Key snapped off in Worcester Greenstar 30si boiler

[ParaJack]

Hi, I have a Worcester Greenstar 30si, I noticed earlier in the week that that the pressure was right at the bottom of the green bar when everything was off, but went up and stayed in the normal area when the heating was on. The heating and hot water is working fine. (I have to top it up a little a couple of times a year, so it not like this pressure drop has just happened overnight)

I've just got up off night and decided to top it up a little, I made sure that the key went into the cutouts and turned it to the locked padlock icon, then turned the little square knob to allow the water to flow through, I topped it up so that it was a few mm into the green & turned the square knob to the off position, then turned the key back to the open padlock icon position.

When I tried to pull the key out it was stuck! I tried a bit of wd40 sprayed up around the rubber on the key and wiggled it back and forward to try and ease it out...it broke off!
So now I'm stuck with the key inside, I turned the white knob to see if it was leaking but it started to top the boiler up again (which I expected, so at least I can still top up as and when needed), so my question is: Will it be OK to use the boiler as long as the little square knob is tightly closed?

Sorry for the long post but I thought I'd try to answer any question within the OP.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[diamondgas]

You'll be fine Worse you'll do is wet what's underneath should it decide to free itself when you next top up It's not much of a job to replace the faulty section if you have someone gas safe you know to do it for you

 

[ParaJack]

Theww thanks for the quick reply....that's put my mind at rest

The key has always been a bit tight, is it just a secondary backup to stop over filling the system incase you don't tighten the square knob fully?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

should have been greased up ..... I always do it part of the service

new filling loop could be supplied and install within 1h

 

[ParaJack]

new filling loop could be supplied and install within 1h

Would it have to be the same key type one, or can you get a different style i.e. a hose type with a 'strong' turn key either end? what sort of price can be expected if changed?

Thanks

 

[SafeGasInstall]

You can get external fitted , just ask your plumber to get the stop ends to remove and cup existing filling loop .
For external filling loop it could take up to 2h to install , all depend how easy is to drain central heating and turn mains water supply to boiler
charge will very from one plumber to another so can not help with that

 

[ParaJack]

OK thanks for that. Just one more question, the valve that is on the right hand side where the water goes into the system, is that a one way valve?

I'm just thinking is it possible for the water to flow back towards the key, blow the key out and then the water that is in the system would go all over the floor.

Thanks again.

 

[stevetheplumber]

no it will not come back out of the system personally id leave it as it is till it stops working chances are it will outlast the boiler
in theory all filling loops are supposed to be removed but none hardly ever are

 

[ParaJack]

OK thanks...mind at rest :biggrin5: