Can anyone recommend a plumber/heating engineer who could come a relight the pilot on my gas boiler. My usual man has returned to UK for Christmas. If they spoke some English it would be helpful as my French is very basic. I am in 34 near to Magalas.
Thanks all.
Are you sure gas is getting to the water heater? Follow the gas pipe away from the heater. there should be a valve normally white with a red arrow, turn this 1/4 turn left or right ( only go one way) then back so arrow is pointing in line with the pipe.
Then press the ignition button, you will have to purge pipe through but should light after 30 - 40 seconds.
Hope this helps.
That's really kind of you - but I'm fairly certain I know where all the buttons are. I have the manual and no other buttons are mentioned. As a matter of interest it is a Dietrigaz S 200 (De Dietrich).
I really appreciate your suggestion.
Just keep it depressed - I'm pretty sure it's electronic ...
A friend has a boiler with the reset button hidden away - could be that. If you have the make and model number I have a plumber back in the uk who could look it up for you :)
I'm assuming by your description that you have electronic & not piezo ignition. Do you have to "pump" the ignition button or just keep it depressed?
It hasn't been alight (the boiler) since April and the power was off to the boiler for about 8 weeks due to an error (someone disconnected it by mistake) so don't know if that could be it. Will try hairdryer - let you know if it works.
Have you got a hair dryer? We had this sort of problem caused we believe by the piezo crystal getting damp after being left for several months. Instead of sparking to the electrode it was running to earth. Apply the hair dryer to the hole through which you would see the pilot and give it a blast of hot air for a few minutes then try again. Alternatively you could try lighting the pilot directly with a wooden splint or wax taper while pressing button A continuously
If you can hear clicking it's almost certain you have a spark. Sorry I can't help anymore. If I was there I'm sure I could sort it or diagnose the problem in minutes. Just a thought, is the gas turned on? Why did the pilot go out? I'm assuming it's a balanced flue type of thing & it's rare for this type of pilot to blow out.
Tried that still nothing - hear clicking as though its trying to spark but can't see anything. Think I must need an engineer perhaps something has broken inside the boiler?
Thanks your all your help though
Try turning & holding down the button which turns off the pilot. It should be simple to relight the thing. We are missing something here. Can you see a spark when you push the ignite button? The sequence is to manually hold in the gas valve button to let gas pass to the pilot for ignition. Once the pilot flame is established & recognised as so by the thermocouple the main gas valve will be allowed to open under the dictates of the boiler thermostat. Nothing can happen until the pilot has been established & proved.
Yes, but according to my instructions the other one is to turn off the pilot light.
There is a third that you push to the left which is meant to ignite the boiler - have tried that but also nothing. Have tried pushing that whilst pressing the other button but it doesn't allow you to push down the other button.
You normally should have one button to hold in & another to push/ or click on/off to create the spark to light the pilot. Continue holding in button until pilot probe is hot, normally about 20 secs. Have you two buttons?
My instructions simply say:
Appuyer a fond sur le bouton A
Lorsque la veilleuse s'allume maintenir le bouton enfonce 10 a 15 secondes
The trouble is la veilleuse does not light. There is no mention of opening anything else.
Are you holding in the button on the gas valve whilst trying to light the pilot? It won't light unless you do.
Thanks for your response. Yes, I have the manual and have read and followed the instruction for lighting the pilot. However,when pressed the button which is meant tolight the pilot I can hear it clicking but the flame does not light so I think it maybe something more ...which is why I'm looking for someone who knows about these things. My usual man sorted this out last year
but unfortunately he is in the UK at present.
Patricia. Have you got the boiler instructions? It is not normally a job for an "engineer" & should be something easily done by yourself. The boiler should be protected by a gizmo called a thermocouple which is a probe in the pilot flame. When this probe is hot it sends a small electric current to the main gas valve to hold open the gas valve allowing gas to pass. You will have to manually hold this valve open by pushing a button on the gas valve whilst lighting the pilot by whatever means the manual says. Once the pilot is alight you must continue holding the button until the probe is hot. When hot release the button & if the pilot stays alight all should be well. If you are not sure about any of the above please find somebody who is & READ THE MANUAL first.