Potterton boiler help please

[LIZS]

We have a Potterton Prima F boiler but no operating instructions. Radiators seem cold, water hot. Not sure if boiler has gone out or if temperature is supposed to be ok as it isn't firing. No obvious button to reignite it if it has gone out.

Is it a combi boiler or a normal boiler?

normal I think, we have a hot water tank

In your cupboard wher the hot water tank is there will be a valve with three pipes coming out of it.
This is called a 3 port valve.When you turn your thermostat up and hear it click, a small lever on the 3 port valve should move.Does it?

No thermostat - we have radiator controls. Can't see valve Pipes around water tank hot though.

stumped me i thought EVERYBODY had a thermostat!Sorry i dont have any advice without a thermostat.

Thanks anyway

Hate to say it but have you posted this on dadsnet section as well one of them may be able to help more than i can.

Good idea

Found the following on another forum:

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:18 am Post subject:

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There is an overheat stat which you can push up to reset. Its underneath the boiler very close to the control knob.

Its unlikely to have tripped though but you can check it before calling the CORGI !

Tony Glazier

Agile Services

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FITZ4X4

Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Posts: 3

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:24 am Post subject:

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Thanks, it was the overheat switch pressed the reset and alls OK, my son foud the reset last night as I was on the way to his house. Fingers crossed that it does not trip again. That's why I was asking as I wanted to save my son a call out fee if it was somthing as simple as pressing a trip button.
Just for the record , your right, I'm not a CORGI fitter but I am a quilified time served electrical engineer. I have twice had to replace the fan in my own boiler. I would not have messed with any of the gas components but I felt confident I could have traced any electrical faults, if I had the insatllation manual and circuit diagram. Hence the question on this forum.
Anyway thanks for the constructive comments.

You must have a thermostat surely?

Sounds like it is a problem with the circulation or the pump to me if the boiler is fine.

Pump is normally below the immersion heater. Check if that is working.

Have you bled your radiators lately.

We have no central room thermostat just individual radiator ones , apparently more efficient

I wondered about the pump. Boiler isn't firing up though. Have had heating set to come on in morning and stay on. Water seems hot.

When our pump went it made an horrendous noise, sounded like the churning gut of a hungry dragon.

No, no noise

If it's not firing up, it's far more likely to be a problem with the ignition than pump.

Radiators drained and refilled in summer after a leak but not bled recently , are n't they usually cold at top and hot at bottom if need it ?

Yes, if it needs draining the would be cold at top and warm on bottom.

Should be opposite - hot at top as any hot water will immediately rise to the top of the radiator.

In some systems it can lose water and pressure and be full of air - making the whole system pack in because the water isn't travelling form radiator to radiator.

what ones are cold at the top?

All of them or just on one floor?

Not sure about any pressure controls. In fact can't see any controls other than a dial from 0 to 5, no buttons or other things to fiddle with. the other day I had to turn to 0 for it to fire, now it won't at all. Would help if we had instructions . Got the installation ones but no user guide.

All cold

No warm spots in any of them?
Upstairs or down?

Not that I can find

The pressure dial will look a little bit like a barometer, should be on the boiler itself, somewhere.