Biasi boiler fault code
Discussion
Anyone have any experience with Biasi combi boilers? I know its probably time for a new boiler if I'm honest but I've had this one for about 14 years and it still works. It was £600 from B&Q, I fitted it myself and despite a few niggles over the years its ran fine, I've changed the odd sensor before that has gone faulty, even re-soldered the PCB when the gas valve wouldn't open the other month so I'm fairly competent at fixing it when needed. This fault has me perplexed though.
The boiler fires up ok and runs most of the time fault free both on hot water and heating but occasionally it will lock out, usually after its run ok for the first cycle until the stat turns it off but when it fires up again it seems to run for a few minutes and then lock out, note it never locks out on first run of the day or evening. This can happen if the room is already up to temperature and then you open the hot tap, water gets warm and then it locks out so its not just related to the heating side.
Obviously the boiler has error codes but this is where I'm stumped. The error generated, bizarrely is "other faults". I don't get it, every sensor on the boiler has an associated error code, how can it have "other faults" as well, if its not one of the sensors generating a fault how does it know anything is wrong? and if it is a sensor generating the fault then it would show the fault code for that sensor.
This is the page from the instruction manual, its the code towards the bottom. For the avoidance of doubt I know technically I shouldn't mess with it but I know what I'm doing and its not low water pressure or air in the system as far as I'm aware. Yes it should be gas safe dismantling the boiler but I work on building sites and some of the horrors I've seen from plumbers over the years means I'd never let someone else touch my boiler, its only me that I'd trust to work on it.
The boiler fires up ok and runs most of the time fault free both on hot water and heating but occasionally it will lock out, usually after its run ok for the first cycle until the stat turns it off but when it fires up again it seems to run for a few minutes and then lock out, note it never locks out on first run of the day or evening. This can happen if the room is already up to temperature and then you open the hot tap, water gets warm and then it locks out so its not just related to the heating side.
Obviously the boiler has error codes but this is where I'm stumped. The error generated, bizarrely is "other faults". I don't get it, every sensor on the boiler has an associated error code, how can it have "other faults" as well, if its not one of the sensors generating a fault how does it know anything is wrong? and if it is a sensor generating the fault then it would show the fault code for that sensor.
This is the page from the instruction manual, its the code towards the bottom. For the avoidance of doubt I know technically I shouldn't mess with it but I know what I'm doing and its not low water pressure or air in the system as far as I'm aware. Yes it should be gas safe dismantling the boiler but I work on building sites and some of the horrors I've seen from plumbers over the years means I'd never let someone else touch my boiler, its only me that I'd trust to work on it.
Frane Selak said:
For the avoidance of doubt I know technically I shouldn't mess with it but I know what I'm doing and its not low water pressure or air in the system as far as I'm aware. Yes it should be gas safe dismantling the boiler but I work on building sites and some of the horrors I've seen from plumbers over the years means I'd never let someone else touch my boiler, its only me that I'd trust to work on it.
It's not that you are "technically" not allowed to work on gas appliances if you are not gas safe registered. It's illegal to do so.And plumbers are not gas engineers.
ETA: I've just realised that this is probably a wind-up post and I've taken the bait!
Edited by GasEngineer on Saturday 28th March 10:33
Why would it be a wind up post, here's a picture of it. I'm not putting it back together until I fix it.
Same camera I use for all my pictures, only just took it. So not a wind up as you say.
I know every trade is very protective of the job they do, they are convinced that only they should be allowed to touch their "product" but its just tough generally, loads of people do DIY stuff in their own home and in other peoples homes a lot of the time without a care in the world. This is the third boiler I've fitted without any problems over the years but know of a gas safe plumber that managed to blow one off the wall once or at least distort all the casing from what I remember. I helped a mate out once (only because his boiler (which he fitted himself) was in a detached drafty garage far from the house and it involved removing the gas valve, stripping it down on the bench and replacing an internal spring inside it, that was about 15 years ago and to my knowledge its still working fine now.
Why on earth would I risk a stranger messing about with my boiler when I'm that good at fixing them, I will find the fault eventually I just thought I'd ask here first if anyone had any experience of it. And as far as I know its not illegal to do work on your own gas system in your own house, even if it is, so what, people break laws all the time.
Same camera I use for all my pictures, only just took it. So not a wind up as you say.
I know every trade is very protective of the job they do, they are convinced that only they should be allowed to touch their "product" but its just tough generally, loads of people do DIY stuff in their own home and in other peoples homes a lot of the time without a care in the world. This is the third boiler I've fitted without any problems over the years but know of a gas safe plumber that managed to blow one off the wall once or at least distort all the casing from what I remember. I helped a mate out once (only because his boiler (which he fitted himself) was in a detached drafty garage far from the house and it involved removing the gas valve, stripping it down on the bench and replacing an internal spring inside it, that was about 15 years ago and to my knowledge its still working fine now.
Why on earth would I risk a stranger messing about with my boiler when I'm that good at fixing them, I will find the fault eventually I just thought I'd ask here first if anyone had any experience of it. And as far as I know its not illegal to do work on your own gas system in your own house, even if it is, so what, people break laws all the time.
GasEngineer said:
It's not that you are "technically" not allowed to work on gas appliances if you are not gas safe registered. It's illegal to do so.
And plumbers are not gas engineers.
ETA: I've just realised that this is probably a wind-up post and I've taken the bait!
It does seem a bit like a wind up post.And plumbers are not gas engineers.
ETA: I've just realised that this is probably a wind-up post and I've taken the bait!
Edited by GasEngineer on Saturday 28th March 10:33
OP - probably worth a read:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2451/regu...
Then obviously the big one that they use to prosecute illegal gas work
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2451/regu...
and re competent person the only accepted benchmark of competence is a valid ACS qualification and an active gas safe registration. Then obviously for the 26-9 checks you need the correct calibrated equiptment.
Probably best to get the case back on and call someone out thats gas safe registered.
outnumbered said:
Hopefully you live in a detached house so won't blow anyone else up if it all goes wrong.
Why would it go wrong when it hasn't gone wrong in 14 years? I just don't understand this mentality, people can do things for donkeys years without a problem but suddenly making something illegal doesn't mean that all the work they have done is suddenly dangerous. Lets say you have change your and your friends disks and pads for 30+ years without a single problem, if they they then said working on brakes can only be done by a qualified and registered person does that mean that all the brakes you now fit are dangerous and the car will career of a cliff at any moment? Same for gas work, how is me tightening up a joint on a boiler any different from a gas safe person doing it, do they have magic hands or something, are only they capable of turning a spanner correctly? What about someone who is retired after 40 years as a gas safe plumber, is it dangerous for him to change his boiler, will his house blow up if he doesn't use a 20 year old gas safe boy with 5 minutes experience and a new pair of Snickers trousers?
Frane Selak said:
Same for gas work, how is me tightening up a joint on a boiler any different from a gas safe person doing it, do they have magic hands or something, are only they capable of turning a spanner correctly? What about someone who is retired after 40 years as a gas safe plumber, is it dangerous for him to change his boiler, will his house blow up if he doesn't use a 20 year old gas safe boy with 5 minutes experience and a new pair of Snickers trousers?
Yes - even someone who doesnt resit there exams every 5 years isnt deamed competent so a retired gas engineer is also a no. Honestly even for a retired 40 year gas engineer the costs involved in keeping up the tickets/registation/calibrated equiptment would be more than just paying someone to look after their own house.Ultimately you wont be doing a tightness/let by test or 26-9 checks so there is a huge difference... If you do do one and need to report an issue to the supplier you're suddenly finding yourself reporting yourself.... Thats before you consider the real reasons for the legislation - ie its dangerous stuff that does kill people when it goes wrong.
Stuck diverter valve maybe?
Actually it's more likely to be the heat exchanger being partially blocked and it's over heating. This happened with my vokera unica before and it didn't correctly identify the fault if I remember correctly. Took it out, filled with cola for a bit, rinsed and refitted, all good
Actually it's more likely to be the heat exchanger being partially blocked and it's over heating. This happened with my vokera unica before and it didn't correctly identify the fault if I remember correctly. Took it out, filled with cola for a bit, rinsed and refitted, all good
Edited by Watchthis on Saturday 28th March 12:40
Black_S3 said:
Yes - even someone who doesnt resit there exams every 5 years isnt deamed competent so a retired gas engineer is also a no. Honestly even for a retired 40 year gas engineer the costs involved in keeping up the tickets/registation/calibrated equiptment would be more than just paying someone to look after their own house.
Ultimately you wont be doing a tightness/let by test or 26-9 checks so there is a huge difference... If you do do one and need to report an issue to the supplier you're suddenly finding yourself reporting yourself.... Thats before you consider the real reasons for the legislation - ie its dangerous stuff that does kill people when it goes wrong.
The thing is, I've been in so many different houses over the years and seen so many rough installations, ancient floor standing boilers fed from some of the most dangerous looking pipe work you have seen, other times during building work I've seen boilers hung from blue rope dangling from a joist where the builder has removed a wall but the customer still wants heating and hot water. Leaks on brand new (water) installations done by the same plumber who does fits the boiler, latest one was we turned up to a nearly complete renovation job on a Monday and it was all wet outside the side door, opened the front door and water gushed out like niagra. 22 main pipe not pushed into the fitting properly, had been leaking mains pressure water all weekend, ruined all the new plasterwork, skirtings, new kitchen etc etc. this was done by a young gas safe "engineer" who kept telling people he was the dogs bUltimately you wont be doing a tightness/let by test or 26-9 checks so there is a huge difference... If you do do one and need to report an issue to the supplier you're suddenly finding yourself reporting yourself.... Thats before you consider the real reasons for the legislation - ie its dangerous stuff that does kill people when it goes wrong.
ks.And you know what, nothing has ever happened bad in all those years, no explosions, no poisonings, nothing. Like I said the only serious problem I've seen is when a brand new boiler practically exploded dunning testing by a newly qualified gas safe plumber.
Watchthis said:
Stuck diverter valve maybe?
I was thinking this as I had a problem with it not working a while ago, boiler overheated virtually immediately, took it off, tested it and it worked fine, put it back and the boiler worked fine again for ages, not sure what was wrong with it, maybe bad connection on the PCB plug. Could be another bad joint on the PCB.I was trying to keep it going until I don't need heating again for a while in case it doesn't work again after I strip the PCB out of it. I can handle cold showers for a while in the summer.
Buy a new one, but go for a decent make this time!
I expect it's modern enough to be quite hard to diagnose, but old enough to have subtle problems which take some diagnosis.
I would not bother trying to get it repaired, it will just be a case of van man throwing random new parts at it, then blaming problems on something unobtainable.
I expect it's modern enough to be quite hard to diagnose, but old enough to have subtle problems which take some diagnosis.
I would not bother trying to get it repaired, it will just be a case of van man throwing random new parts at it, then blaming problems on something unobtainable.
Frane Selak said:
The thing is, I've been in so many different houses over the years and seen so many rough installations, ancient floor standing boilers fed from some of the most dangerous looking pipe work you have seen, other times during building work I've seen boilers hung from blue rope dangling from a joist where the builder has removed a wall but the customer still wants heating and hot water. Leaks on brand new (water) installations done by the same plumber who does fits the boiler, latest one was we turned up to a nearly complete renovation job on a Monday and it was all wet outside the side door, opened the front door and water gushed out like niagra. 22 main pipe not pushed into the fitting properly, had been leaking mains pressure water all weekend, ruined all the new plasterwork, skirtings, new kitchen etc etc. this was done by a young gas safe "engineer" who kept telling people he was the dogs bks.
And you know what, nothing has ever happened bad in all those years, no explosions, no poisonings, nothing. Like I said the only serious problem I've seen is when a brand new boiler practically exploded dunning testing by a newly qualified gas safe plumber.
I think i know the picture of the boiler hanging on all band that you mention! Sadly one of the biggest compaints you see about gas safe is the likes of picking up registered engineers for the likes of using a non manafacturer support bracket for a flue etc while at the same time very little seems to get done about illegal work by people who arent even registered - untill something goes wrong and HSE get involved.ks.And you know what, nothing has ever happened bad in all those years, no explosions, no poisonings, nothing. Like I said the only serious problem I've seen is when a brand new boiler practically exploded dunning testing by a newly qualified gas safe plumber.
The whole rough installation thing is ridiculous as well, theres countless blocks of flats kicking about where it even looks from the outside like the installers have been having a competion on who can do the worst install.... I dont think any sane person that knew the regs and understood the additional checks required would use that as an excuse for DIYing gas work though.
OutInTheShed said:
Buy a new one, but go for a decent make this time!
I expect it's modern enough to be quite hard to diagnose, but old enough to have subtle problems which take some diagnosis.
I would not bother trying to get it repaired, it will just be a case of van man throwing random new parts at it, then blaming problems on something unobtainable.
Are you saying a boiler for £600 that lasted 14 years isn't a decent make. At the time plumbers were recommending Worcester boilers that were over £1000 and look how they turned out, blow off that leak just by looking at them, plastic manifolds that fracture and flood the house, fans that break if you turn the power off to them and then back on. Yea that would have been a great choice. I expect it's modern enough to be quite hard to diagnose, but old enough to have subtle problems which take some diagnosis.
I would not bother trying to get it repaired, it will just be a case of van man throwing random new parts at it, then blaming problems on something unobtainable.
And that's the thing with getting a "gas safe" bloke round no-one will attempt to repair it or probably even have a clue how to repair it, I can guarantee if I got 10 plumbers round all of them would say "new boiler time". Whereas I could probably fix it for £20 or £30 or so.
You might be able to fix it, if you knew what was wrong with it.
But you don't!
Boilers from last century, it was possible to look at all the inputs and outputs to/from the PCB and see why it was locking out.
Now it's all software, you can't reverse-engineer the PCB.
Once it's over 12 years old, if one thing goes wrong, it's very likely other things will go wrong soon.
Spending money to get it fixed is often not sensible unfortunately.
But you don't!
Boilers from last century, it was possible to look at all the inputs and outputs to/from the PCB and see why it was locking out.
Now it's all software, you can't reverse-engineer the PCB.
Once it's over 12 years old, if one thing goes wrong, it's very likely other things will go wrong soon.
Spending money to get it fixed is often not sensible unfortunately.
Frane Selak said:
And that's the thing with getting a "gas safe" bloke round no-one will attempt to repair it or probably even have a clue how to repair it, I can guarantee if I got 10 plumbers round all of them would say "new boiler time". Whereas I could probably fix it for £20 or £30 or so.
You can’t fix it for 30 quid though can you. You don’t even know what’s wrong with it, hence why you’re on here. It does come across like you think you know everything but actually very little.Would you call any random plumber to fix a dishwasher or would you pick the correct specialist https://biasi.co.uk/szervizhalozat
Black_S3 said:
You can t fix it for 30 quid though can you. You don t even know what s wrong with it, hence why you re on here. It does come across like you think you know everything but actually very little.
Would you call any random plumber to fix a dishwasher or would you pick the correct specialist https://biasi.co.uk/szervizhalozat
But I will though, I found out what was wrong last time, it would try to light and then immediately lock out, then it would fire and work normally again until it didn't some random time in the future. I took the spark generator out, that was working, swapped the gas valve out, still didn't work, even took the old gas valve completely to bits to see if they had an inherent problem but it all looked fine, no holes in the diaphragms, vacuum tube working as it should etc. then I turned my attention to the electrical supply to the gas valve, sometimes it had power, sometimes it didn't, took the PCB to bits and there was a dry joint on one of the relay pins, soldered it up and it has been fine for ages. You tell me any gas safe engineer or even a boiler repair technician who will go to those lengths to fault find, if they find a power supply problem to the gas valve they will just fit a new PCB at probably £200-300. I fixed it for a blob of solder.Would you call any random plumber to fix a dishwasher or would you pick the correct specialist https://biasi.co.uk/szervizhalozat
It was just the "other faults" code that threw me which I find a strange thing to happen. I was hoping someone may have said yea I had that and it turned out it was a dodgy diverter valve or something, maybe someone who has fired the parts cannon at it until it resolved the fault, I didn't post this to say look at me I'm the best boiler technician in the world.
Frane Selak said:
But I will though, I found out what was wrong last time, it would try to light and then immediately lock out, then it would fire and work normally again until it didn't some random time in the future. I took the spark generator out, that was working, swapped the gas valve out, still didn't work, even took the old gas valve completely to bits to see if they had an inherent problem but it all looked fine, no holes in the diaphragms, vacuum tube working as it should etc. then I turned my attention to the electrical supply to the gas valve, sometimes it had power, sometimes it didn't, took the PCB to bits and there was a dry joint on one of the relay pins, soldered it up and it has been fine for ages. You tell me any gas safe engineer or even a boiler repair technician who will go to those lengths to fault find, if they find a power supply problem to the gas valve they will just fit a new PCB at probably £200-300. I fixed it for a blob of solder.
It was just the "other faults" code that threw me which I find a strange thing to happen. I was hoping someone may have said yea I had that and it turned out it was a dodgy diverter valve or something, maybe someone who has fired the parts cannon at it until it resolved the fault, I didn't post this to say look at me I'm the best boiler technician in the world.
Yeah great so you needlessly changed the gas valve and won t have calibrated or checked the new one as you don t have an FGA. No FGA after a gas valve swap is certainly up there with one of the dumbest things you can do in boiler repair. Did your blob of solder on the pcb effectievly just link out a saftey device that was doing its job - who knows?It was just the "other faults" code that threw me which I find a strange thing to happen. I was hoping someone may have said yea I had that and it turned out it was a dodgy diverter valve or something, maybe someone who has fired the parts cannon at it until it resolved the fault, I didn't post this to say look at me I'm the best boiler technician in the world.
The thing is if you were a boiler technician you d just phone baisi technical support but you can t do that cause they ll be wanting that all important registration number before they ll talk to you.
Edited by Black_S3 on Saturday 28th March 21:28
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