Ideal Logic Combi 35 constant F1 fault

[pjgtech]

Hi, my Ideal Logic Combi (ESP1 / 35) has developed an F1 low water pressure fault.

Got up on Wednesday morning no hot water, (only cold water coming out of hot tap). Checked boiler, it had zero pressure and F1 fault showing. So I refilled the pressure using the filling loop, up to about 1bar which is where it usually is, which worked fine, had hot water all day.
Same thing happened on Thursday morning, got up no hot water, F1 fault, so refilled again, was ok all day.
Then same thing again today, however, after refilling to 1bar today, the pressure drops back to zero after about 10 mins.
As far as I know there are no leaks on the system, theres no water leaks showing anywhere and no damp patches?
Does anyone know what could be causing this?
NB: the boiler is only 5 to 6 years old.

EDIT: just seen another post on Ideal Logic 35 with similar issue, and a previous suggestion was that it might be a pressure sensor, or possibly a circ pump issues (as some pressure sensors do not sense the static head, but use the pressure at the pump instead?), so if an issue with the pump or sensor that could cause F1 fault? what do you think?
Thanx

 

[Deleted member 120897]

Have you checked the safety discharge pipe? Could be a passing prv.

 

[cjg]

Ideal Logic 35 refill to 1 bar and check your condesate pipe, or disconnect it and see if it drips,
sounds like you may have a cracked heat exchanger.

 

[pjgtech]

Have you checked the safety discharge pipe? Could be a passing prv.

Theres a copper discharge pipe on the outside wall, looks like nothing is coming out of that?
What looks like the condense pipe appears to go into the waste under the sink, the boiler is near the sink and its a new house 5years old, so i assume they connected condense pipe into sink waste, looks like it under the sink.

 

[Chuck]

Boiler might still be under warranty. Certainly worth checking.

 

[pjgtech]

Boiler might still be under warranty. Certainly worth checking.

Its actually 6 years old and as far as i know its not under warranty. Plus the previous owner (he owned the house for the first four years) did not have the boiler serviced, so even if it was they would probably void it!

 

[pjgtech]

Just wondered if my issue with lack of HW due to F1 (low pressure) fault could be the expansion vessel has lost pressure? I think they can be recharged can't they? assuming the diaphragm has not split....

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Nope do you have pressure in the system eg 1.2-1.5 bar ?

 

[pjgtech]

Nope do you have pressure in the system eg 1.2-1.5 bar ?

I can refill the pressure via the filling loop, but the pressure drops after about 5-10 mins, this only started today, this morning.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I can refill the pressure via the filling loop, but the pressure drops after about 5-10 mins, this only started today, this morning.

Is anything dripping outside when you top it up ?

 

[pjgtech]

Is anything dripping outside when you top it up ?

No, not as far as I can see.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

You have a leak possibly or needs a new boiler

 

[cjg]

under you boiler where the condence pipe comes out is it not on a rubber elbow, pull it off,
top up boiler to 1.5bar and see if it drips after its been left off, if so , as pre. post cracked heat exchanger

 

[pjgtech]

Ok, so at least I know what the problem is. We have a leak. The leak was not showing, no damp anywhere?
Some numpty (presumably the original plumber when the house was built) has put a push fit elbow on one of the CH pipes (10mm microbore poly) inside a stud wall, between the GF wc and the utility room. The elbow is leaking inside the stud wall. Hence the boiler pressure drop.

We called in a boiler engineer and as soon as he topped up the system we both could her loud running water p*ssing out, we immediately went to where the sound was coming from, eg: wall in utility. I think I did not hear water before this as it was a small leak, dripping maybe, but when the boiler guy came, I think he topped the pressure right up, eg; 2 or 3 bar (whereas I only top it up to just under 1 bar) and this extra pressure made the leak worse, so we could hear the water. He could not do anything apart from drain the system and turn off boiler to stop the leak, (eg: heating guy, so did not want to start pulling out utility sink, worktop, make holes in wall, etc, etc) and advised to use insurance.

So we lodge a claim with insurers (on Monday). Its now Friday, had no HW since last Friday, and its still not fixed. [Sigh!]
1st guy came on Tues, emergency plumber, despite me telling the insurers the water was off an no current leak. He came, looked, said sorry mate can't do anything else you need the trace and access people to find the leak.
2nd guy came on Thursday, trace and access guy, he cut hole in the wall, put his camera down, connected air line, found the leak, but said he only finds the leak, he does not fix it, thats another company.
3rd guy is due today, a heating engineer apparently as they can't use a normal plumber cos its connected to the boiler. He's due anytime up to 5pm today?

So, so far its been a week without hot water and the leak has been found, but its still not fixed.......[sigh].

 

[pjgtech]

Update: insurance company plumber capped the leaking fittings pipe, (on Friday) so HW is now back on, but defective fitting (CH microbore elbow) still not replaced, not a job for the emergency plumber apparently!
Rang insurers this morning, they do not cover fixing a leaking fitting/pipe? WTF?
So I have bit the bullet and ripped out the utility room sink top, worktop and base unit, cut holes in wall plasterboard to give access to the leaking pipe. Am now waiting for our regular CH guy to come and service the boiler and fix the leaking fitting at the same time. I will re-instate the utility sink, worktop, etc when he has done the repair.
Fecking insurers are less than a waste of space!!!

 

[ShaunCorbs]

They will only cover the damage to get the leak repaired and not repairing the leak

 

[exedon2]

Unfortunately most household insurance policy's cover you for the damage caused not repairing the leak its self.
We spent many years subcontracting to a specialist insurance contractor got to know a lot about how claims work.
I would urge anyone who has a insurance claim to engage a loss assessor (total different from a loss adjustor)
Assessors work for you and run the claim there cost is paid by your insurance company.
Have seen many successful outcomes run by assessor's.