jdr

So what caused this tripswitch to go off ?
Is the other end joined to a fume sensor on the flue ?
As bil said in above post.

digdug

i actually dont know what caused it, i do know that when the last bottle was running out, there was an un-normal extra heat out of the kitchen tap (hence how i knew it was about to go) once the bottle was replaced, no life in the old girl.
i have no idea if theres a fume sensor on the flue, but we did get it serviced by a repsol engineer, and he ran it for about 15minutes and said there was no fume problem, and boy, was there some fumes then! (the boiler is in our garage under the house). although you get a certificate for 5 years, that was some 2 1/2 yrs ago, so maybe its time to get someone out to service it just in case......

jdr

It certainly won`t hurt to get it checked out, i was in the trade all my working life and I can confirm if GORGI came to Spain every boiler I have seen would be condemned.

bil

Yeah. I got my CORGI a couple of years back, but let it lapse.

As you say, I'd condemn most of the stuff I saw without hesitation.

Ideally, every year service, but whether you do that or not, learn what a good flame picture looks like, and if you get a yellow flame, start to investigate. ESPECIALLY if anything causes fumes to be released into the living space.

Chepas

Yes I have the same boiler and used to have the same problem. Mine was water pressuse. Turn off and on the water stop tap located by the boiler, it may fire up. You will need to get a plumber anyway but might be a temp quick fix. Good Luck

tarn

Now you say it, Carbon Monoxide detectors from the British Gas online shops are dirt-cheap and definitely worth their price.

We Spaniards either don't care or have it really difficult to find anything that is both unexpensive and certified.

In any case don't go for less than a piercing-sound alarm, be sure to err on the side of too much ventilation and immediately open windows and stop using any gas appliance if the flame turns orange instead of blue (this could be either a dirty burner or monoxide building up)

You won't see fumes with Monoxide. You won't suffocate. It just puts to sleep for a long while

bil

The small detectors that change colour, aren't that good, I reckon. They take a really high level to change noticeably.

Low level poisoning is hard to detect, but has serious effects too.

Also, where do you stick the detectors?

CO (monoxide) is technically lighter than air, so you would think that a high position is best, but since it comes out mixed with CO2, which is heavier than air, the mixture falls.

tarn

Colour detectors are maybe OK for kitchens, but alarms are unexpensive, will wake anybody up and will deal with levels both high and low but dangerously sustained.

Would place them between the appliance and the sleeping rooms. Out of any sleeping room but at a hearing distance. Close to the appliance, if possible.

CO2 and CO mix but won't bind. In any case slow-moving, low-lying CO2 would draw CO upwards, but the effect is usually deemed irrelevant so the CO diffuses to mix with all the air volume.

bil

Given the weights of atmosphere and CO/CO2 are similar, simple diffusion would take some time, unless there were thermal effects?

It's a fairly confusing area.

A good audio alarm is definitely good, I'd probably fit them high and low to be safe.

jdr

I can remember Ascot water heaters being vented to just into the roof space.

digdug

hi
well, thanks for all the advice. been away the weekend, and on returning to the house, there seems to be no probs with the boiler, firing up no probs, BUT i'm taking all on board and getting it serviced. as i know nothing about these heaters, and the permanent risk to health..... its the only safe bet.ours is in the garage below the house, and there is no kind of alarm, so i think it may be a must-do to get something.
thanks all