions as someone advised not to clean the system as it may disturb it. Thank you!!!
Sorry I didn’t respond to this comment. I didn’t see it in my feed. :-(
great video. my boiler turns off the hot water after about 6 mins of running and i get a flame failure light on. can reset it after it cools and runs again for about the same time. heat exchanger issue?
That stuff works really well! Not sure if it's safe to use. I would recommend flashing heat exchanger with white vinegar using a pump and hose in the bucket don't have to remove heat exchanger.
Yep there are safer ways. This stuff works great but is VERY dangerous.
I got a plate heat exchanger today which I cleaned using white vinegar. It cleaned quite well (though the thing was not as dirty or clogged as your example) but I did notice after a couple of hours soaking the vinegar exiting the boiler water side of the exchanger turned a very dark and vibrant green... Any idea what could have caused the colour?
I suspect the strong yellow colour your example showed may have had a similar cause only it being yellow due to the much more acidic liquid used....
It was probably something to do with copper. I don't ever leave anything in a heat exchanger for more than a few minutes.
Good video, very helpful.
Where do you get that specific discaler from in the UK and what price?
Also is it just good practice to pump the vessell tl drain or necessary?
Cheers
I generally pump the vessel if im working on the boiler. If the vessel is flat water will continue to gurgle out when I remove the parts. What boiler are you going to do the job on?
@@HeatingGeek I done it on a worcester 24 junior. I've took the advice and think I'll do the same. Makes sense cheers man
Got to be something in common as I do things in exact same order
Its just how it I do it.
I'm always intrigued to learn of efficient caustic cleaners for cleaning sludge and lime scale. But isn't this essentially Hydrochloric acid, which is renowned for eating away at metals. Is there no danger of it burning through the internal partitions.
Yes, your absolutely right. This has to takes minutes otherwise you could damage the plate. I have done this for over 10 years and not had that problem. BUT it could happen.
1 GREAT VIDEO BUD
Thanks. :-)
Just like to ask what was the problem you noticed with the condensate trap,although discoloured it didn't appear to be cracked.I must have missed something.
I assume the igniter and earth lead were attached .Or are we talking evidence of water leak by the white stain below the trap on the metal plate?
I cant remember. This video was a long time ago. :-)
Great video mate. I have the same problem with my warmflow combiboiler. The heating is fine with no issues. the hot water starts really warm and then is just luke warm. So can't run a bath. I'm thinking of removing the heat exchanger and giving it a good clean. Any advice as im a novice :-)
Dont do it. Get a GasSafe registered engineer to do it. :-)
Hi HG, bit late but HappyNew Year to you & yours.
Greatat video once again brother,
Is that the usual method to bleed air out of the AA vent, turning the power on & off at the switch, to get the pump to run momentarily without firing the boiler? How would you do this method on boilers that have sensitive pcb, like Glowworm etc, as I've watched your vids, comments & others on the subject of turning off at boiler then fused spur when isolating, then turning back on at spur then boiler, causing pcb death!!!
I use the method you use, as I was shown that way, but wondered if you or anyone has experienced pcb failure doing it like that, would be a right Bummer!!
Many thanks again & can't wait for your own Vaillant boiler repair update.
😀👍👍👍
I haven't had any issues with doing this and I would do it on a cxi. I do tell customers that some boilers will not work when turned off and turned on again. (cxi) I have been under the weather so haven't got anything done on the editing front. ASAP
nice one
Nice work mate. Have you got a definitive reference guide for boilers and purging air out.
No. Just use your ears to listen and you will eventually know what it sounds like.
hi HG, thanks for your videos learning a lot, will this also work on the hot water site clogged with limescale (light brown/yellow) ? its about a kaori brazed plate exchange on a boiler with a pomp so it never gets flushed with water pressure that why its gets clogged.
zakelijk.ithodaalderop.nl/producten/groot-tapwater/oplaadboiler
Limescale doesn't usually break down quick enough for me. If I have one blocked with limescale I will usually replace it. It does depend on how bad it is though.
Hi Mark great vid, couple a questions if you'd be so kind?!
I first changed. The actuator, then the diverter cassette, now I've just done the exchanger as in your vid, it's got alot better I get a fairly constant hot water flow now with very little fluctuation ......but I've just noticed it's still bypassing and the radiator feed pipe gets hot too, so although not 100% perfect it's getting me by, but any other parts that could be failing??? Could the diverter body/ housing itself fail?
Thanks
Yes, it could. never say never. Did you clean out the diverter housing when you replaced the cartridge? Also how blocked was the plate heat exchanger?
Is that hydrochloric acid? AKA muratic???
Even if the plate heat exchanger is blocked up and not heating the water correctly, why would the flow pipe get hot if the diverter wasn’t faulty? If the diverter is working correctly then no heat should be going down there regardless of the condition of the plate exchanger right? Due to how they work the diverter should completely shift from the flow pipe (heating) side to the plate exchanger (hot water) side right?
In the case of the diverter working correctly and the plate exchanger being blocked up I would think the only symptom is intermittent hot water with no heat going down the flow pipe because the heating circuit outside the boiler should be completely shut off
Your right but experience shows that when a plate is blocked the additional pressure put on a diverter valve by the pump, can force water past. This is common on many different boilers.
@@HeatingGeek ah that makes sense with the excess pressure! Thank you 😁
Does your fan tester need calibrated every year? I know there's the tpi version that doesn't require calibrated.
Fan tester?
Yeah that's what I mean.lol
Great videos. How long have you been doing this kind of work? I'm new to it and I'm out on my own too so I appreciate your confidence and experience to show us gas guys.
m Mack. Yes its meant too.
@@mmack3286 About 19years. Fixing for about 15 so far.
Wow you have loads of experience! How long have you been self employed?
Is this done on the DHW and heating side, I.e scale and sludge. I understand that it would work on the DHW side as acid dissolved limescale but does is work with sludge (magnetite). Apologies if that's the side you did. Cheers in advance.
Yes it works on both sides. However when a plate heat exchanger on a domestic boiler becomes blocked with scale it takes way too long to clear it. Much more effective to replace it.
On sludge it will clear the heat exchanger within 5 min.
@@HeatingGeek many thanks for your quick reply. I've cleaned mine (on a Vaillant Turbomax 242e) twice before using citric acid which did the job, albeit a little longer. I've now got Fernox DS3 which I've used for all sorts. Very effective and a bit more user friendly. I live in suffolk which has ridiculously hard water but also recently invested in a good water softener. Thanks again!
how did you find the multi TESTO tester for let by tests on meters ? thanks
So, no magnetic filter to catch the crap/haematite sludge? I've used drain acid a few times to resurrect PHE's and it scares the crap outa me. I always fit new o rings tho...just in case.
I have all the rings on the van but only fit them about 30% of the time. I check them with my finger and if they still feel like rubber I don't replace.
@@HeatingGeek Same here just a smidge of Ht silicone grease around all 4. Then t'is ready to go 😉
@@rayc1503 Simples.
@@HeatingGeek Seriously everyday's a learning day. My ways not necessarily the easiest or best way to do it, or is it? 😂. Your advice is 2nd to none, TOP MAN 😊
Weldone
gud job
"Don't Work On Boilers Unless Your Gas Safe" What is my 'Gas Safe'?
Did you replace the seals with new ones? Or use old ones.
I silicone grease the old seals. I always have seals but usually they don't require replacement.
Ok if in a hurry, but you can get new plate heat exchanger and rubber seals on ebay for 25 quid, and be sure it will due the job, , 3 days wait on ebay,
Biggest issue I have with plates are the vaillant ones , why can't they make them 8mm bolts ? Bloody things nearly always round off unless you have an impact driver and even then you still risk it happening
I have rounded a couple. I now use a PZ3 and i tap it while undoing it. Like an impact driver but just me. :-)
@@HeatingGeek would love to see you tackle the back powermax boilers , last time I touched one of them they had to wheel someone out from the archives to run through the faults I had on it 🤣
@@jules_paints_40k29 What the IMI powermax? with the orange user interface. :-)
@@HeatingGeek been so long since I've seen one I can't remember tbh , just know those combined boilers and cylinders were never great fun to work on but ideal istor was even worse .
@@jules_paints_40k29 if the Istor didn't have mushrooms growing on it then It didn't have any water in it.;-)
I do you use this neat straight out the bottle or dilute with water please.
Sorry I didn’t respond to this comment. I didn’t see it in my feed. :-(
On these Baxi 105s whats usually the problem when the hot water is fine when the heatings on but h/w only it'll try to fire up but just keeps clicking and running cold? Any ideas
Could be a lot of things.
@@HeatingGeek It's strange if I keep knocking the tap on and off eventually it will fire up and stay on
Nothing wrong with putting brass on condense lets it drain faster over the years.
Only if the boiler condenses..... Makes me laugh how shit some of the installs I go to are.
Went out to a guys first service on a Vaillant last year laughing because he got my quote undercut but more than half, Biasi flue fitted (standard efficiency flue), leaking CO, holes in flue, obviously no benchmark, capped and quoted to repair, got the job that time round, teaching them one at a time.
charlie b that’s really bad
@@charlie12358 Thats RIDDOR too. What a pain in the ass that would be. I always charge double when going back to another installers F up.
@@HeatingGeek It would be easier getting Gas Safe to do something than to track the installer down.
Which grease do you use on the o rings when you put the exchanger back in.
Silicone grease amzn.to/2Rnls4F
This is the one I use. Its very good and thick too. It will last me a couple of years a tub.
Was that actually scale or just muck from the heating system?
Sludge. Always sludge in London
I’ve got a customer who has just had the plate heat ex changed recently. Now when the hot water is running it makes a loud clunking banging sound. The central heating is fine. I’ve checked all the usual things quickly but just wondered what you think it could be. Also the return pipe gets hot when the hot water is running. It sounds like it’s overheating but no fault code and no lockout???
It could be a lot of things. What boiler is it?
HeatingGeek it’s a glow worm easicom 28. I’m going to call glow worm tomorrow. It’s making quite a lot of noise and really doesn’t sound good. A lot of clunking and it sounds almost like surging water. Like it’s kettling
@@robertgreenaway5166 The easy comes the same a vaillant ecotec heat exchanger. Watch some of the videos I have on the making noise. In the Vaillant Playlist.
@@robertgreenaway5166 I like the easy com.
Thanks mate, really appreciate your help and your video uploads. I’ll check it out
Great vid mate, one question can you use the spirit of salt on the potable side of the heat exchanger, love the speed it gets it out of there, should have said I do oil boilers.
Regards Alan.
You can just make sure you get it all out. Nothing dissolves scale very quickly though. Sludge is easy compared to scale. :-)
Thanks mate.
@@pearcemachineshop5200 No problem
Great video, what type of grease do you use?
Nice thick silicone grease
@@HeatingGeek Thanks mate
@@HeatingGeek I've drained off the system, turned off all the valves including mains but water is still coming out when I undo the screws. Is there anything else I should look out for?
@@TheStressD It could be piped backwards so the hot is cold and cold is hot. Or you have a shower mixer allowing cold into the hot pipe. This would also cool the water to the house and may look like a blocked plate.
@@HeatingGeek Just managed to undo the plate it didn't even look bad. The CH return black valve is seized and that's the only one I couldn't turn off. When I turned on the mains to flush out the acid in the exchanger water still poured out.
Hot water is running now but theres a rumbling noise sometimes which has been going on for sometime. Do you think its the diverter valve that could cause that boiling noise issue, I've got an ideal+ logic 30 combi?
Hello, very interesting films, how to clean radiators from dirt and rust, can I clean the same. I would like to ask you how much it costs to move the kitchen boiler to the attic, I live in Edinburgh, would you like to come to us or recommend someone, my boiler is Alpha CB24X
A lot, probably. I would replace the boiler at the same time.
Does white vinegar do the same but slower? Or is that an urban myth?
I have no idea. :-)