Looking for gas boiler engineer in Oxford area

[martintownley]

Hello! 
Does anybody have contact details of a technician (in the Oxford area) who can fix the gas boiler on my boat? 

 

I am not entirely sure what the issue is but know that it is something to do with the pilot light.

Thanks, Martin

[Athy]

Welcome to the forum.

We do have a member here who is by all accounts a past-master in bringing boilers back to life, but he tends to deal only with the older types of boiler. Rather than "volunteer" him, I'll let him contact you if he so wishes. Is this a quite elderly model?

[martintownley]

Thank you that would be great! 
I'm not sure how old the boiler is but I can check when I get home and get back to you.
Cheers,
martin

[Tony Brooks]

11 minutes ago, martintownley said:

Thank you that would be great! 
I'm not sure how old the boiler is but I can check when I get home and get back to you.
Cheers,
martin

 

He may no longer be LPG & Boat certificated.

 

Please identify the gas boiler. I know of at least four different types, this might be a DIY job with a bit of advice. If you don't know the boiler make and model the photo or describe it. (my money is on an Alde 29xx at present). Also will you tell us the symptoms.

[Tracy D'arth]

Hopefully its an Ellis.

[Tony Brooks]

2 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Hopefully its an Ellis.

 

Yes, do you know if the complete recon. burner & control assemblies are still available?

[MtB]

28 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

He may no longer be LPG & Boat certificated.

 

 

You're right, he isn't! 

 

 

 

If the OP tells us the make and model of boiler, and the symptoms, we can make quite an accurate stab at diagnosis.

 

 

[David Schweizer]

1 hour ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Hopefully its an Ellis.

 

If it is am Ellis, I can send a digital copy of the installation and operation instructions which may help. There are two possible causes   known to me. The commonest is a ball of fluff sitting on top of the pilot burnur, preventing ignition. The remedy requires the removal of the burner unit, which is easily undertaken in less than an hour and with the minimum of tools. The less common cause is damage to the boiler capilliary tube, which cannot be replaced and requres a completely new burner unit, if you can find one!

[David Schweizer]

I posted a copy of the Installation and maintenance instructions on the forum in 2018. hopefully this link to the thread will work. Click on the title and scroll down five posts:- 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2022 by David Schweizer

[David Mack]

3 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

The commonest is a ball of fluff sitting on top of the pilot burnur, preventing ignition. The remedy requires the removal of the burner unit, which is easily undertaken in less than an hour and with the minimum of tools.

Had the same problem with an Alde 29xx. Removing the burner unit wasn't too bad, but removing the bit of the wardrobe that stopped the burner coming out was a right pain!

Gave it a good clean, put it all back and it worked fine afterwards.

[David Schweizer]

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

Had the same problem with an Alde 29xx. Removing the burner unit wasn't too bad, but removing the bit of the wardrobe that stopped the burner coming out was a right pain!

Gave it a good clean, put it all back and it worked fine afterwards.

 

Assuming that the boiler under discussion is an Ellis, and was installed according to the instructions, there will be no obstructions to the removal of the burner unit.

[Tracy D'arth]

I was only throwing a grenade in when I suggested it could be an Ellis. Its a very old boiler, chances are that it is something much later. It must be 10 years since I have seen a boat with an Ellis.

[Tony Brooks]

10 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I was only throwing a grenade in when I suggested it could be an Ellis. Its a very old boiler, chances are that it is something much later. It must be 10 years since I have seen a boat with an Ellis.

 

It was the age that  made me suggest an Alde rather than an Ellis but until we see it, it could be anything.

[Murflynn]

is this going to be yet another thread where a multitude of helpful comments are made but the OP disappears into the mist?

[MtB]

10 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

is this going to be yet another thread where a multitude of helpful comments are made but the OP disappears into the mist?

 

 

Its beginning to look that way, but lots of new posters return the same time next day wondering if there might be one or two answers, only to find three pages of them! 

[Tony Brooks]

He also said that he could not do anything until he got home so give him time. Unlike the many who seem to object to being asked for more info that THEY THINK is not needed, the OP said he would once he got home, so give him time.

[ditchcrawler]

7 hours ago, Murflynn said:

is this going to be yet another thread where a multitude of helpful comments are made but the OP disappears into the mist?

Its less than 24 hours since they asked the question. Maybe they work and don't use the computer for personal use while getting paid.

[MtB]

7 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Its less than 24 hours since they asked the question. Maybe they work and don't use the computer for personal use while getting paid.

 

 

.

 

 

Edited June 8, 2022 by MtB

[Guest]

Error, wrong thread.

Edited June 8, 2022 by The Happy Nomad

[martintownley]

Hello, thanks for everybody's help. I am still trying to tackle this issue but unfortunately juggling other things going wrong on the boat so am just tied up! I do appreciate the help, my next steps will be to id the boiler and check inside for dust balls.

[MtB]

1 hour ago, martintownley said:

my next steps will be to id the boiler and check inside for dust balls.

 

 

Just bung up a photo of it. 

 

 

[David Schweizer]

9 hours ago, MtB said:

 

 

Just bung up a photo of it. 

 

 

 

That is the best initial suggestion, advice will then be more readily available, There are many forum menbers who maintain their own boats and have a good knowledge of how to service boilers, particularly some older ones for which spares are not readily available.

[Tony Brooks]

37 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

 

That is the best initial suggestion, advice will then be more readily available, There are many forum menbers who maintain their own boats and have a good knowledge of how to service boilers, particularly some older ones for which spares are not readily available.

 

As requested in the first reply, but the OP may not have a camera phone or even a camera. A description of what it looks like would go a long way in eliminating some of the possibilities.

[Tracy D'arth]

He is too busy putting fuses in his loo.

[Tony Brooks]

24 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

He is too busy putting fuses in his loo.

 

Yes, maybe he has found the fuse for the boiler has blown so the pilot light won't ignite.