Gloworm Ultracom 2 SXi strange noise

[Gromit]

Hello - I've had a new Gloworm Ultracom 2 SXi, Megaflo and Siemens controller fitted. All seems well with heat and water.

But when I turn the Siemens controller to no longer demand heat or central heating, although the boiler sound reduces and steam stops coming out of the flue, the boiler still makes a humming sound. Not a particularly loud noise - just a background hum but enough to clearly hear. The hum is always there, even hours after the controller is no longer asking for hot water or central heating. If however I switch the controller's fuse spur off, the noise stops.

I assumed that it was pump overrun. The engineer says no and that some boilers always have a sound and that his Vaillant Combi does the same and that it is nothing to worry about.

Is it normal to always have a hum from the boiler?

 

[dougal]

how long humming noise lasts ?

 

[Gromit]

The noise is constant. There is always a humming noise. Is this normal?

 

[winheat]

Dont sound right to me. Does sound like the pump overun constantly running. Can you feel the pump running?

 

[Gromit]

not sure what pump runnning feels like. There is a constant humming noise - I can't hear water flowing which is what I guess I'd hear if a pump was running. Should a boiler be silent when not running - I mean on but not making heat for water and central heating? As you can see I know nothing about boilers but I would have thought that a new boiler should be silent.

 

[winheat]

Well yeah it should really if there is no demand for hot water or central heating. They have a pump over-run which stays on for a set short period after heating or hot water been on but normally turns itself off after a preset period. Not advising you to do this but if front cover removed , pump will be visible and it can be felt vibrating if it is on. The preset for the pumps can be altered and info in the manufacturers instructions but id recommend you get a heating engineer to check if poss. Hope this helps.

 

[Gromit]

Thanks - very helpful. It's Sunday so I can't get hold of the guys who installed it so I'll take a peek. Could incorrect installation/set up cause this. I was thinking wiring.

 

[Gromit]

It turns out that there is a code S.02 which indicates that the pre run pump is running. So yes it seems that the pump is constantly running. What in the set up could have caused this? Wiring perhaps?

 

[gasmarc]

i would be inclined to steer clear and let the installers deal with it

 

[Gromit]

Yes of course - no way would I touch anything. I just want to have an idea as to what has caused this because what is worrying is that the installers claimed that it was normal to have noise all the time - so I wanted to get an idea as to what may be causing this.

 

[gasmarc]

the boiler should not be making noise the whole time, A certain amount of noise is expected when there is a demand for heating or hot water defo no more noise than a kettle boiling there maybe air in the system which your installer should deal with ,good luck

 

[Gromit]

Thank you Marc. I reckon they've wired it up wrong.

 

[gasmarc]

they have wired it to a permanent live perhaps and it should be wired to a switched live so that the boiler controls the pump overrun etc, This does not explain the lockout problem ,try bleeding everything first and if that fails try turning speed on pump up

 

[Gromit]

Thank you Marc. The first thing I thought of was wiring. I'll give them a few pointers and see what they come up with. I'm now realising that just because an engineer is Gas Safe it doesn't mean that he has experience across the board. Can't believe the installer told me to talk to the manufacturer's helpline to get it sorted. I'll give them a chance to put it right and if no joy I'll get Gloworm down and deduct the cost from the bill. Plus I'm going to ask to see Mr Installer's Gas Safe card.