Why Is My Boiler Firing Up?

[chrissa1]

I'm sitting in my lounge with no central heating on in the house, no hot water has been used since this morning and my gas boiler fires up and stays on for about 5 minutes.

Can anyone tell me why please? I'm trying to save money.

[RevArkwright]

Need to diagnose first, what is the exact make/model.

[magsmay]

does'nt sound like you have the water temp too hot - maybe RevArkwright knows best -it maybe best to call a plumber but that's not going to be cheap -is their a DIY solution Rev?

[ChuckFickens]

Surely the Pressure differential assembly would only be in a combi.

[RevArkwright]

Definitely need boiler specs. Make /model No.

[chrissa1]

It's a Potterton Profile 80e. Flue Type RS

[RevArkwright]

Quite so Chuck, but cannot think why a gravity fed boiler system would fire up on it's own.

[carrust]

My mother had a similar problem where the hot water wouldn't switch off even though the switch was in the off position. The problem turned out to be the electrics in the divertor valve were faulty.

[RevArkwright]

http://www.acwilgar.c...rton-installation.pdf


just reading through this

[chrissa1]

Bless you Rev....29 pages!!!

[RevArkwright]

It sounds like a Combi, ie, no small header tank. Is there a pressure gauge set at about 1.5 bar ?

[RevArkwright]

Okay, daft question. Do you get hot water only when boiler fires up, or, do you have a copper hot water cylinder which stores it. This will determine whether it is a combi.

[chrissa1]

There's just the thermostat on the front Rev, which I've turned right down. That's all I can see. Thanks for your help.

[chrissa1]

There's a large tank in the airing cupboard.

[RevArkwright]

Is the tank in the airing cupbard full of hot water. ?

About four feet tall 18 inches diameter, made of copper , possibly lagged.

[chrissa1]

Yes Rev, I've said this twice before. It is lagged and is warm.

[Hopkirk]

Probably not lagged enough, if you say it is warm.

[RevArkwright]

Has to be a gravity fed CH system then. Sounds like the thermostats are playing up. Is there a thermostat strapped to the hot water cylinder. The big 4 foot high cylinder, 18 inch dia.

It might be concealed near the bottom, at the front behind any red lagging.

[chrissa1]

I'll have a look in the morning Rev. As i said, I've turned the one on the boiler right down. Thank you far all your help.

[RevArkwright]

I would not worry about the boiler firing up, it is doing it's job, maintaining the hot water at a temperature you need.

It is quite normal for a periodic firing up to keep the hot water , well, hot. lol.

[chrissa1]

Cheers.