defender Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 (edited) Just thought I'd ask in case there are any gas fitters on here. My boiler pilot light has gone out and won't stay lit. It's an old boiler and it's had a few thermocouples I fit one maybe 15 yrs ago the last one was fitted by a gas engineer. Gas safety has got a lot more strict since I fit one, would it be best to call a gas engineer or would I get badly done if I fit it myself? Edited September 10, 2019 by defender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 It depends on the boiler, some can be replaced without removing any gas fittings, not always the thermocouple lead it could be a pilot flame issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defender Posted September 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 (edited) The pilot looks to be heating the thermocouple, its a case of removing the thermostat cover 2 screws, then removing the main large cover 4 screws, then removing the thermocouple next to the pilot, then the tube to the main gas valve and unscrewing the union on the main gas valve then reverse of removal. As far as I can remember no gas pipes or gas fittings have to be removed, its an old boiler with a huge square flue. Thorn Olympic 38/50B Edited September 10, 2019 by defender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 No-one would know you'd done it yourself.....unless you posted it on a public forum. There's no gas involved in changing it. Just a nut at one end and a clip at the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 (edited) The problem here is not gas related, it is illegal( if not gas safe registeted) to remove the combustion cover to access the pilot burner. No doubt you could do the job but thats what the law states. If the pilot is good and the new thermocouple dosent fix it then you will need a new gas valve, which will need an engineer anyway so use a good local independent engineer is my advice. Speaking as a gas safe registered person👍 Edited September 10, 2019 by aga man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 Very rarely does the pilot assembly ever get removed and cleaned, the hole inside is unbelievably tiny, it does over time get even smaller with dirt. The only way to know for sure is to have the assembly removed and cleaned. I have done it lots of time's as other engineers just kept replacing the thermocouple lead, it's impossible to say whether is a cold pilot flame or indeed the thermocouple without being there. A recommended gas safe engineer is the way to go. And for the record I am gas safe registered domestic, commercial LPG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defender Posted September 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 Ah well, even though I can get all the parts and I've done it before many years ago, I'll have to get someone in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickyh Posted September 11, 2019 Report Share Posted September 11, 2019 (edited) It reminds me of the Man falling from the Sky at 120 mph and shouting to a Man traveling up to the Sky at 120mph. Do you known anything about Parachutes? No mate, sorry, do you know anything about Gas Boilers ? Edited September 11, 2019 by mickyh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgy dave Posted September 11, 2019 Report Share Posted September 11, 2019 i bet they will say you need a new boiler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peck Posted September 11, 2019 Report Share Posted September 11, 2019 (edited) Could be expensive when the boiler is working ok other than the thermocouple. Try it yourself. I have done it, my boiler was on the floor, part of a back boiler fire, very awkward but managed it. When we did eventually have it replaced the engineer said that he would have condemned it if he had been asked to replace the thermocouple. Edited September 11, 2019 by peck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defender Posted September 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2019 (edited) Think I've got someone, it's been a nightmare so far with leaving voicemails and no one getting back to me and phones that ring and ring. What I need to know now is what can cause the pilot not to stay lit when I release the grey button to me it can only be thermocouple, gas valve or weak pilot light flame just in case they try to bamboozle me. Oh and how much is it to become gas safe? Edited September 12, 2019 by defender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted September 12, 2019 Report Share Posted September 12, 2019 Hold the button in for at least 30 seconds and release very slowly, thermocouple is the cheapest repair it may be a cold pilot or the dearest is a new gas valve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defender Posted September 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2019 1 hour ago, B725 said: Hold the button in for at least 30 seconds and release very slowly, thermocouple is the cheapest repair it may be a cold pilot or the dearest is a new gas valve. Thanks for that, I held it for so long my thumb had a gas flame imprint and let it go very slowly and it still went out. Fortunately I've found someone I know who is on the gas safe website and they are coming tomorrow and I cancelled the one mentioned above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted September 13, 2019 Report Share Posted September 13, 2019 Did you get it sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defender Posted September 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2019 20 hours ago, B725 said: Did you get it sorted. Not yet he had a look got the boiler parts number and says he is going to get a genuine thermocouple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted September 14, 2019 Report Share Posted September 14, 2019 If its that old can you still get genuine parts? We have an oldish boiler and I have replaced the thermocouple on mine with a universal kit from B&Q work perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defender Posted September 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2019 Yea I've done it before and it worked perfectly and just in case I put a co monitor in the boiler room and it was fine, but I'm not going to do it again. I think genuine ones are still available at 3 times the price of a universal one. He did say to me that the boiler is probably 40% efficient whereas modern boilers are up to 98% efficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted September 14, 2019 Report Share Posted September 14, 2019 I have fitted countless universal thermo leads in my day and NEVER had a problem with any of them (which included the gas fire variety too). Yes, a new boiler is probably more efficient but the boiler that I removed from my home, about 4 years ago, was some 40 years old. I serviced it annually (properly) and apart from several thermo leads and a new gas valve top it was still going strong when I ripped it out. I have not noticed a substantial decrease in my gas bill, using the new all singing and dancing combi boiler ! On 11/09/2019 at 10:56, peck said: Could be expensive when the boiler is working ok other than the thermocouple. Try it yourself. I have done it, my boiler was on the floor, part of a back boiler fire, very awkward but managed it. When we did eventually have it replaced the engineer said that he would have condemned it if he had been asked to replace the thermocouple. I skipped a brand new complete burner tray for a fire/boiler (Baxi) last year. They burned out if the boiler was not serviced correctly annually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defender Posted September 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2019 Just now, Westley said: I have fitted countless universal thermo leads in my day and NEVER had a problem with any of them (which included the gas fire variety too). Yes, a new boiler is probably more efficient but the boiler that I removed from my home, about 4 years ago, was some 40 years old. I serviced it annually (properly) and apart from several thermo leads and a new gas valve top it was still going strong when I ripped it out. I have not noticed a substantial decrease in my gas bill, using the new all singing and dancing combi boiler ! Yea I've read about new boilers not even managing to get to 10 yrs without requiring replacement whereas that one is over 30 yrs old and the whole system has needed 1 electric valve, 1 pump and a few thermocouples in it's life. Annoyingly if I'd done it myself it would have only been out of action for less than 2 days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defender Posted September 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2019 On 14/09/2019 at 19:43, defender said: Yea I've read about new boilers not even managing to get to 10 yrs without requiring replacement whereas that one is over 30 yrs old and the whole system has needed 1 electric valve, 1 pump and a few thermocouples in it's life. Annoyingly if I'd done it myself it would have only been out of action for less than 2 days Fixed, it was the gas valve after all, if it wasn't illegal to do so I could have done it but it was done professionally by a gas safe engineer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peck Posted September 18, 2019 Report Share Posted September 18, 2019 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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