Help Dodgy plumber or just a bit crap?

[Scouse]

Kenny, seriously do not mention you did the work yourself. You are not qualified and unfortunately he is. He could quite easily argue you damaged the PCB or did other damage.

How could he argue that considering both worked identically?

 

[WPKenny]

Can anyone categorically say that as long as you don't touch any gas related part of the boiler you don't legally need to be corgi registered?

 

[Trem]

Can anyone categorically say that as long as you don't touch any gas related part of the boiler you don't legally need to be corgi registered?

Thats right but you may have to have your C&G 2381/2382 electrical certificate, aren't totally sure on that though. I may be wrong.

 

[WPKenny]

Meh. We're going to take a hit and get another plumber in for a second opinion. Lou's already described the problem to him on the phone. She actually described it incorrectly and he correct her saying it sounded like the diaphragm needed replacing. He wants a little under 60 quid for the work and is willing to give his opinion on the other plumber's works so that's good. Understandably my BiL was reluctant to get involved which is fair enough.

Just going to have to wait and see what this other plumber has to say and then back to the letter writing.

EDIT: I did actually get a picture of a small bit of existing damage to the "new" circuit board. I took pics of it before I removed it so I knew where the cables were all meant to go and I happen to have got a pic of a small retaining clip that was already snapped.

 

[Damini]

Also, He removed an earth wire because I watched him trying to bend it to plug it in, fail, then just cut it off. Is that likely to cause problems?

 

[Trem]

You need earth on combi boilers really quite badly

 

[MYstIC G]

Boiler and heating repairs - British Gas

Tbfh you'd be better off doing that than paying someone else £60.

 

[Bahumat]

So I get home from work to admire his handy work..... (with the power to the boiler firmly in the off position)

At any point did you ask to see his Corgi Registration card? tbh, if you know his name you may want to call whoever it is that can confirm he legally is allowed to work on your boiler.


Also you seriously have to stop playing around with something you dont know how to fix. Leave it to your brother in law. If he cant fix it, get him to tell you which person/company would be best suited.

 

[Ch3tan]

There is a website you can check to see who the Corgi number is registered to. I saw it on Rogue Traders.

 

[MYstIC G]

Check An Installer

 

[Tom]

Also, He removed an earth wire because I watched him trying to bend it to plug it in, fail, then just cut it off. Is that likely to cause problems?

It will if the case becomes live and someone touches it.

 

[old.user4556]

*vzzzzzzzzzt*

 

[WPKenny]

An update for anyone following the story. Thanks for all the advice everyone.
We had a plumber round today for a second opinion. He said that the board the previous plumber had got wasn't even for our model of Baxi. He's willing to state this on the record if the other plumber kicks up a stink when we send it back to him. He's written on our receipt that he put the old circuit board back in and believes there is nothing wrong with it.

He also said thinks it's not the diverter valve and probably not the diaphragm either but more likely the motor as he could see it was receiving less power than it should do. He told me that this particular model is less tollerant than the previous models but it was put in because it's more eco-friendly.

I asked him about what you can and can't do to your own boiler. He said you can pretty much do what you like. The complication comes when you come to move. If you've tinkered with any of the gas part of the boiler it has to be certified by a Corgi plumber.

With this new info we thanked him, paid him and I set about dismantling the boiler.

I check the Heat Exchange just to make sure it hadn't clogged up again. Didn't seem to bad but I gave it a flush with plenty of cold water and a few flakes came out. I didn't think it was worth de-scaling again but if I can be arsed I might go out tomorrow and do this as a matter of course.
So I opened up the part that may have needed a new diaphragm. The existing one was in great condition so I left it where it was.
Next it came to dismantling the motor to see what, if anything, I could tinker with in there. Not a lot as it happens.

I got googling and phoned as many nearby plumbers I could find. None had the part in stock. In fact many don't even stock parts they just order them in when needed. Arse.

So I tinkered some more and although I'm not 100% convinced it's the motor it's the next most sensible thing to try. So now I've ordered the motor and it should be in stock on monday. Which means, with the best bodging in the world a whole weekend of no more than 30 seconds of hot water at a time before the boiler thinks something's not right.

The adventure continues....

 

[TdC]

awesome K, it would rock if you got to fix it yourself mate! good luck!

 

[WPKenny]

Winnar!

Under the advice of the second plumber I ordered a new motor/pump or our boiler. It arrived today and took me about 10 mins from starting to drain the boiler to getting it up and running again with the new pump.

The boiler is now fixed and I am a happy man.

The other plumber is getting his circuit board posted back to him with a letter stating neither his first "fix" nor his proposed next "fix" would have cured the problem our boiler had and he would have been asking us for 450 quid and still leaving us with a broken boiler. We shall see what he has to say.

 

[old.user4556]

Fucking c.unt rip off merchant, needs a serious hiding. Hearing about this kind of shit really fucks me off, glad you got it sorted Kenny.

 

[TdC]

awesome stuff Kenny, that just rocks!

 

[Ch3tan]

Report him to Rogue Traders Kenny, and Trading Standards.

 

[Chilly]

Nice one kenny, but I still say get some insurance from your supplier - oyu dont want to be risking your and Lou's well being for a few quid.