squirrelhall Posted November 18, 2011 Report Share Posted November 18, 2011 Does one multimeter test all brands of boilers, and will it only detect one fault at a time ie when it detects a fault will it only detect the next fault when the first has been repaired Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted November 18, 2011 Report Share Posted November 18, 2011 Hopefully a sparky will be along shortly to give you a full description but a multimeter tests various electrical settings and faults depending on its range and abilities,but yes it will test for faults on the electrics on any boiler. Hope this helps ATB figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorsey Posted November 18, 2011 Report Share Posted November 18, 2011 If you're not sure... don't touch it. I know it sounds mean of me to say that but not everything is designed for everyone to be able to play with at home. In the back of your boiler installation manual will probably be some diagnostic steps that you run through when fault finding a problem. Some of these will ask about voltages on various parts of the circuit board/terminal blocks etc. But the multimeter itself won't tell you why your water isn't getting hot. Maybe if you tell us the problems and symptoms you're having with your system then we can steer you in the right direction before you shock yourself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted November 18, 2011 Report Share Posted November 18, 2011 A multi meter just measures voltage/current and other electrical characteristics it wont test a boiler. But can be used by someone with the knowledge to fault find the issues with the electrics in a boiler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imissalot Posted November 18, 2011 Report Share Posted November 18, 2011 as all the comments above m8 ,please don't try to test the board in the boiler ,multi meters are handy a piece of kit us sparks have ,wrong settings and they can go bang and you could do more damage to your self as well as the boiler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted November 18, 2011 Report Share Posted November 18, 2011 Don't think the OP could mean a flu gas analyser? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8landy Posted November 18, 2011 Report Share Posted November 18, 2011 Possibly OP is also thinking along the lines of a Diagnostic reader in the same way you plug your car in to diagnose a fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrelhall Posted November 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 Hi the reason i ask is my boiler went down and c/h man put a new pcb in. This didnt cure it and he then said it was the fan . he said the multimeter had diagnosed the pcb. Im wondering if it should have diagnosed the fan as well. THANKS ALL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcusSmart Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 A multi meter needs to be fairly basic to test most boilers, Volts, Ohms and Continuity. Gas/LPG or Oil? What boiler is it? Manufacturer/Model. What has happened total failure? Can you hear anything happening? Sequence of boiler: Standby, Fan, Ignition, Flame Rectification, Burner. Lots can go wrong in between! Let me know I will see if I can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asa Bear Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 Hi the reason i ask is my boiler went down and c/h man put a new pcb in. This didnt cure it and he then said it was the fan . he said the multimeter had diagnosed the pcb. Im wondering if it should have diagnosed the fan as well. THANKS ALL If it was a pcb fault there would've been no power to the fan. If it was a fan fault there would've been power to the fan but no action. Saying that I have had a pcb blow some tracking due to a burnt out motor in a fan before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 Hi the reason i ask is my boiler went down and c/h man put a new pcb in. This didnt cure it and he then said it was the fan . he said the multimeter had diagnosed the pcb. Im wondering if it should have diagnosed the fan as well. THANKS ALL Did you retain the old PCB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Holliday Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 If it was a pcb fault there would've been no power to the fan. If it was a fan fault there would've been power to the fan but no action. Saying that I have had a pcb blow some tracking due to a burnt out motor in a fan before. it really is that simple. Providing the Air Pressure switch has reset to it's at rest setting (usually Normally open circuit) the the following applies. Power to fan but not working = fan at fault. No power from PCB but power in to PCB + PCB at fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksdad Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 Thread Hijack! My boiler keeps losing water, I have to top it up every day, and the pressure is going very high: Anyone got any ideas before I get the heating guys in? I'm a plumber but don't touch combis or gas, too scary for me! My mate used to do my gas stuff but he's ******** off to Spain to play golf all day.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcusSmart Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 Expansion Vessel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Holliday Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 (edited) Is it going high without running/firing the boiler? If is it a combi then your plate heat echanger is the most likely cause. If the pressure is only going high when the boiler is firing then you will need to check the air pressure charge in the expansion vessel. With zero pressure on the water side, the air charge should be between 0.5 & 1.0 bar. Possibly your valves on the filling link are shutting off tight. in which case it should be disconnected after you hve chargd the system. My guess is it is a combi, a Worcester 24 CDi if I'm not mistaken? Edited November 19, 2011 by Doc Holliday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerettaSV10 Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 Thread Hijack! My boiler keeps losing water, I have to top it up every day, and the pressure is going very high: Anyone got any ideas before I get the heating guys in? I'm a plumber but don't touch combis or gas, too scary for me! My mate used to do my gas stuff but he's ******** off to Spain to play golf all day.... Not a plumber, but the boiler blow off safety valves normally blow off when your boiler gets to 3 bar. Might be worth having that looked at as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksdad Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 Yes, its a 24, you saw the letters at the bottom of the pic didn't you! It now on 1 bar, when I fire up the heating it goes to 3..... Think I will take the cover off and have a look at the insides, thanks for the info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asa Bear Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 it really is that simple. Providing the Air Pressure switch has reset to it's at rest setting (usually Normally open circuit) the the following applies. Power to fan but not working = fan at fault. No power from PCB but power in to PCB + PCB at fault. Any engineer worth his salt would surely have blown through the aps first I'm sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Holliday Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 It was wild stab in the dark :-) but I kinda guessed by the tops of the lettters. Anyway, the probelm will be not enough air in your expansion vessel. You will need to release all pressure from the boiler/system and using a tyre pressure gauge test the air pressure in the expansion vessel. Chances are it wont read anything on the gauge so you will need to add some air in to it. A bicycle or footpump is ok for this. Pump it up to anywhere bewteen 0.5 - 1.0 bar ( 7psi - 14psi). Replace the dust cap, refill the suystem and check the operation of the system. it should now be hunky-dorey. The expansion vessel will be in one of 2 places, either behind the electronic drop down panel in which case it will be a cylindrical type or it will be at the rear of the boiler accessed from over the top and back of the boiler. if it doesn't hold up then you'll be looking at a new expansion vessel, but that's a slim chance. Any engineer worth his salt would surely have blown through the aps first I'm sure For sure, but you'd be surprised ho often that is over looked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksdad Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 So if I give it some welly with the hills pump will it be even better? :blink: Thanks for the update, I will have a go at it in the morning...still don't like combi's though, gas, electric and high pressure worry me: give me a backed up **** house any day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Mongrel- Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 (edited) So if I give it some welly with the hills pump will it be even better? :blink: Thanks for the update, I will have a go at it in the morning...still don't like combi's though, gas, electric and high pressure worry me: give me a backed up **** house any day NO! Do not over pressurise it, if it's is still intact you could well blow the internal diaphragm. It should have a charge pressure on the expansion vessels data label, if not try and find out from the installation manual or the manufacturer, if you really can't find out, pressurise it to 1.5 bar. 1.5 bar is about 20 psi. If it starts doing the same thing again in a short space of time then the diaphragm is split/damaged and you'll need to replace the expansion vessel, it's not as uncommon as someone else suggested, I've changed loads over the last few years. Another quick test is to depress the Schrader valve on the expansion vessel while the system is still pressurised...if you get water out of it the vessel is definitely knackered. Edited November 19, 2011 by -Mongrel- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clydebuilt Posted November 19, 2011 Report Share Posted November 19, 2011 Check the suppy pipework to the expansion vessel for blockages, this happens a lot in poor water areas. Old Vokera's were bad for it with the steel braid pressure conenction hose to the vessel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksdad Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 I've checked the boiler when its running, at 3 bar. The expansion tank has an air valve just below the centre line, and its got zero pressure :blink: No water or air coming through when I press it in....thats wrong isn't it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jocko25 Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 Hi Try reading this ... My link you need to release the pressure completely from the system and leave it open to air to allow you to pressurise the expansion vessel, you can then pressurise the expansion vessel as was said before using a pump, then set the pressure in the CH system to around 1bar. When the CH is on (depending on the system)it will rise to about 2 bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucas Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 going backwards, a multi meter is a device used to attain normaly RMS voltages, current, capacity, resistance + more. If you dont understand the logic of what these different values mean then dont bother. Also note : electrical shock factors, blowing fuses/tripping mcb or rccd, disturbing cable and causing a fault, leaving panel/cables in a dangerous state (not obvious to the untrained eye). Voiding house insurance (possibly although not 100% certain). To put it blunt it could open up a whole can of worms. Id stick the kettle on the fire and bring out the tin bath. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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