# PCB replacement- Boiler



## itsjustme (9 Jan 2010)

Hi- I have to have the PCB replaced in my gas boiler- have been quoted €420 by the engineer, already paid him €90 to diagnose the problem- not sure if €420 includes fitting as well. is it possible to buy own PCB as they seem alot cheaper on line than €420- anyone got any advice on this?


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## colm5 (9 Jan 2010)

Let me guess, Potterton boiler?
you can buy them on Ebay UK for about 50 euro, and they are simple to install.

you need to get the serial/model number from the board to know which one it exacty is.

Try resetting the boiler by removing the fuse to power it down fully.


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## itsjustme (9 Jan 2010)

hi colm- it's gloworm micron 50ff- do you know where i could buy one of them online- and would they be as easy to fit? thanx


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## colm5 (9 Jan 2010)

Search Ebay I guess, or just google it. The ones for potteron are really cheap PCBs (also 420euro) made with loads of caps, diodes and resisters. It depends whats wrong with it really on how easily it is to fix, just looking at you may be able to see a blown part which you could by in Maplins for 5 cents.

There are gloworm PCBs on ebay for about 30-50 euro, you just need to find the right one. Search for "gloworm micron PCB". Also try UK plumbing web sites. You could also call them to get exactly the correct one..


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## Towger (9 Jan 2010)

The build quality of these PCBs is crap. I fixed my Glowworm's 80FF PCB one freezing Sunday morning by reflowing all the solder joins. Found 2 or 3 visible dry joints, don't know how it worked in the first place!


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## gebbel (10 Jan 2010)

€420 sounds a lot.  Having said that, PCB boards are very expensive here. They can, however, be bought from the UK much cheaper. Tell the engineer you are going the try and source one yourself, then you will just have to pay him for the install.


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## DGOBS (10 Jan 2010)

PCB for a Potterton Suprima retails about 240-260 +vat and on that boiler
the go ALOT! UK consumer watchdog even made a program about them

The 50 euro ones on ebay must be reconditioned ones, and I am sure you can understand that your serviceman will not use these as he will be the one who will have to stand over them!

Yes, I agree with a previous poster that alot of boiler pcb's seem to have dry solder issues, and really the manufacturer should be dragged over hot coals for it, but seeing who much they chagre one would wonder if it's not part of a larger plan!

As for fitting them yourself, some (not all) pcb boards need to be setup, as they control the ignition gas rate and other boiler functions and features (in fairness as far as I recall the Micron is not one of these) such as overrun, boiler output the list goes on.........


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## Kev S (11 Jan 2010)

My PCB went a few months ago on my potterton boiler. I rang a plumber a friend recommended and he said the relay had gone on the board and fixed it overnight for me at a cost of €120 which I found reasonable.

Has Potterton boilers a poor name in general? The plumber said ours will need to be replaced soon enough and its in the house about 11 years.


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## gianni (11 Jan 2010)

I refitted the PCB on my Potterton about 1 yr ago. I bought a reconditioned one on ebay from [broken link removed]. I'm not very DIY minded but I was able to do all the work and its still going ok.


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## RVR (11 Jan 2010)

Just a quick note which hasn't been mentioned.  If this is a nat gas boiler then it is most likely illegal to even attempt replacing the board yourself!!!



> The new regulatory regime is in place since 26 June 2009 and only Registered Gas Installers are allowed to carry out  domestic gas works. It is an offence for any person to carry out domestic gas works unless he/she is a Registered Gas Installer (RGI).



[broken link removed]

Aside from this improper combustion can lead to a danger of CO poisoning.  However small the risk i think i'd prefer to have a professional replace it and carry out a combustion test after!!!!!


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## MANTO (11 Jan 2010)

RVR said:


> Just a quick note which hasn't been mentioned. If this is a nat gas boiler then it is most likely illegal to even attempt replacing the board yourself!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
+1 - Somebody here has some sense!

Do you really think your home insurance will cover you if anything happens due to tampering with the boiler yourself - I think not - Think Safety!


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## DavyJones (11 Jan 2010)

RVR said:


> Just a quick note which hasn't been mentioned.  If this is a nat gas boiler then it is most likely illegal to even attempt replacing the board yourself!!!




It is in fact illegal, unless you are a RGI it is agaisnt the law to work on any gas appliances or gas carring pipe work even in your own home. I know, because I asked the head of RGI. In the UK, you can work on your own appliance in your own home.


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## galwaytt (12 Jan 2010)

RVR said:


> Just a quick note which hasn't been mentioned. If this is a nat gas boiler then it is most likely illegal to even attempt replacing the board yourself!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
According to that site, it says:  "_ A Registered Gas Installer is the only person who is legally permitted to carry out gas work_ ".

PCB work isn't gas work.  You're forgetting, that gas-fitting is not an electrical qualification, so you could argue they shouldn't be working on any electrics, either..........nothing wrong with getting your boiler certified/tested by a competent person after non-gas work work is performed on it.


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## DGOBS (12 Jan 2010)

As the PCB controls a gas appliance, it would be considered as 'working with gas' or 'gas controls'

As regards the electrical argument, all GID (Gas Installer Domestic) qualified
persons complete as part of the installers course and electrical module and assessment which deems them competent to work on any electrics from a 3amp spur.


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## DavyJones (12 Jan 2010)

galwaytt said:


> According to that site, it says:  "_ A Registered Gas Installer is the only person who is legally permitted to carry out gas work_ ".
> 
> PCB work isn't gas work.  You're forgetting, that gas-fitting is not an electrical qualification, so you could argue they shouldn't be working on any electrics, either..........nothing wrong with getting your boiler certified/tested by a competent person after non-gas work work is performed on it.



That is incorrect, I know because before the RGI scheme rolled out, they had national meetings. All those types of questions were asked and answered by the head of RGI.


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## gary71 (12 Jan 2010)

galwaytt said:


> nothing wrong with getting your boiler certified/tested by a competent person after non-gas work work is performed on it.[/quote
> 
> That would be a RGII, a new PCB may require setting up or may be defective out of the box, so you would have to be competent with gas to recognize that things are as they should be and the boiler is safe, Gary.


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## boilerman (13 Jan 2010)

420 is too much, especially if you have forked out 90 already.
Ring Heatmerchants and ask them for a price on the pcb.
Then ring that guy back and work out a better price, stating the fact you have paid out 90 already.


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## DGOBS (17 Jan 2010)

I would agree the original €90 should never have been charged once the customer agreed to change the pcb (even if not €90 for a callout is steep)


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## michaelm (20 Jan 2010)

gianni said:


> I refitted the PCB on my Potterton about 1 yr ago. I bought a reconditioned one on ebay from [broken link removed]. I'm not very DIY minded but I was able to do all the work and its still going ok.


I replaced my Potterton PCB last week (after 12 years good service).  Bought from the same ebay seller - €65 inc. delivery for a reconditioned board with a six month guarantee; and I'll get £12 back for returning my faulty board.


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## DGOBS (20 Jan 2010)

And by doing this, you firstly broke the law by working on a gas boiler without
being registered, if something now happens regarding your boiler to damage
your house I would think you have voided your house insurance.

But most importantly, you have fitted a pcb to an appliance that you have no way of testing (some pcbs control rates of gas etc in the boiler, let alone the 
fail safes that are built in) 

I wish you well, but you have literally taken your life in you hands


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## michaelm (21 Jan 2010)

DGOBS, thanks for your concern.  You certainly have a flair for the dramatic .  I couldn't care less about the legalities of fixing my boiler (more silly, unenforceable nanny state nonsense), nor I have any concerns re insurance.


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## gary71 (21 Jan 2010)

michaelm said:


> DGOBS, thanks for your concern. You certainly have a flair for the dramatic . I couldn't care less about the legalities of fixing my boiler (more silly, unenforceable nanny state nonsense), nor I have any concerns re insurance.


 
Your welcome to your opinion, the perceived risk of working on gas is relative to experience, the more experience you have of things going wrong the more you understand how even the simplest job has a inherent risk, which then leads to a healthy dose of gasman's paranoia. What you see as nanny state nonsense, i see as the only chance to improve safety and stop people who feel they have a understanding of my job from doing harm, Gary.


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## Leo (22 Jan 2010)

michaelm said:


> nor I have any concerns re insurance.


 
Funny how many people say that up to the point where they need to make a claim.


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## DGOBS (22 Jan 2010)

MichaelM, at least i seem to have a flair for something!
But until you stand there watching a 3year old and her mother being taken from a house in a black bag, the 4 year old boy badly brain damaged over
an ill fitted gas appliance I don't think you are in a position to comment.

We are gas professionals trying to give people sound, impartial and FREE advise to keep them both informed and SAFE

As for unenforceable rules, it is now a prosecutable law with a max fine of €15000 or 3 years imprisonment, and these were put there
for good reason.


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## michaelm (25 Jan 2010)

I'm not advocating that everyone should tamper with their gas boiler; no more than anyone who knows nothing about cars should replace brake pads or knows nothing about electricity should connect a cooker.  Replacing my no-setup pcb, on my old-style boiler, with a exact replacement was straight forward.  I appreciate you have genuine concerns; my brother who is also a RGI had no such concerns in my case.





DGOBS said:


> As for unenforceable rules, it is now a prosecutable law with a max fine of €15000 or 3 years imprisonment, and these were put there for good reason.


Indeed, and a fine of €25000 for an utterance of, for the love of God, blasphemy.


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