Keston C36 Combi - Intermittent error E05 - Fan related

[bowcreek]

Hello fellow members - Being first time buyer, I'm having to deal with boiler problems for the first time myself, so please excuse my ignorance on the matter.

Keston C36 Combi is installed in the basement. Age of the boiler is around 9 years and has been serviced ever since every year by the same engineer with some minor parts being replaced etc. over past years (looked at service history).


For last 2 weeks or so it flashes error E05 in red on the screen 1-3 times a day, no specific time / event pattern. When I reset, it starts to function normally till it happens again. Looking at the manual it seems E05 = Fan failure. Boiler can't detect fan rotation. Check for fan rotation and both connectors onto fan.

No strange noise or bang etc. when it stops, just happens anytime. So its an intermittent problem and not complete failure. I know everyone hates Keston but I'd be really thankful if you can appreciate my situation and give some advice.


What should be next course of action please? Contact Keston or take a service contract like BG Homesafe etc? or a local plumber (have read Keston's aren't everyone's cup of tea).
Any clue what might have gone / about to go wrong?

Many thanks.

 

[Riley]

I'm afraid you won't get any advice on here as to what the problem is as we don't want to Promote DIY fixing. It is unlikely that any of the big boys will entertain a contract on a nine-year-old boiler. Not without some costs upfront on your part anyway. My recommendation would be to get the guy in who serviced it yearly he will know your set up and an air of familiarity is always good

 

[bowcreek]

I'm afraid you won't get any advice on here as to what the problem is as we don't want to Promote DIY fixing. It is unlikely that any of the big boys will entertain a contract on a nine-year-old boiler. Not without some costs upfront on your part anyway. My recommendation would be to get the guy in who serviced it yearly he will know your set up and an air of familiarity is always good

Thanks. To be honest, I don't think I can do much DIY with boilers myself anyway. My question was more towards better options going forward given we have this problem and Kestons don't have a very stable image in trademen's eyes.

The man who serviced it all these years is unreachable and I think doesn't work full time sort of thing anymore. Keston said it would be £275 except heat exchanger which would be £350.

I don't know any reliable boiler engineers and fear letting someone with no or very less experience of these boilers exaggerating the problem etc.

 

[Last Plumber]

I have worked on quite a few ( commercial) Keston boilers. If it is nine years old and has a history of problems, also taking into account your current issue, my advice would be to throw your money at a new boiler !
In my opinion.
In my experience !

 

[bowcreek]

I have worked on quite a few ( commercial) Keston boilers. If it is nine years old and has a history of problems, also taking into account your current issue, my advice would be to throw your money at a new boiler !
In my opinion.
In my experience !

I get your point. We have got 2 shower rooms and currently the boiler is installed in basement with no storage tank. Being FTB, I have no clue on how much could it cost to get new boiler fitted etc. and right place to get one either. Can you advice roughly how much it might cost typically? I am really inclined to go through this winter with this having just bought the property. Vendor said they haven't had problems with it as such, but obviously the service engineer has replaced small parts etc. during 2-3 annual services (not everytime).

Reason for going for this boiler was I think because of its location as not all boilers can have flue going from basement to ground floor I think ?

 

[bowcreek]

I have worked on quite a few ( commercial) Keston boilers. If it is nine years old and has a history of problems, also taking into account your current issue, my advice would be to throw your money at a new boiler !
In my opinion.
In my experience !

I called up Keston who passed on the enquiry to Ideal boilers who are apparently taking over tech support for these boilers from Keston.

£275 inclusive of parts and labour to fix anything except heat exchanger which would be extra. Looking closely at service history, the heat exchanger was replaced in end of 2012 (after 5 years of boiler being installed as new).

We're not getting hot-cold-hot-cold water kind of problem yet which I have read is one of the classic signs of heat exchanger going bad. Do you think looking at its been 4 years it was replaced, it would be a good idea to actually get that replaced as well if we go ahead with Engineer from Keston to avoid calling twice? I'm really not sure we'd be able to get new boiler this year due to financial reasons having just bought the property - unless costs generally fall within £1000 or so?

 

[Last Plumber]

Heat exchangers aren't cheap and if it's only 4-5 years old, I wouldn't change it just for the sake of it, no.
If you're bothered about the finance you're probably doing the second best thing to changing the boiler.
I really wouldn't keep throwing money at it as time passes though.

 

[bowcreek]

Heat exchangers aren't cheap and if it's only 4-5 years old, I wouldn't change it just for the sake of it, no.
If you're bothered about the finance you're probably doing the second best thing to changing the boiler.
I really wouldn't keep throwing money at it as time passes though.

Thanks. My point about heat exchanger was assumption that original one had to be replaced after 5 years in 2012, the replacement might be coming close to its life span around next year. If that's sensible, then around £250 more now to replace it now might save me another £275 to call them and get it replaced in near future.

 

[Last Plumber]

I know they had a few probs with heat exchangers cracking along corner welds. Hopefully they've sorted that now. You could always ask their engineer.