Boiler parts not from manufacturer

[OffshoreGas]

Is there a gas reg which says only the original manufacturer can supply replacement parts?

I’m liking for manufacturers who sell compatible or refurbished parts but not really finding any.

Does anyone overhaul failed parts themselves like replacing soft goods kits in gas valves etc?

 

[Brambles]

No, there is not. However, there is a regulation that states that you must both have and work to the Manufacturer's Instructions. Particularly with respect to flues you will often find wording that states that the only acceptable flue assemblies are those supplied by the OEM.

Always have in mind that generally the responsibility for the unit being returned to service safely is with the person(s) who fits the part not the person / company who supplied the part.

 

[OffshoreGas]

No, there is not. However, there is a regulation that states that you must both have and work to the Manufacturer's Instructions. Particularly with respect to flues you will often find wording that states that the only acceptable flue assemblies are those supplied by the OEM.

Always have in mind that generally the responsibility for the unit being returned to service safely is with the person(s) who fits the part not the person / company who supplied the part.

Thanks, that’s interesting to know, I was mainly thinking about repairing PCBs and servicing valves.

 

[Brambles]

Offshore,

Whilst looking for something else - the bit of legislation that makes it hard for non OEM’s to enter the market is The Gas Appliance (Safety) Regulations 1995. It places the onus (responsibility) on the manufacturer to ensure that the essential requirements for the appliance to operate safely under normal use are adhered to. So I guess very few companies even try to compete?

What I think is wrong is:

If I try to buy decent rat poison, I have to sign a document that I have read the COSH statement and produce a certificate that I am certified / qualified to deal with rodents (a 3 hour on line training course).

Why is that philosophy not applied (by law) to the purchase and supply of safety critical gas and flue components? I don’t at all mean to use this to generate a “closed shop” industry - but a lot of people think that if they can buy it in B and Q or on E Bay they can fit it.

Last week I came across an aged Potterton Profile 100e boiler in a house that had been extended and the boiler flue had been extended horizontally 4.9 meters through the ceiling void to the new outside wall. The MI’s state 0.9m max

I don’t want the industry to be a closed shop, but ( in Oxford) I increasingly I see dreadful installations and often in HMO’s that the Local Authority have inspected and approved ( the house not the gas installation).

Sadly it will take another incident like Ronan Point before significant changes are enacted.

 

[centralheatking]

Is there a gas reg which says only the original manufacturer can supply replacement parts?

I’m liking for manufacturers who sell compatible or refurbished parts but not really finding any.

Does anyone overhaul failed parts themselves like replacing soft goods kits in gas valves etc?

Have a look a Ignite Heat Spares I have used them very satisfied. Re Furbished parts at sensible prices dispatched off the shelf. chking

 

[snowhead]

There's nothing to stop you fitting generic parts made by others that the manufacturer chooses to use, for example silicon tube for air switches, Honeywell gas valves.
Although so even some generic parts, if adjustable, quite often come from the boiler manufacturer already preset.

What stops other manufacturers making parts is the fact the boiler manufacturer holds the design rights and detailed drawings and any other company would have to pay for the right to use them just as happens with car parts.

There's a few companies that repair Printed circuit boards, you'll probably find they also repair PCB for plenty of other products apart from boilers. They don't need to pay for that as it's a repair and they don't need drawings as they compare a good PCB to a failed one when repairing.

I've seen refurbed flue fans, but they just use standard motors that are freely available.

 

[oz-plumber]

I know a person who's company do PCB repairs for all items / appliances.
After a while,they know the main parts that fail on particular PCB's and generally replace that / those parts as well as finding any other components that are faulty.

They offer 12 months warranty on all boards sold - same as a new PCB, and are up to 50% cheaper than a new PCB.
So sometimes it's worth using reconditioned boards on boilers.

 

[Stanios]

The bigger question is are you passing on the savings to the customer or are you keeping the difference? Not worth taking the risk of using non original parts then also giving the customer all the benefit of having you to blame if it goes wrong and less to pay because they got a cheaper part

 

[centralheatking]

The bigger question is are you passing on the savings to the customer or are you keeping the difference? Not worth taking the risk of using non original parts then also giving the customer all the benefit of having you to blame if it goes wrong and less to pay because they got a cheaper part

To be honest Ignite replacement parts arrive faster then Heat Spares are a fraction of the price and if you know how to examine a winding or a fan motor they are way stronger ...who cares about the profit
Tell the truth and split the difference...we never hide our prices just tell the truth and sleep at night
Centralheatking

 

[GrahamM]

TB116 : Always use the manufacturers specified spare parts!