The grumpy thread

[beko1987]

57 minutes ago, bobdisk said:

Check the condensate output pipe outside to the drain is not frozen. What pipe is it (eg, 15mm copper, or 25 mm plastic?)  When mine was a 15mm copper, it froze regularly, stopping the condensate going out, and coming up with a fault code. Changed it to a larger diameter 25mm plastic, no more problems, as water could flow even if a bit frozen.  Also, make sure its path out flows down all the way.

25mm plastic. Yep, did so much water over it last night it went soft briefly. Still no dice, somethings wrong with the pump I think the boiler knows. 

No plumber today and no one is answering the out of hours number. Oh well, will keep ringing it throughout the evening

[High Jetter]

Is it a pump like this?

With the boiler off, undo the big screw - a little water may come out so have a towel handy. Inside is the end of the spindle - try turning this with a small flat-bladed screwdriver. If it's seized, the pump is fucked. If it sticks, but then turns, you may have fixed it. If it turns, the problem is probably elsewhere, as long as you have 240v to it.

[beko1987]

19 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Is it a pump like this?

With the boiler off, undo the big screw - a little water may come out so have a towel handy. Inside is the end of the spindle - try turning this with a small flat-bladed screwdriver. If it's seized, the pump is fucked. If it sticks, but then turns, you may have fixed it. If it turns, the problem is probably elsewhere, as long as you have 240v to it.

Yea thats what makes the racket, either through low pressure or being fucked, it's that which is coming up on the boiler, the error code for the pcb in there. 

Might give it a go though, I rent but they must be having trouble (my dad was a lettings agent for years, I've seen the other side) finding someone as the lady called me back and said feel free to Google ideas, so that can be the first one. Not gonna go looking for voltage or anything though, that's a step too far. 

This is also all identical to the issues my mum and stepdad had when the heating pump went at theirs, the fact that you mentioned it as well is a bit sus

[High Jetter]

If that pump is making a racket, it must be doing 'something', and getting voltage. My experience of 20 or 30 of these over the years (not in domestic boilers) is that they either work or they seize, never had one causing noise though.

[beko1987]

2 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

If that pump is making a racket, it must be doing 'something', and getting voltage. My experience of 20 or 30 of these over the years (not in domestic boilers) is that they either work or they seize, never had one causing noise though.

Yes it deffo makes a racket until something senses in the boiler and it stops and throws an error. (i don't think it's the boiler at all tbh) 

I did open the tap under the boiler but heard no water rush in. Half the issue now is the boilers slow to respond to the heating and water controls so I don't want to fuck with it too much as I don't know how to reset it (short of the big switch on the wall or reset button, but that doesn't clear the errors I don't think) 

[High Jetter]

Ah, hold on - is it actually the pump making the noise, or the water in the heat-exchanger boiling and 'kettling'? If the latter, either the pump isn't pumping or the H/E is as blocked as an old car rad.

[beko1987]

25 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Ah, hold on - is it actually the pump making the noise, or the water in the heat-exchanger boiling and 'kettling'? If the latter, either the pump isn't pumping or the H/E is as blocked as an old car rad.

Could be either, the whole water tank was new the month before we moved in, but that was 8 years ago, and only the tank itself looks new. 

My friend locally saved me though and dropped this round just now

From his shed but it's warm! 

[beko1987]

Oh, and re reading it, the boiler (downstairs) makes no noise, even when it was omghgf'ing to 100 degrees and back down twice before throwing the eml on

Upstairs is the noisy bits, hang on and I'll take a pic

[GeorgeB]

1 hour ago, beko1987 said:

Oh, and re reading it, the boiler (downstairs) makes no noise, even when it was omghgf'ing to 100 degrees and back down twice before throwing the eml on

Upstairs is the noisy bits, hang on and I'll take a pic

Is there a pressure gauge anywhere on the system?

 

[BorniteIdentity]

5 hours ago, Stanky said:

You pay them to provide a service, remember that. 

With the greatest of great respects, he pays rent. Regular payment to live in the landlord’s property. He’s not paying for the service, the landlord is. 

I sympathise first hand - having had an 18 month old boiler fail on Dec 21st and not being able to get a plumber either. Weirdly, they’re busier than Santa in winter. I couldn’t call the agent and insult them, because I’m the owner occupier. Instead, I had to wait my turn politely until they could come and change my coil. When they did, I paid the not insignificant bill out of my own pocket and thanked them. 

Then, 5 days later, my tenant called to say the boiler in his house was leaking. I went over within the hour, tried to fix it, bought him two oil filled radiators and got him back on (fortunately) the next day. I got that bill too.

I suppose my point is... sometimes - things just go to shit. There’s no malice or intent, it’s just - you know - shit. 

And, as a former estate agent, son of an estate agent and landlord - I fully expect to be considered the anti-Christ on here!
 

[High Jetter]

Yup, it's things. Things, like cars, go wrong sometimes. Your own things are one thing, but your things that A. N. Other is paying you to use are another thing and give you a different perspective. 

[beko1987]

54 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

With the greatest of great respects, he pays rent. Regular payment to live in the landlord’s property. He’s not paying for the service, the landlord is. 

I sympathise first hand - having had an 18 month old boiler fail on Dec 21st and not being able to get a plumber either. Weirdly, they’re busier than Santa in winter. I couldn’t call the agent and insult them, because I’m the owner occupier. Instead, I had to wait my turn politely until they could come and change my coil. When they did, I paid the not insignificant bill out of my own pocket and thanked them. 

Then, 5 days later, my tenant called to say the boiler in his house was leaking. I went over within the hour, tried to fix it, bought him two oil filled radiators and got him back on (fortunately) the next day. I got that bill too.

I suppose my point is... sometimes - things just go to shit. There’s no malice or intent, it’s just - you know - shit. 

And, as a former estate agent, son of an estate agent and landlord - I fully expect to be considered the anti-Christ on here!
 

100% this! I remember as a lad Dad with 3 phones on the go with a house flooding with water and unable to reach anyone... We went ourselves a few times and my dad barely knows one end of a screwdriver from the other! When my step grandad was still working I'd go out with him for pocket money and we'd be driving to one job then one phone call later (no hands free back then) we'd be flooring it around a roundabout to somewhere else because there's a gas leak. 

Its a pain with the kids and no hot water and unable to do any washing cos it won't dry but that little radiator is taking the edge off. 

I also don't want to go fucking about too much as it's not mine... I've been told to poke about so can excuse what I've done so far but he needs to turn up and see it all broken, if I make one thing work temporarily he'll ignore that and it'll go again whenever. 

There's no pressure valve either. The service menu of the boiler tells you but I can't fathom it out

[beko1987]

I also dont want to mark my cards... I'm paying a good few hundred quid less than the going market rate, and I can't afford to pay the current going market rate so I'll be patient and smile sweetly a bit

[GeorgeB]

32 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

100% this! I remember as a lad Dad with 3 phones on the go with a house flooding with water and unable to reach anyone... We went ourselves a few times and my dad barely knows one end of a screwdriver from the other! When my step grandad was still working I'd go out with him for pocket money and we'd be driving to one job then one phone call later (no hands free back then) we'd be flooring it around a roundabout to somewhere else because there's a gas leak. 

Its a pain with the kids and no hot water and unable to do any washing cos it won't dry but that little radiator is taking the edge off. 

I also don't want to go fucking about too much as it's not mine... I've been told to poke about so can excuse what I've done so far but he needs to turn up and see it all broken, if I make one thing work temporarily he'll ignore that and it'll go again whenever. 

There's no pressure valve either. The service menu of the boiler tells you but I can't fathom it out

Beko, you're a competent person. You can strip a vacuum cleaner with your eyes closed!

The manual for your boiler is here: https://www.plumbase.co.uk/documents/product/3549495

Read it and work through the trouble shooting section.

Then come back with any questions.

[dozeydustman]

It’s been my stepdaughter’s 20th birthday today.

I had a migraine last night and slept until 2pm. I had dinner and I’ve had heartburn since.

@beko1987 check your letting agreement; my one has a clause that failed heating, hot water etc are considered an essential and are priority jobs. Our immersion has packed up twice and the plumber was out within 48h to fix. This may vary between agents

[Parky]

While in the uk I got a parking ticket from Thurrock Council on 6th October.  Paid it and have an email receipt.

Today my Mum received a redirected letter dated 23rd December (!!!) confirming my parking ticket from 6th October was still unpaid and I had 28 days to pay £105 before Bailliffs were appointed.  Oddly the new ticket has a different reference number but I didn’t get two tickets on the same day.  Obviously a duplicate somewhere but I now have to call Thurrock from here on a mobile to explain something simple to a cretin.  

Yes, you should always assume people are lovely and helpful but 15 years of dealing with Thurrock taught me to just assume the worst to avoid disappointment.

I suppose there is always the possibility they’ll get @outlaw118to hunt me down.  If you need my address Bob, let me know.  I reckon we could probably spend a couple of weeks in the sunshine sorting this out at taxpayers expense!

[MikeR]

The shite on adverts , Apparently eating pretend meat lowers your carbon footprint ...

Not with my guts it don't .

[Kiltox]

CUSTOMER??? That implies I have a fucking choice in the matter!

[MikeR]

19 hours ago, High Jetter said:

If that pump is making a racket, it must be doing 'something', and getting voltage. My experience of 20 or 30 of these over the years (not in domestic boilers) is that they either work or they seize, never had one causing noise though.

I saw one a few years back that went lazy , it turned , but no power behind it , it would stall if a bar was pushed against the spindle ...

the last bad one in our house just went clonk clonk clonk , boonng , and then the boiler over heat tripped , that cost some 40 notes some years back and a bit of fitting .

not the hardest bit to replace if the pump connector valves work ... 

[beko1987]

Supposedly someone's coming tomorrow, hopefully he has the parts in the van! 

The oil rad is in the kids room ready for bedtime, and the lecct fan is on low in the front room (still 1000w an hour. People harped on about 2000w vacuums but your only hoovering for a few minutes at a time...) 

[jakebullet]

Had a bit of a domestic with Ma, er why don't we have fire burning given it's currently 11 degrees in here? Apparently we're going to run out of wood before the end of February and she's saving it for when it gets really* cold .

FFS, if we run out I'll go and fetch some more! 

But what if you can't buy any?

Then I'll dust off the thermostat and fire up the central heating. Doubt the north sea will run out of gas...

[omegod]

Just got in from a shite day's graft in the glorious NHS to find the wife has volunteered me to solve some unknown car problem for her ditzy niece in the freezing cold and dark, I'll help anyone but hate being volunteered without prior discussion. Turns out the battery was fucked but she had a replacement one , BMW 1 series Diesel, battery was huge ,weighed a fucking ton and looked like it's start a tugboat.  Now added to my pile of scrap batteries  

[Shirley Knott]

1 hour ago, jakebullet said:

Had a bit of a domestic with Ma, er why don't we have fire burning given it's currently 11 degrees in here? Apparently we're going to run out of wood before the end of February and she's saving it for when it gets really* cold .

FFS, if we run out I'll go and fetch some more! 

But what if you can't buy any?

Then I'll dust off the thermostat and fire up the central heating. Doubt the north sea will run out of gas...

Have you tried smokeless coal?

We switched to that rather than wood in our stove and found it lasts longer and costs a fraction of what burning logs/wood did, so much so that we now keep our stove going morning noon and night as its actually far cheaper than using the central heating.

[Wack]

8 hours ago, Kiltox said:

CUSTOMER??? That implies I have a fucking choice in the matter!

You do have a choice 

Pay it or don't pay it and go to prison

[warch]

I'm very cross with the people across the road. Last year they bought a collie puppy, somewhat against our advice. We have a ten year old collie who we are very fond of but we are aware they are not for everyone, they have a lot of energy and need mental stimulation especially when young.

Anyway we have found out from other people in the village that they can no longer cope and want rid. The poor little sod isn't even a year old. He isn't even badly behaved. I'd take him on myself but I have a lot on with my dog, work, home schooling (in no particular order).

I'm not really a dog person, but I believe that if you commit to get a dog you should stick by them, especially as dogs are quite neurotic by nature and suffer separation anxiety. I'm willing to bet that he no longer fits in with their lifestyle, which consists of cycling and skiing holidays, but they should have thought of that beforehand.

[beko1987]

In theory there's a plumber coming out this morning. If he actually leaves and it's fixed though I'll be impressed. 

Probably cost me a fiver but the front room is toasty hot now, me and Charlie can stay in there (and not hear the doorbell... Crap) 

[High Jetter]

Fingers X. My SIL had hers turn up this am to service her (boiler) on time - hope it's a good omen.

[beko1987]

Misremembered the date of 3 of my points, it is under 5 years... Buggar, insurance policy I took out Monday cancelled and refund pending, should be able to pay the increase of a quote declaring 6 points after I've been paid

Such an idiot, guy on the phone must have thought I'm a right chance! Luckily I'm still insured until the end of feb

[meggersdog]

Two weeks ago I reported to the landlord that my workshop roof was leaking. Rain water was getting in due to the gutters being blocked. It had gone from the workshop roof through the flat roof of the upstairs office (now a store room) and through the ceiling of the mot office and customer waiting area. The seats and carpet have dried out now as I've rigged up a water feature using cut in half pipes as internal gutters and thick plastic loading bay curtains. It now runs off these into buckets in the workshop. Rain water is getting in at the back of the workshop and dripping on the roller brake test control box. I've used more plastic curtain to protect this. I told the landlord at the time I have expensive electrical equipment that really doesn't need to get damp. He was sending someone down and would phone me when he was on his way.........I'm still waiting. Today the exhaust gas analyzer packed up as it's damp.

All the units in my block are the same with rain water leaking in. The units opposite must be the same as my mate came in on Monday and told me his unit was flooded and he'd emailed the landlord and got no reply. The unit opposite mine are having problems with damp in their delicate electronic equipment.

Going to phone the engineer in the morning as no gas analyzer means no mots. 

[taranaki]

Feeling very sweary about the needy fuckwits who spoil Facebook. TY