Boiler losing pressure, Help appreciated

[maverick718]

Hi guys, I'm new to the forum so heres a quick hello.

Right........onto the problem. I have a Ideal Icos HE24 system boiler that is losing pressure around two times a day. Ifirst noticed something wrong at the weekend when my boiler was showing the F L error code which relates to the flame ignitor electrode I think. Since then, the boiler has been losing pressure. I have checked the s valve for the condensate and that is fine. There are no obvious leaks in pipework and radiators, valves etc... The F L error has only ever happened first thing on the morning and once I get the boiler going by doing a reset, it seems to work fine. Unless it is something to do with the pressure being cool on a morning , I don't know as i'm not a plumber. What i will say is that when the boiler is running, the pressure does rise from 1.5 to around 3.0 bar. When it is turned off, it seems to lose pressure within aroun 2-3 hours back to near zero.

I then called out my friend who is a British Gas engineer (who is only qualified as a gas fitter but not water) and he took the cover off and checked the air in the expansion vessel. When he pressed the valve in, no air came out so he thought the problem was in that area. He then proceeded to get his foot pump out to try and pump it up only to find out that for some reason, it was blocking him from pumping up. he told me that basically the vessel is kaput. he then said that a cheap way of a repair is to fit an external expansion unit in the airing cupboard where the hot water tank is but he couldn't find a central heating pipe due to his lack of knowledge on the water side and advised me to call a plumbing fitter.

If anyone can confirm that this could be the problem that my friend has described or may come up up with any other ideas on what the fault maybe then that would be great as i have a limited amount of knowledge of plumbing and wont touch gas or water.

Thanks in advance​

 

[dunk]

Sounds like the expansion vessel has gone, the pressure is getting to high and discharging. You can fit a different vessel in the cupboard but it has to have the same expansion value as the one on the boiler(I think?). I would recommend swapping the old vessel for a new ideal one.

 

[stevetheplumber]

did he drain the boiler before trying to pump the air in if not he should have
drain boiler and open the prv then pump it up

 

[yorkieplumber]

Hi check prv pipe outside and it will be passing, needs new expansion vessel dont bother with foot pump, replace it and forget it, job done, pumped them up before more hassle than its worth, its only a 20 min job.

 

[stevetheplumber]

why would you change a preasure vessel without trying to re charge it also a 15 min job and no matierials to buy?

 

[JAD]

Sounds like an expansion vessel. Worth trying to recharge first. CHeck the PRV as well, sometimes they'll be faulty and just discharge the Water.

 

[yorkieplumber]

doubt if its prv why would pressure build up then discharge, tried re-charging them 9 times out of ten its knackerd, or i have known them hold for a while then sure enough when you have left the job it goes again, easier to replace then job is spot on and have happy customers, 2 visits is not worth the hassle.

 

[gasmarc]

i disagree and never drain through the PRV as it is only opening a can of worms. I would drain system and recharge boiler and take it from there, good luck

 

[RoryD]

Hi guys, I'm new to the forum so heres a quick hello.

Right........onto the problem. I have a Ideal Icos HE24 system boiler that is losing pressure around two times a day. Ifirst noticed something wrong at the weekend when my boiler was showing the F L error code which relates to the flame ignitor electrode I think. Since then, the boiler has been losing pressure. I have checked the s valve for the condensate and that is fine. There are no obvious leaks in pipework and radiators, valves etc... The F L error has only ever happened first thing on the morning and once I get the boiler going by doing a reset, it seems to work fine. Unless it is something to do with the pressure being cool on a morning , I don't know as i'm not a plumber. What i will say is that when the boiler is running, the pressure does rise from 1.5 to around 3.0 bar. When it is turned off, it seems to lose pressure within aroun 2-3 hours back to near zero.

I then called out my friend who is a British Gas engineer (who is only qualified as a gas fitter but not water) and he took the cover off and checked the air in the expansion vessel. When he pressed the valve in, no air came out so he thought the problem was in that area. He then proceeded to get his foot pump out to try and pump it up only to find out that for some reason, it was blocking him from pumping up. he told me that basically the vessel is kaput. he then said that a cheap way of a repair is to fit an external expansion unit in the airing cupboard where the hot water tank is but he couldn't find a central heating pipe due to his lack of knowledge on the water side and advised me to call a plumbing fitter.

If anyone can confirm that this could be the problem that my friend has described or may come up up with any other ideas on what the fault maybe then that would be great as i have a limited amount of knowledge of plumbing and wont touch gas or water.

Thanks in advance​

Two issues here, the first is that if your mate who works for BG can't get the air into the vessel, he should hold the PRV open at the same time as pumping so he isn't pumping AGAINST system pressure and that's all that will be. The LF error in the morning is usually the electrode, cleaning will help but I just replace them. That said, when you read the FF for this boiler the LF code encompasses just about everything...good ol' Ideal