rain water coming into Ideal Combi boiler through flue and causing main circuit board to blow.

[Jonas L]

The main circuit board has gone 3 times in the last 3 months after heavy rain. I have a maintenance contract with British Gas but they will not keep replacing the board FOC. How can I stop his happening? The boiler is 7 years old and I have not had this problem until recently so what will have changed?

 

[Last Plumber]

The main circuit board has gone 3 times in the last 3 months after heavy rain. I have a maintenance contract with British Gas but they will not keep replacing the board FOC. How can I stop his happening? The boiler is 7 years old and I have not had this problem until recently so what will have changed?

Maybe the flue is too steep if it's a condensing boiler.
If it is a standard efficiency boiler it should be running slightly downhill toward outside.

Air intake on condensing boilers usually has a 'stop' to prevent water ingress into the air supply section or the air intake is at the base of the terminal.

Can you send a photo?
Has BG Engineer not made a suggestion?

 

[Jonas L]

Maybe the flue is too steep if it's a condensing boiler.
If it is a standard efficiency boiler it should be running slightly downhill toward outside.

Air intake on condensing boilers usually has a 'stop' to prevent water ingress into the air supply section or the air intake is at the base of the terminal.

Can you send a photo?
Has BG Engineer not made a suggestion?

BG engineer suggested fixing some sort of shield to the wall on 3 sides of the pipe to hopefully deflect the rain. It is an Ideal combi 30. Sorry can't seem to attach picture of flue outlet. It is high up on side wall of house.

 

[Last Plumber]

BG engineer suggested fixing some sort of shield to the wall on 3 sides of the pipe to hopefully deflect the rain. It is an Ideal combi 30. Sorry can't seem to attach picture of flue outlet. It is high up on side wall of house.

Has the flue been inspected for corrosion?
Maybe water has started to enter from the pipe itself as opposed to the terminal.

 

[Aquarius]

Maybe post a photo if possible of flue connection inside house?

 

[Timmy D]

Im with Last Plumber... 3 times in 3 months and not once in the previous 7 years...doesn’t sound like an environment/weather/flue install issue.

I’d be dismantling the flue to check for a dodgy seal allowing condense from the flue in to the air intake.

Without eyes on, the following is a gut feeling... but installing a shield doesn’t sound particularly correct. You’d have to conform to minimum distances which would likely make the shield ineffective.

 

[Jonas L]

Im with Last Plumber... 3 times in 3 months and not once in the previous 7 years...doesn’t sound like an environment/weather/flue install issue.

I’d be dismantling the flue to check for a dodgy seal allowing condense from the flue in to the air intake.

Without eyes on, the following is a gut feeling... but installing a shield doesn’t sound particularly correct. You’d have to conform to minimum distances which would likely make the shield ineffective.

Yes. I will try to get that done. Thanks for your help. The problem with a BG contract is that the engineer will fix the immediate problem without sorting out the cause.

 

[Stu-B]

Is the gutter split? I’ve seen water run down the brick wall and into the boiler, also see rose bushes growing round the flue causing water to run inside.
if it was a split flue, I mean split enough for a lot of water/condensate to pass from inner to outer, then the burn would be bad, recirculating flue gasses which the BG guy would pick up on straight away.... seeing as that’s the only thing they can use is a FGA lol

 

[Timmy D]

Is the gutter split? I’ve seen water run down the brick wall and into the boiler, also see rose bushes growing round the flue causing water to run inside.
if it was a split flue, I mean split enough for a lot of water/condensate to pass from inner to outer, then the burn would be bad, recirculating flue gasses which the BG guy would pick up on straight away.*** seeing as that’s the only thing they can use is a FGA lol

You like to think it would get picked up...

 

[Jonas L]

Is the gutter split? I’ve seen water run down the brick wall and into the boiler, also see rose bushes growing round the flue causing water to run inside.
if it was a split flue, I mean split enough for a lot of water/condensate to pass from inner to outer, then the burn would be bad, recirculating flue gasses which the BG guy would pick up on straight away.*** seeing as that’s the only thing they can use is a FGA lol

No. There is nothing like that. All the guttering and fascia boards were renewed just a few years ago. The problem occurs when the wind and rain blows from South or South East straight on to the flue. Luckily the rain usually tends to come from West or north here in South Wales but we have had some from the south recently causing the problem

 

[StephensR]

Did you ever get this resolved? Suffering from the same issue!

 

[Lorinda]

Has this been resolved? I've got the same boiler with the same problem