CH Boiler question
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Discussion

towman

Original Poster:

14,938 posts

268 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
No, not another Jordan thread.

My central heating boiler burns with an orange flame rather than blue, pumps out a lot of soot and the exhaust smells of gas.

Any ideas chaps?

father ted

3,069 posts

276 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
When was it last serviced?.......sound as though the gas jets need a good blasting out.....is it an old one?

We are under the gas service care scheme and it has proved invaluable in the past repairs/checks if not at least for 'piece of mind'

p.s. our flue exhaust smells of gas too but it is fully checked for emission every year

>> Edited by father ted on Monday 7th March 02:45

towman

Original Poster:

14,938 posts

268 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
Yes, fairly old and not been serviced for a while. I`ll see if I can get to the jets. I can usually fix stuff myself, so i am a little loath to sign up for maintenance deals.


Steve

father ted

3,069 posts

276 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
towman said:
Yes, fairly old and not been serviced for a while. I`ll see if I can get to the jets. I can usually fix stuff myself, so i am a little loath to sign up for maintenance deals.


Steve


My nan had an old water boiler that was the same.....after removal of the front cover the gas jets were in the form of metal 'card' type inserts that just lifted out....after a good clean with pressurised air it made quite a difference......although messing around with something you are not familiar with is not really recommended.......have you the documentation for the boiler i.e. troubleshooting guide et al?......if not try googling for it via bolier make and type.

towman

Original Poster:

14,938 posts

268 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
father ted said:

messing around with something you are not familiar with is not really recommended


I know, but it`s fun! I like to put that element of danger in, so work on it by candle light.

dilbert

7,741 posts

260 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
If you observe the rules you have to find a CORGI registered operative. As a part of the boiler service they'll perform and emmissions test on it, and get it set up properly.

That yellow flame is a sure sign of carbon monoxide. Depending on your setup this is one of a number of variations of bad. Are you sure the flue (balanced flue system) or the air inlet isn't somehow blocked.

I think the critical issue is that the CORGI blokey will have a proper flue gas tester, on which he'll setup the combustion.

>> Edited by dilbert on Monday 7th March 02:54

towman

Original Poster:

14,938 posts

268 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
Guessed the CO bit, and have checked the flue etc. Can only really be the burners or the valve block. Have a mate who works for gasboard, but was hoping for a definitive answer before I bother him.

Steve

father ted

3,069 posts

276 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
towman said:
Yes, fairly old and not been serviced for a while. I`ll see if I can get to the jets. I can usually fix stuff myself, so i am a little loath to sign up for maintenance deals.


Steve



Tell you what though Steve , if and when a boiler has a major sickie .....these schemes cover parts and labour costs......and you just know that CH system will pack up on the coldest night of the year .....at the weekend.....on a bank holiday.....


anyway......tell us more about Jordan......did Mrs T get you any 'souveniers' soiled or otherwise ?

towman

Original Poster:

14,938 posts

268 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
Put it this way, her washing used to go in our washing machine! She was dating my nephew at the time (he was the one before the aussie/cypriot pratt), so it would be bad form to tell too much. Basically, when she`s "Katie" she`s a really nice intelligent girl. I absolutely hate the "Jordan" persona.

dilbert

7,741 posts

260 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
There is another hazard.....

If you decide to take the boiler apart, it usually means isolating the gas supply to the boiler at the meter.

There are particular techniques that allow the pipe between the boiler and the valve to be flushed of gas. If you don't, even if you isolate the boiler the remaining gas in the pipe represents an explosion hazard as the gas in the pipe and the air balance out.

I have to say, of all the jobs I'd have a go at, that this really is one I'd leave to the experts.

Unlike a gas cylinder, there's no flame trap!

>> Edited by dilbert on Monday 7th March 03:06

father ted

3,069 posts

276 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
Your nephew is better off without i reckon......i've no doubt that Katie is a lovely girl 'in real life'....but the business that is 'Jordan' is one hell of a media circus that lurches from one area of bad taste to the next!




saying that.........i definitely 'would'.......but then again that applies to most women with a pulse
hell....life is short 'aint it?

towman

Original Poster:

14,938 posts

268 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
father ted said:
Your nephew is better off without i reckon......?


You are quite right. Trouble is the daft sod went from her to Jodie Marsh! Maybe he`s not so daft actually - the tabloids pay a fortune for silly stories. To his credit, he won`t do a "kiss and tell" though.

father ted

3,069 posts

276 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
's funny ....just read 'ask Jodie' in the latest edition of Zoo magazine (pilots buy the mags and donate them to the engineers crew-room afterwards )..........my guess is that your nephew will have a few stories to tell his young lads if he decides to have any kids in future....

anyway....fascinating boiler thread ....hope you get it sorted

Ferg

15,242 posts

286 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
towman said:
My central heating boiler burns with an orange flame rather than blue, pumps out a lot of soot and the exhaust smells of gas.


Sounds like the air to the burner is obstructed, but could be a few other things. Is it balanced or conventional flue?
I'd get a CORGI regd. engineer in.

rsvmilly

11,288 posts

270 months

Monday 7th March 2005
quotequote all
If it burns orange then the burners are a bit coked up. As other posters have said, get a CORGI guy/gal to service it. Shouldn't be any faults, though. Just a brush-off needed.