Potential boiler issue

JP0704 · Apr 24, 2024

Calling all electrical professionals / boiler tradesmen -WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Every so often (twice in the last two days) when running the hot water in the kitchen it trips our electrics (downstairs lights, sockets, cooker and boiler) and cannot be reset for a good 20-30 mins. This only happens randomly and when running the hot water. We have unplugged all appliances except cooker and it still happened. We have had an electrician out who said all is good (EICR done in July 2023 and all good) and had plumber out to service boiler and also run through cycles of high fire and low fire with no issues (this was completed during the daytime,
Not evening).
We have had the water pressure sensor changed but no change to trips.
When having a shower in the evening it has not tripped the electrics, it only seems to be when using the kitchen hot water.
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Jon

littlespark · Apr 24, 2024

There will be certain things like valves and pumps that only switch in when the boiler is running…. A general insulation resistance test with power off may not find these problems.

Is the upstairs and downstairs on separate hot water pipes… maybe one is through a motorised valve?
The valves can be manually held open with power off for IR testing.

If it’s only happening sometimes and not always… it could be difficult to find a fault.

JP0704 · Apr 24, 2024

Sorry for the not helpful reply but I am not sure how I would find out if downstairs is on different pipes to upstairs.
Would changing of the boiler / electrical board solve the issue or is it likely to be an individual motorised valve?

What/who would you recommend I ask to try solve the riddle?
It sounds like an expensive fault to find…

James · Apr 24, 2024

I would be looking carefully for any water leaks near the kitchen sink.

JP0704 · Apr 24, 2024

James said:
I would be looking carefully for any water leaks near the kitchen sink.

Hi James.
Thanks for your reply. We recently had the condensate pipe from the boiler replaced as it was leaking into the cupboard below the sink. There is a socket under there which connects the dishwasher but doesn’t explain why the trips are so random?

Avo Mk8 · Apr 24, 2024

JP0704 said:
Hi James.
Thanks for your reply. We recently had the condensate pipe from the boiler replaced as it was leaking into the cupboard below the sink. There is a socket under there which connects the dishwasher but doesn’t explain why the trips are so random?

Is there any evidence of a leak from the kitchen waste pipe under the sink, eg joints, trap or appliance waste connections, or a leak from around the sink etc? Can you turn off power to the socket under the sink at the consumer unit, and if so does that make any difference (eg if you leave it off 'permanently'?)

JP0704 · Apr 24, 2024

Avo Mk8 said:
Is there any evidence of a leak from the kitchen waste pipe under the sink, eg joints, trap or appliance waste connections, or a leak from around the sink etc? Can you turn off power to the socket under the sink at the consumer unit, and if so does that make any difference (eg if you leave it off 'permanently'?)

Hi. Thanks for the reply. No evidence in terms of water dripping / wet to the touch or signs of a leak on any other pipes.
I don’t believe that can be isolated separately but can check.
The plumber we had round for a separate issue said could be the PCB board?

davesparks · Apr 24, 2024

So the fault only occurs when the kitchen hot tap is used, the fault doesn't occur when other hot taps are used, the fault clears itself after 20/30 minutes?

It could be that the hot pipe to the kitchen tap is very close to a damaged cable or other part of the electrical installation and when it gets hot the expansion puts pressure on it causing the tripping.

davesparks · Apr 24, 2024

JP0704 said:
The plumber we had round for a separate issue said could be the PCB board?

If it was a problem with the boiler you would expect it to happen with all hot water taps, not just the kitchen.

If the fault only occurs when the kitchen tap is used then the cause is most likely to be something which is unique to the kitchen tap.
The boiler and it's associated systems are going to be common to all of the hot water outlets.

JP0704 · Apr 25, 2024

davesparks said:
If it was a problem with the boiler you would expect it to happen with all hot water taps, not just the kitchen.

If the fault only occurs when the kitchen tap is used then the cause is most likely to be something which is unique to the kitchen tap.
The boiler and it's associated systems are going to be common to all of the hot water outlets.

Thanks Dave.
Yes it has only been related to the kitchen tap thus far and only has ever tripped in the evening time when washing up dinner plates. Has not happened during the day when using the kitchen tap (as mentioned above the boiler has been checked twice running through various cycles- high / low fire etc and didn’t trip)
So question is should we seek to find an electrician or a plumber to look at it?

JP0704 · Apr 25, 2024

JP0704 said:
Thanks Dave.
Yes it has only been related to the kitchen tap thus far and only has ever tripped in the evening time when washing up dinner plates. Has not happened during the day when using the kitchen tap (as mentioned above the boiler has been checked twice running through various cycles- high / low fire etc and didn’t trip)
So question is should we seek to find an electrician or a plumber to look at it?

Forgot to add here that the heating is on during the time this has happened

timhoward · Apr 25, 2024

I think it would help if you posted a picture of your consumer unit and indicate which device on it trips.
We might then be able to suggest some diagnostic steps to narrow the problem down, and the steps vary depending on the consumer unit design.
And this is very much one for an electrician not a plumber at this point.

JP0704 · Apr 25, 2024

timhoward said:
I think it would help if you posted a picture of your consumer unit and indicate which device on it trips.
We might then be able to suggest some diagnostic steps to narrow the problem down, and the steps vary depending on the consumer unit design.
And this is very much one for an electrician not a plumber at this point.

Hi Tim
Many thanks for your reply.
See attached. It is only ever that one that trips and it covers downstairs lights, sockets, cooker and boiler.

davesparks · Apr 25, 2024

JP0704 said:
So question is should we seek to find an electrician or a plumber to look at it?

For an electrical fault you would be better off calling an electrician.

timhoward · Apr 25, 2024

JP0704 said:
Hi Tim
Many thanks for your reply.
See attached. It is only ever that one that trips and it covers downstairs lights, sockets, cooker and boiler.

Ok, you need a decent electrician. One that understands what his tests are doing.

It's possible for them to take a measurement, run the tap, take another measurement, and determine which circuit is affecting the measurement. Then by further testing that circuit they can home in on the problem.
If it takes 15-20 minutes to reset each time, it's not going to be too bad to find, as it's a reproducible fault.

Potential boiler issue

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James

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