|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fix or replace Vaillant Turbomax? Am I being ripped off?I have a 8 year old Turbomax 242 or 282. Last year hot water stopped working, initially only when heating was off then not at all. "Well regarded" plumbing company changed a gas valve, then entire PCB. Cost £750 by the end when I should have probably changed the boiler. "Serviced" boiler at the time.
Now having similar problem. Hot water works only when heating is on. Same plumbing company says problem is diverter valve, cost to fix perhaps £300. Have fired actual plumber who did the work last time and didn't recommend changing boiler then. "Sorry about that." Now say I'm clearly better off getting new Bosch boiler with 5 year warranty.
Confused as I see diverter valves are not too expensive - if that is indeed the problem.
Obviously worried I'm getting most expensive option - again. If decide to change boiler, will certainly get multiple quotes.
Very grateful for experienced guidance.
Thanks
H in London June 2007
|
|
|
Click here if you can answer this question |
|
|
|
|
|
I had the Vaillant Turbomax 242 for the last 10 years and another 10 years with the previous home owner.
This boiler, as one russian engineer described it, as stainless steel apart from the diverter valve (DV) that let it down every 2 years.
A piece of advice from this engineer is never switch on the hot water if you need the tap for 5-10 seconds as this will prolong the life of DV. 2nd, please install Magnaclean filter.
The other point is if there is no hot water and the DV is not leaking and the plastic lever is intact , look for the black micro-switch on right side of the DV when the hot water is turned on. Switch off the power supply to the boiler and with a fine philips screw driver release the silver screw and adjust the position of the switch by turning it clockwise and then tighten the screw. The boiler will come back to life. An honest and competent plumber will fix this for you in 15 seconds.
If it is not falling apart do not replace it.
Samsite August 2016 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
what i have read in these posts regarding faulty diverter valves and blocked heat exchangers has led me to believe that fitting a magnaclean and giving the whole system a good flushing (with sentinal x300) whun changing the diverter valve will drastically reduce the problems recuring. shutting the barn door after horse has bolted i know , but good advice nontheless. i fit a magna clean pro on all new boilers i fit and seeing as the waterways inside modern heat exchangers are very narrow,it is a good addition to the system.
dave August 2014 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hi if read the post with the following boiler Vaillant Turbomax VUW 242E and I would like to recommend a company who works on a lot of these boiler you can visit there site call them or fill out there contact form the site is www.amrcontractors.org
Tim November 2013 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hello Dear all happy owners of Vaillent Turbomax VUW242E and I think vuw282e also similier boiler.
Everyone is complaining about Hot water. and my self too. I have seen lots of fourms where is adviced by lots of experts and qualified boiler / corgi / gas safe engineers to replace Divertor Valve. In my opinion and personal practical experiance... First Issue is DWH = Direct Hot Water Heat Exchanger gets blocked with Rust. Your entire central heating system needs Power flushing. Wether it's Divertor valve or heat exchanger you keep replacing them... problem is not going to resolved because through central heating systems radiators RUST keeps getting in these important part and blocks the flow and components not working as they should. I hope this my message will make you thinking positivel. Regards.
pjnumberone February 2012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
diverter valve is most likely problem but they are not as cheap when inside the boier as they are special bodies
michael May 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is a very helpful site, I just wanted to add my contribution. I have similar probs with 242. I was given a PARTs Only quot of £540 by scottish hydro electric for diverter valve + DHW heat exchanger + auto air vent + a small clip. I then searched on the internet and found the following site:
https://www.bhl.co.uk
I have managed to get the same part for less than half the price delivered free to my door step.
This site https://www.bhl.co.uk is well worth a visit if you are looking for parts.
Sohail January 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
hi
my boiler is turbomax plus 824e.central heating comes on its own even though the central heating knob is in off position.can any one advise me what to do
sajeed August 2009 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
join british gas or southern gas boiler insurance 12.50 a month every part in your boiler is covered i have the same boiler i think every part has gone in mine. two pcb boards and i didnt pay for a part.............
davyweth June 2009 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I would suggest that reconditioning, and, or replacing the diverter valve on the Turbomax 242 is only attempted either by a trained gas service engineer, or a very competant electro-mechanical engineer. The Vaillant B12 refurbishment kit for this valve does contain all necessary parts and seals, etc. but this is a trcky job, even for experienced fitters. Care must be taken when draining down, not to soak the electrics! If you have a service manual for this model, it will give helpfull advice on how to drain down, and remove the pump, etc. Remember to shut off the power supply, before putting your hands inside; also it is essential to carefully clean and lubricate all relevant moving parts, and seals. Do not interupt the Gas supply or remove any gas parts, as this is illegal for any non-registered person, and not necessary for this job!
Plumb Advice June 2009 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Can someone please help! My boiler started leaking and the plumber recommended I get a new one. He gave the game away by showing me where the leak was. It was basically a leak in the pipe that goes into the main heat exchanger (part 06 4951) and then connects to the pump. I just need to know what the part number is for the pipe that feeds water into the exchanger. I also wanted to know whether the leak is to do with some other underlying problem or is it a common thing with this boiler? Please help I'm without heating :-(
Al London January 2009 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
as ex vaillant engineer,im sad to hear there are so many muppets out there still.i work on many different boiler,and still think vaillant are the best boilers on the market.the turbomax (242)issue is a well known fault.fault being no hot water/only get hot water with heating.divertor valve everytime.dont waste your time changing diaphragm.as it make whole body weak.change the whole valve,can be nasty to change but often go well.valves dont come with all washers but you can get washer packs.recommend alpha washer packs.cost £80 max (valve).+labour. hour/two depending how well it gos.there are decent engineers out there,but if they fail you ring group services (vailant)as they are now called.hope this helps.
james turley. September 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My Turbomax is over 10 years old and the only problems I've had have been related to the diverter valve. I agree with Pete above; with patience and care you can fix these problems yourself.
I've had the whole valve off a number of times, have replaced two diaphragms and one microswitch lever. This time, the plastic lower-half of the valve has a hair-line crack so my job at the weekend is to replace that (I notice that the replacement part 01-1289 is all metal).
Anthony
(Who needs his Tubomax for the grim northern winters.)
A.H. September 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We had a similar problem with our boiler last year. the hot water would not work, till the heating was switched on, but soon even that stopped working. i called out valliant who charge around £210.00 parts and labour, with the exclusion of two main parts. in this case the diverter vlalve had gone. 10 months later we started experiencing the same problem, as the part was under gurantee i again called valliant. i had to intially pay £210.00, but as it was the dirverter valve again and it was still under gurantee, my money was refunded.
uh May 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
do british gas offer a fixed priced repair in the capital as they do elsewhere ?
combiking March 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks for the additional response. Everything is sorted. I wanted to tell you what happened with our 8-year old Vaillant VUW 282.
Leakbusters ( www.leakbusters.net ) came out, had a look and told us it was not worth repairing the problem - would cost £300 at least, is what my wife remembers them saying (I was not home at the time of the visit). A few days later they gave us a very professional-looking written quote, as follows:
New Bosch 28kw boiler - £749
Powerflush - £300 reduced from £600
Materials - £120
Magna Clean - £80
Wireless themostat - £90
Labour - £600
All plus VAT, of course.
This was after we spent £800 with them last year to change a valve and then the PCB of the Vailliant.
Thanks to the recommendations on this board, I called Vaillant directly. They have a service which will fix any problem on your 15 - year or younger Vaillant boiler (save one or two huge parts), including parts, labour, etc, for £210. For a total of £300 you can get your boiler fixed, plus get an additional year of insurance.
We went for the £300 option. The Vaillaint service guy came out, spent 30 minutes on site, and supplied a part that he says costs about £30. One week later, everything continues to work perfectly. We paid £200 for this - which is a lot more than we should have paid, but we're very happy with the outcome thanks to the quote from Leakbusters.
The lesson - be sure to check with the manufacturer and see what they can do!
Now, what shall we do with that £2000 we didn't spend on a new boiler?
hz in London July 2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hello there - this is a common problem on this model. i am ssuming it is a VUW 242 which has a black fascia with green knobs. Problem is the diverter valve (also called 'water section'). You need part number 01-1289 which replaces the original part (01-1269 i think). They cost about 90 quid plus vat, or about 50 quid on ebay. you will also need some 'o' rings for the pump and maybe the o rings for the heat exchanger and the short pipe that links the valve to the cold water inlet. not a massive job, can be done in an hour by a specialist. what makes this job 'a beast of a job' is not having new o rings to hand - they don't come with the valve and you *will* need them else water will pee out from every orrifice when you put it back together.
don't bother trying to change the diaphragm in the diverter valve - on this model it is the plastic pin/flucrum in the top half of the valve that fails. the diaphragm is likely to fine. the installation instructions tell you how to change the valve over.
drain the boiler, pump out, bracket off, release valve, clean unions up and put it back together. take it steady, make notes of what came from where and you will be fine.
Oh - you must not work on a gas appliance unless you are competent. Don't try this unless you are - just covering my @rse
good luck
Pete Ryecroft June 2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks a lot for your helpful and detailed response. I will try option 1 and option 2 in that order. I enjoyed in option 3 the use of the word "Simply," followed by two and a half lines of instructions. In my case that makes for a bit of a contradiction.
In the meantime, when the quote for the replacement comes in, I will post it for your amusement.
Re the 4th option - with the savings I might make by not buying a new boiler, perhaps I can just buy a 2nd home in the North?
H in London June 2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sadly,the capital yet again seems to attract our friends the rogue traders.
You still have a couple of options, though.
In your situation i would contact the manufacturer, and check with them. They operate a fixed fee repair service which i recently was told is around £205. including parts and labour. I am based in the north of england and i sent my customer to vaillant's service department because the parts that i priced through local suppliers were more than the fixed fee so it was less costly to let them do it.
Your other option is to have someone recommend you to a service engineer (not a general plumber). Ask them for a fixed price for a new valve. If they are reputable they will give you an estimated price.
There is a third option and it depends on the valve that is fitted to your boiler. The vey early v.u.w. turbomax had a valve fitted to the rear of the heating pump on the right hand side of the boiler (with the panel folded down). This one is a beast to fit and can cause problems even if you do them regularly....
The later model had a diverter valve fitted to the left of centre behind the control panel and has only 3 connections. Much easier and less problematic. Simply isolate the boiler flow and return valves, release the pressure from the boiler, undo the two compression nuts and the spring clip and remove the electrical plug from the valve and remove the valve from the push-on connector(obviously turn the power off first). Clean off the fittings and re-assemble in reverse order using the washers and "o" ring provided. Here's hoping you have the second type.
If all else fails sell up and move north. We don't make you wear clogs and the wippets are optional.. Hope this helps in some way.
P.s. New boiler not really a good option unless you absolutely have to . It could set you back a couple of thousand.
T.h.s June 2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Add your answer using the form below ...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|