Worcester Greenstar boiler: EA error code
Discussion
I have a Worcester Greenstar 30CDi combi boiler (or is it a 35 - not sure), which has an intermittent but recurring fault that causes it to stop working until I reset it.
Occasionally I will get up in the morning or arrive home from work to find the boiler sulking, with the blue light on the front flashing, the reset button flashing, and the display showing an "EA" error code. Pressing the reset button always causes the boiler to restart and work normally again (after going through its 15-minute siphon-fill programme, which I believe is normal).
I have downloaded the service manual, which shows that the "EA" code means "flame not detected", and can be caused by pretty much anything. A quick Google reveals that it often means the condensate pipe is frozen - but on our installation the pipe is inside the house with only a short length of rubber tube* poking out through the wall, and in any case it hasn't been anywhere near cold enough to freeze yet.
* Actually, I recently worked out that this rubber tube is nothing to do with the boiler, it’s the overflow from the water softener. Our boiler condensate is connected to a soil pipe inside the house and doesn’t run outside at all. So freezing condensate is out of the equation.
I have had this problem before, but not as persistently. In previous years, the boiler has done this once or twice at the beginning of the cold season, but the problem has always gone away. This year though, it has happened at least 5 times in the last week or two. I need to get this sorted out before the onset of properly cold weather.
Shall I try blowing or sucking on the end of the condensate tube, in case there's a partial blockage? I suppose an insect could have nested in there. Will I damage anything delicate inside the boiler by doing that though?
Or could this be caused by a lack of gas pressure perhaps?
Before I get someone out to look at it, does anyone have any suggestions what the problem might be? It can't be anything permanently amiss, because the boiler always works normally after I've reset it - for a few days until it happens again.
Occasionally I will get up in the morning or arrive home from work to find the boiler sulking, with the blue light on the front flashing, the reset button flashing, and the display showing an "EA" error code. Pressing the reset button always causes the boiler to restart and work normally again (after going through its 15-minute siphon-fill programme, which I believe is normal).
I have downloaded the service manual, which shows that the "EA" code means "flame not detected", and can be caused by pretty much anything. A quick Google reveals that it often means the condensate pipe is frozen - but on our installation the pipe is inside the house with only a short length of rubber tube* poking out through the wall, and in any case it hasn't been anywhere near cold enough to freeze yet.
* Actually, I recently worked out that this rubber tube is nothing to do with the boiler, it’s the overflow from the water softener. Our boiler condensate is connected to a soil pipe inside the house and doesn’t run outside at all. So freezing condensate is out of the equation.
I have had this problem before, but not as persistently. In previous years, the boiler has done this once or twice at the beginning of the cold season, but the problem has always gone away. This year though, it has happened at least 5 times in the last week or two. I need to get this sorted out before the onset of properly cold weather.
Shall I try blowing or sucking on the end of the condensate tube, in case there's a partial blockage? I suppose an insect could have nested in there. Will I damage anything delicate inside the boiler by doing that though?
Or could this be caused by a lack of gas pressure perhaps?
Before I get someone out to look at it, does anyone have any suggestions what the problem might be? It can't be anything permanently amiss, because the boiler always works normally after I've reset it - for a few days until it happens again.
Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Saturday 6th December 19:14
Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Thursday 21st December 07:18
Rickyy said:
It could be a number of different problem.
That is certainly true, judging by the service manual. It seems the "EA" code is one of those codes that doesn't really narrow the problem down - it really means "something's not right".Doing a bit more reading on the subject, it seems that a blocked condensate pipe is usually accompanied by a gurgling sound, which doesn't match the symptoms.
Irritatingly, this is an intermittent fault - so I'm probably not going to be able to demonstrate it.
I'll probably get someone in, as suggested. But meanwhile, if anyone can suggest anything that a reasonably competent person could try, I'm all ears!
Edited to add: The boiler is only about 3 years old, so I'd be unimpressed if things have started to fail due to age. Admittedly, I haven't had it serviced - but again, I would expect problems in such a short time. The boiler in my last property was never touched for 13 years apart from having a new PCB.
Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Thursday 18th October 13:50
I had similar issue a couple of years ago with a Worcester GreenStar HighFlow 440 Combi. It would work fine for a while, and then cut out with a flashing error code ("F0" in my case). If you pressed reset it would work again, sometimes for a few hours, sometimes for a few days.
One thing I would recommend is getting Bosch in direct. At the time they did a deal where you paid £175 for all parts and labour to get it fixed. In my case they had to make seven trips in total over about a month to try and fix it. "F0" was a pretty general message, and it took them an age to work out what was causing it, and they ended up replacing most of the boiler in the process. Like yours it was about three years old at the time. Although £175 is a fair amount, it's all I was charged for all seven trips out to look at it and most of a boiler in spares, so it probably turned out to be a bargain.
The fault in the end was a slightly leaking gasket letting a tiny amount of steam to escape after the boiler had been on for a while. This was condensing on a sensor and causing a short and hence the fault. Once it had cooled down for a bit, the condensation evaporated and it was fine again for a while, so by the time the engineer arrived it would all be behaving.
If yours takes seven different engineers and a load of parts to get to the bottom of it might be worth calling them and seeing if they still do the "We'll fix it whatever it takes for £175" deal?
One thing I would recommend is getting Bosch in direct. At the time they did a deal where you paid £175 for all parts and labour to get it fixed. In my case they had to make seven trips in total over about a month to try and fix it. "F0" was a pretty general message, and it took them an age to work out what was causing it, and they ended up replacing most of the boiler in the process. Like yours it was about three years old at the time. Although £175 is a fair amount, it's all I was charged for all seven trips out to look at it and most of a boiler in spares, so it probably turned out to be a bargain.
The fault in the end was a slightly leaking gasket letting a tiny amount of steam to escape after the boiler had been on for a while. This was condensing on a sensor and causing a short and hence the fault. Once it had cooled down for a bit, the condensation evaporated and it was fine again for a while, so by the time the engineer arrived it would all be behaving.
If yours takes seven different engineers and a load of parts to get to the bottom of it might be worth calling them and seeing if they still do the "We'll fix it whatever it takes for £175" deal?
I agree with the above, get Worcester themselves to look at it if they still do a fixed charge service. I've had this issue with CDIs before and you end up going around in circles with it as it is intermittent and you can never seem to get it to play up when you are diagnosing it!
Problem with the CDI is that the customer by law, can't remove the casing as it acts as the room seal for the boiler and you need to be "competent" to do this!
It's unlikely to be a condensate issue, unless there is a partial blockage in the trap which is causing condensate to back up inside the burner, go into lockout and slowly draining away by the time you reset it. Unlikely though.
Problem with the CDI is that the customer by law, can't remove the casing as it acts as the room seal for the boiler and you need to be "competent" to do this!
It's unlikely to be a condensate issue, unless there is a partial blockage in the trap which is causing condensate to back up inside the burner, go into lockout and slowly draining away by the time you reset it. Unlikely though.
Defo agree with previous posters, get Worcester or BG in on the fixed price repair deals. Could be electrodes, ht leads, gas valve. Or just join a maintainance scheme and call it in after a month. Even after 3yrs the co2 ratios will need adjusting, so you might as well get it looked at before it gets a hammering this winter.
Some good advice given thus far...your boiler may only need servicing. As stated the Co2 % in the flue gasses may be all over the shop & WB have very fine operating tolerances with regards to co2 emissions (+/- 0.2% in fact from the correct settings). I've seen boilers whereby the minimum reading is way out & the flame fails leading to an EA code being displayed. A service by an engineer familiar with these boilers would be my starting point.
That said it could be a whole host of other reasons why the boiler is failing, gas valve, pcb, rectification electrode & lead, fan....
That said it could be a whole host of other reasons why the boiler is failing, gas valve, pcb, rectification electrode & lead, fan....
hi,please help,i have been reading this with interest,because i have exactly the same problem and it occurs randomly as above.Please could you tell me if you got to the bottom of this? or is it still ongoing,i have changed the electrodes already on mine,and can confirm that this does not solve the issue,any suggestions or feedback much appreciated!!
I've had two free call-outs from Worcester to try and fix this, and still it has recurred - although at the moment it has been many weeks since it happened.
The first guy replaced the electrodes, and replaced a rubber flap air valve that had become sticky with squashed insects (mosquitoes are attracted to the plume of CO2). It recurred after a few days.
The second guy replaced the gas valve. It recurred once after several weeks, and hasn't happened since.
I therefore think I've still got the problem. If I can be arsed, I'll call them out again. I really should do, while the boiler is still under warranty.
I bet we've got the same problem! If I discover the solution, I'll post it here.
The first guy replaced the electrodes, and replaced a rubber flap air valve that had become sticky with squashed insects (mosquitoes are attracted to the plume of CO2). It recurred after a few days.
The second guy replaced the gas valve. It recurred once after several weeks, and hasn't happened since.
I therefore think I've still got the problem. If I can be arsed, I'll call them out again. I really should do, while the boiler is still under warranty.
I bet we've got the same problem! If I discover the solution, I'll post it here.
Thanks for reply,yes please do that! Mine is now out of warranty i believe.I am a sparkie and between me and my plumber mate,we believe the next thing to try will be the siphonic trap that collects the condensate may be faulty and backing up,because when i changed the electrodes,they were green and wet,as it wouldn,t fire after first reset!It might be helpful to us both if you suggested this to worcester to see if it is that,as i am loathe to part with £60 and find we are wrong!!
Edited by gangnamstyle on Tuesday 19th February 09:28
Edited by gangnamstyle on Tuesday 19th February 09:40
As this comes up on the web search for the problem, I thought I'd add my tuppence worth here.
I had the same problem intermittently. I thought the wind was causing the problem, but over a few recent wet, cold days, the boiler cut out with ominous gurgling noises. On restart, after a few seconds you could here a bubbling noise - clearly the gas was flowing through water and failing to light. After a minute or so the cycle failed to restart.
Though the system was not frozen, it had to be the same problem as described in the copious number of people who complain about the drain pipe. So I disconnected the pipe under the boiler and sure enough, at least half a litre of water came out and the boiler did the proper restart sequence.
I thought it was the wind originally, and I suspect that with the condensate backing up, it was the gusts of wind that were causing the flame out.
So my problem is an inadequate soak away. A quick poke with the spade outside found standing water just below ground level. Our house is built on solid clay.
I had the same problem intermittently. I thought the wind was causing the problem, but over a few recent wet, cold days, the boiler cut out with ominous gurgling noises. On restart, after a few seconds you could here a bubbling noise - clearly the gas was flowing through water and failing to light. After a minute or so the cycle failed to restart.
Though the system was not frozen, it had to be the same problem as described in the copious number of people who complain about the drain pipe. So I disconnected the pipe under the boiler and sure enough, at least half a litre of water came out and the boiler did the proper restart sequence.
I thought it was the wind originally, and I suspect that with the condensate backing up, it was the gusts of wind that were causing the flame out.
So my problem is an inadequate soak away. A quick poke with the spade outside found standing water just below ground level. Our house is built on solid clay.
I had one of the recently, same issue, but with a howling noise! Checked the CO reading and it was over 1000 PPM! Got the customer to call Worcester in the end, it turns out that the last person to service it left the printout from his analyser inside the combustion case and it got sucked up into the air intake!
The Greenstar Junior that we had installed was faultless until some high wind and rain then it wouldn't fire up.
Our friendly gas engineer was stumped until he called up WB and they suggested feeling for water near the back.
After taking the thing apart and a quick wipe round it all worked. The cause was water being blown in through the flue and running into the back left corner where the igniter was.
Our new property has an Ideal Icos boiler and Googling for known faults on that is slightly terrifying - this one being my favorite http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSQu1hfzqUE
Thankfully it had been regularly serviced so hopefully it will behave.
Our friendly gas engineer was stumped until he called up WB and they suggested feeling for water near the back.
After taking the thing apart and a quick wipe round it all worked. The cause was water being blown in through the flue and running into the back left corner where the igniter was.
Our new property has an Ideal Icos boiler and Googling for known faults on that is slightly terrifying - this one being my favorite http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSQu1hfzqUE
Thankfully it had been regularly serviced so hopefully it will behave.
Hi all
We've got a WB Greenstar 30DCi and it was installed in 2011. Never had a problem with it until this year when we wanted to start using it as the weather turned cold.
We'd get up in the morning to no heat, or arrive home from work to no heat. Yet some days it WOULD work as normal, others not. Very intermittent and annoying.
It seems the sensor on the wall down in the hallway isn't connecting properly with the boiler. I know this is the case because the sensor (Digistat) has the little flame logo, indicating it's sending a signal to the boiler, yet the heating isn't coming on.
I've replaced the batteries in it, so that's not the problem. Someone on another site said these sensors were notoriously common for failing, and someone recommended getting the superior (and more expensive) Optimiser instead, or having a 'wired-in' system installed, but as well as not being able to afford that, I'd rather see if I can rectify THIS problem.
Once or twice, I've just turned the boiler OFF, then ON again, which has resulted in eventually, the heating coming on as it should. It would show the -| |- symbol, which I think (from your suggestions above) mean that it goes through a 15 minute process before starting normally.
But can anyone give me any advise as to where to go from here?
Hope you can - thanks,
Jayne...
We've got a WB Greenstar 30DCi and it was installed in 2011. Never had a problem with it until this year when we wanted to start using it as the weather turned cold.
We'd get up in the morning to no heat, or arrive home from work to no heat. Yet some days it WOULD work as normal, others not. Very intermittent and annoying.
It seems the sensor on the wall down in the hallway isn't connecting properly with the boiler. I know this is the case because the sensor (Digistat) has the little flame logo, indicating it's sending a signal to the boiler, yet the heating isn't coming on.
I've replaced the batteries in it, so that's not the problem. Someone on another site said these sensors were notoriously common for failing, and someone recommended getting the superior (and more expensive) Optimiser instead, or having a 'wired-in' system installed, but as well as not being able to afford that, I'd rather see if I can rectify THIS problem.
Once or twice, I've just turned the boiler OFF, then ON again, which has resulted in eventually, the heating coming on as it should. It would show the -| |- symbol, which I think (from your suggestions above) mean that it goes through a 15 minute process before starting normally.
But can anyone give me any advise as to where to go from here?
Hope you can - thanks,
Jayne...
You should have an override button on the receiver end of the digi stat, so if its not communicating you can turn the heating on manually.
Other than that you will be having to check the on signal is present at the boiler when its not working for this you will need a meter and some knowledge of how to do so.
ss
silversurfer1 said:
You should have an override button on the receiver end of the digi stat, so if its not communicating you can turn the heating on manually.
Other than that you will be having to check the on signal is present at the boiler when its not working for this you will need a meter and some knowledge of how to do so.
ss
Oh thanks... I've not seen an override button, well nothing obvious anyway. Other than that you will be having to check the on signal is present at the boiler when its not working for this you will need a meter and some knowledge of how to do so.
ss
Re the 'on signal at the boiler', I have no idea.
Why oh why do they have to make them so bloomin' confusing! If everything was all designed by Apple, it's be much easier, lol! Their products are so much easier to understand.
Thanks for your advice...
Sherratthead said:
Oh thanks... I've not seen an override button, well nothing obvious anyway.
Re the 'on signal at the boiler', I have no idea.
Why oh why do they have to make them so bloomin' confusing! If everything was all designed by Apple, it's be much easier, lol! Their products are so much easier to understand.
Thanks for your advice...
He means use a multimeter to check the cable going into the boiler from the thermostat that tells it to fire. Its switched live - so when the thermostat calls for heat/water, you'd see it as 240v on a multimeter, as the thermostat completes the connection.Re the 'on signal at the boiler', I have no idea.
Why oh why do they have to make them so bloomin' confusing! If everything was all designed by Apple, it's be much easier, lol! Their products are so much easier to understand.
Thanks for your advice...
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