Spillage detector issue

[harveyvan]

We have a regularly-serviced Potterton Prima 60C boiler, about 12 years old, which is repeatedly tripping the spillage detector. Our service fellow is due to take a look at it in a day or two, but I'd like to understand for myself where the problem might lie.

Some relevant (I think) points:

1. The separate CO detector in the house isn't picking anything up.

2. The SDT used to trip if the back door was opened in cold weather --presumably just an intermittent pressure issue -- but it's now started tripping for no obvious reason, and when no doors or windows have been opened.

3. When the button is reset the boiler runs fine and sometimes cycles off and on as it should. At other times, though, the detector trips again (presumably when the room thermostat shuts the boiler down), and there doesn't seem to be any pattern to it.

4. It's become much more frequent over the past 2 or 3 days -- yesterday it seemed to be tripping every time the boiler shut down.

5. My wife is not pleased. Not pleased at all.

6. As an annoyance, point No. 5 is streets ahead of points 1-4.

As I say, service man is booked -- but any ideas what might be the problem? Flue tubes? Faulty detector? Actual spillage that the separate CO detector isn't picking up?

Ideas welcomed.

 

[Reg Man]

These devices do exactly what it say on the tin. This sounds like a flue problem. As you mentioned; when open the door sometimes it can trip. This may not happen on all occasions and the weather (temerature. air pressure and wind direction) can play tricks with problem chimneys. I would get the flue?chimney properly surveyed to ensure it complies with the requirements on BS5440 part 1. This includes proper testing. In addition to this ensure ventilation into the room where the boiler is located complies with BS5440 part 2 and of course manufacturer instructions. One further point; is the boiler in a compartment? If so I seem to remember that this model of boiler is not suitable for compartment installations. This too can cause nusiance tripping.

 

[harveyvan]

Thanks for that; I wondered if it might have something to do with the flue.

I'll make sure everything gets checked out properly -- the fellow who's coming to look at it is a fully-up-to-regs, install-and-service type who we've used for 8 or 9 years, so I'll ask him about arranging a survey. (AFAIK the room's properly ventilated -- we had to have a large, squarish air-brick thing installed a couple of years ago -- and it's not in a compartment.)

Thanks again.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

ISEN,T THE PRIMA ROOM SEALED????????????????????why are chimneys coming into it???????????????????????

 

[pipefitter]

ISEN,T THE PRIMA ROOM SEALED????????????????????why are chimneys coming into it???????????????????????

prima 60c is open flue

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

my mistake take it the c part is for conventional flue