flow and return Help and information on all topics relating to your central heating, air conditioning and ventilation issues.

[whirleybird]

British Gas has come to try and fix my hot water and heating. After putting various new parts in the boiler and a new cylinder in the airing cupboard, it was eventually diagnosed that the flow and return are the wrong way round. The boiler's been switching itself off. When we are using hot water and heating sometimes the rads get hot, sometimes they don't. Everything stopped working completely in the end which is why we called them in.

They are charging us £250 to change the flow and return pipes round. After reading what the boiler has been doing, do you think BG are right? I have a Ravenheat condensing fanned flue boiler, CSI system. (BG told me it was like a Robin Reliant compared to a Rolls)?

I've just switched the switch from hot water to heating and hot water and although the water's lovely and hot - no heating.

[htg engineer]

not sure what they mean by flow and return are the wrong way round.

Do they mean the flow and return to the cylinder ?? if yes - did they fit the cylinder ? if they did I wouldn't pay anymore.

or

do they mean the 3 port valve, has been put in the wrong way round ?

[whirleybird]

Hi. Thanks for your answer. On the quotation and agreement it says "Repipe flow and return in Garage. 4M oof 22m pipe required." That's it.

We had the area manager come here as well. (Because the BG engineer kept trying different things and it still didn't work). He asked if it had ever worked because it's flowing round the wrong way? Well, we've always had a problem with it since it was fitted and the boiler before that too. :(

[frogger]

I'm resding this as the flow and return are the wron way round on the boiler. If this was the case it would not work full stop. It would trip out after a few minutes, unless I suppose the pump has been turned around. Its kind of hard to know from the imformation wat the problem is but ditch British gas now. It would not be hard to figure out for any decent experienced fitter. Have you tried getting a Ravenheat repout?

Has the installation ever worked correctly?

[whirleybird]

Hi Frogger. It was fitted by a cowboy (apparently) 18 months ago according to BG. The man's telephone has been cut off and I am unable to get hold of him to put it right. :evil:

It has never worked properly but neither did the boiler before this one, hence the new boiler. This is what they've done so far:

Parts used: 15mm straight compression coupling, 22mm compression x 1 Male BSP, 15mm CU x 15mm CU equal elbow (pk 10), 22mm 45 deg elbow, 22mm CU x 22mm Equal elbow (pk 10) to BS, 22mm CU x 22mm CU straight coupling to B, 22mm x 3/4" Tap connector Bent to BS 864, Pipe insulation slitted 22x19mm x 2m.

Since my last comment in this thread, the hot water has now stopped working again. So now there is no hot water and no heating again, which is why I called British Gas in the first place. So back to square one after that lot (above) AND a new cylinder. I must admit he did scratch his head a lot and looked puzzled a lot. :roll:

[whirleybird]

Forgot to say he also did the following:

Safety valve, safety relief valve 3bar - screw fit - c and the auto air vent exploded all over him when he was here. After one visit, the boiler was pouring out water all night and nearly flooded the garage. When he knocked on the door the next day, he ran in there when I told him...In fact he called here 4 times trying to put things right and called in the area manager who agreed with him about the flow and return pipes, and he, like you, didn't know how the boiler had been working at all.

I've tried finding a Ravenheat rep but have had no luck. :(

[whirleybird]

Just had somebody independant out. He told me the flow and return ARE the wrong way round but it shouldn't cause the problems that I'm having. He found that the potentiometer is faulty and needs a new one?