Problem with unfamiliar CH - embarrass me by how simple it really is!

[Hannay]

I am generally a decent handyman, can usually make 2+2=4 and take care of most things to avoid troubling experts with just the basics, but know also not to bumble around blindly beyond that.

We moved house last week and with the glorious hot weather we weren't bothered about the heating, more concerned over not melting in to puddles at night!

Now that that's changed however I have gone to set it up how we like it as I've readily been able to do with other homes we have had, and expecting it to be pretty straightforward.

But over the past two days I have spent far too much time doing, checking, rechecking and retrying, and by this point my mind is a jumble of control panels, displays, thermostats and instruction books with the boiler steadfastly refusing to come to life. I can't think what I have missed, but I do know that I am now too close to the whole thing to see the picture in any fresh way.

So I would be extremely grateful if someone more expert than me when it comes to setting-up basic CH operations - which clearly is everybody else on the Planet! - could look through the following and kindly point me toward what I am missing, which is no doubt something embarassingly simple of course!

The CH system is based on a Baxi 400 condensing combi boiler (and yep it is switched on)

There is a Brit Gas RC1 thermostat in the Hallway, set to 19.5 degrees and hunting up and down between 18 and 19, it is calling for heat all the time (flame icon showing)

There is a Strom Ltd mobile thermostat in the living room, also set to 19.5 degrees on a programme lowering that later in the evening for bedtime comfort, then back to 19.5 for the new morning. Its temp display varies, seems to be whatever it senses/measures in it's location - daytime it varies from 18 to 21.5, is currently showing 20.5, and overnight it dips to 7-8 (tested it by moving it to the no-radiator Conservatory last night.)

Typically the STROM never calls for heat (no flame icon showing), though I acknowledge that that might be for settings/control/operating reasons I am unaware of or just don't appreciate. Strom's receiver is alongside the boiler, both in understairs cupboard.

The boiler however has never come on.

Radiators are always cold, bedroom is chilly at night and the house warms in the morning from natural daytime rising temps.

Interrogating the boiler via the control panel gives the following Operating Parameters at all times:
Operating mode - t00 (Standby)
Operating sub-status - u00 (Standby)
Operating temperature / heating - 25deg C
Operating temperature / water - 25deg C
Power level - 0

(I'm not sure whether "operating temps" are a different thing to "set" temps, which Baxi advises are best set at 60-65 and 55 respectively, which I have done.)

So outwardly the boiler appears not to respond to active/communicating controllers, though now I am not sure of the relationship with two thermostats, nor the priorities involved, if any. (Both thermostats display that they have made wireless connections so are able to control boiler operations.)

However, to test the Strom's pairing I set it to Manual, upped the set-temp to 31 degrees, and instantly the receiver flashed and the boiler kicked right in with a healthy whoosh and we were off to the races. I didn't let it get to 31, just enough to start warming the rads and feel a change happening, and I am satisfied that if left alone it would have crossed the finishing line fine.

I am now at the limit of my brain's reduced capacity, though I am half-seeing signs of something logical that I feel I should be recognising and acting upon to see proper CH operations happening even though I can now at least fall back on manual operation temporarily.

Any help will be most appreciated. Thanks!

Howard

 

[ShaunCorbs]

You have a timer somewhere that controls heating

Picture around the boiler please

 

[Hannay]

Thank you ShaunCorbs.

Nothing evident anywhere beyond what is shown - which is the Strom's Receiver, and there is no interference between that and the shelving; the photo makes them look close to touching but there's actually a good 3-4 inches between them. The remainder of the wall behind shelves/racking is entirely clear.

The Baxi's Manual etc has no reference to a timer other than that within a programmable thermostat for regulating the Baxi's output/functioning according to its through-the-day times & temps settings - in this case that would be the Strom Ltd unit.

Still scratching my head over the Baxi's unchanging Standby state despite two thermostats calling upon it as appropriate - wondering about possible conflict ...

Previous occupants said it was v simple to operate, just set and forget! Wish I had their forwarding address!

 

[Chuck]

A few simple things, just in case...

Does the boiler have a 'summer mode' setting? (This might be stopping the CH coming on but letting the DHW work normally.

Does your system have any 'zone valves'? If so, check they are operating as expected in response to the programmer / thermostats.

IIRC Strom programmer-thermostats have a 'holiday mode' that disables the central heating, check that's not enabled.

 

[Hannay]

Thank you Chuck

Unsure regarding any Zone Valves, but none referenced in the manual .. however, either way the problem I have is that the system is not responding to the programmer/thermostats anyway.

No Summer Mode setting

Oh how I wished that Holiday Mode was the reason/cause when I read that the Strom had such a setting!! It perfectly describes what is happening! But on checking, that setting wasn't/isn't activated, and instead the unit is on "Auto" so should be communicating/responding etc.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

There’s a storm reciever by the boiler click / push the right button boiler should fire on heating

The bg stat was for the old boiler this can go in the bin

 

[Chuck]

Oh how I wished that Holiday Mode was the reason/cause when I read that the Strom had such a setting!! It perfectly describes what is happening! But on checking, that setting wasn't/isn't activated, and instead the unit is on "Auto" so should be communicating/responding etc.

It was worth a try. Anyway, when I re-read post #1 this comment jumps out at me:

"...to test the Strom's pairing I set it to Manual, upped the set-temp to 31 degrees, and instantly the receiver flashed and the boiler kicked right in with a healthy whoosh and we were off to the races."

Unless I've misunderstood something, this points the finger of suspicion at the Strom thermostat/programmer sender unit and rules out everything else. If it's working it must have been mis-programmed, e.g. with a schedule that never turns the heating on. Check that the battery level is okay and the display is showing 'auto' as a small amount of corrosion on switch / battery contacts can cause havoc. There is a 'factory reset' procedure in the instructions so you can reset the device to its 'as new' state.

It is possible that the previous owners left the thermostat on 'manual' and controlled the system themselves so they never knew that 'auto' mode was not working properly.

Strom promises 'unbeatable customer support' on their website

Strom – Clearly Better By Design

stromltd.com

so it might be worth giving them a call once you've checked the above.

 

[Hannay]

ShaunCorbs - Thanks for that! I hadn't thought of the BG one being associated with a previous system, but it makes complete sense now ... duh! it will BGone. I won't be home now til the end of the afternoon, and I'll try the manual-fire then and see what follows-on.

Chuck - I'd ended up heaping the blame on the sender too, which was the nowhere-else-to-go moment where I had to stop and seek professional opinions/guidance here. However, at the same time it did all the other "right" stuff, gave a sensitive and progressive room temp reading wherever I put it to test that, all the display functions worked and were displayed without bits missing, provided status data etc when interrogated, in fact it appeared to do all things other than actually firing the boiler! So at the same time I was also not convinced it was a total villain.

All you say is noted, and when I get home at the end of the afternoon I will check the programme again to be sure, plus the battery (which I think was fairly healthy but I think not indicating 100% full so will change anyway for a fresh one for this check) and also clean the contacts in order not to upset the delicate little soul, then take it for another spin! Thanks for the pointers, and the customer support recommendation if nothing useful trsanspires.

Watch this space ...

 

[Hannay]

Reporting back finally ...

For the benefit of anyone coming to this on a later search over a similar issue/solution, the problem is fixed though only indirectly diagnosed. I had two local registered CH engineers out in the end, the first separately tried two things over successive days but with no improvement, the second tested a thing or two and stripped-out a third to examine, and said all appeared normal and subsequently took details and got involved in some way with Baxi who after a couple of further exchenges - I gather - authorised replacement and a week later he returned with one smallish and two shoebox-sized boxes and over a fiddly hour-plus involving on-off water supply twice to test, swapped things without charge and all has been well since.

So for someone with similar-sounding things happening (or not-happening!) keep in mind that ultimately there's always the manufacturer-option and there's no doubt that that's going to be best handled by a Professional!