It’s good when heating equipment provides uninterrupted heating throughout the winter. You don’t have to interfere with your work, all you have to do is enjoy the warmth and comfort. But it happens that during the coldest period the heating stops. Why does the gas boiler turn off? The reason may be a malfunction of one of the nodes, causing the automation to block its operation. You have two options: call a specialist or help yourself. Since the wait for a specialist may be lengthy, use our recommendations.
Why does the heating boiler constantly turn off?
Similar problems occur both in new, newly installed units, and in those that have served for several years. The reason is external and internal factors. Users often complain that the boiler turns off and does not turn on after a long period of inactivity. For example, at the dacha you start the device only upon arrival, which can cause the system to freeze.
The main causes of the problem lie in:
- Incorrect power selection.
- Heating or hot water supply system (DHW).
- Smoke removal unit.
- Gas main.
- Electrical part.
- Incorrect adjustment.
Both wall-mounted and floor-standing boilers are susceptible to problems. What to do to eliminate them? Find the cause and try to eliminate it.
Malfunctions of electrical and gas equipment
Electric gas models need to be checked for voltage; to do this, just turn the plug over when inserting it into the socket to change the phase. In such devices, the main signs of failure are:
- There is no indicator light warning.
- No ignition when LEDs and operating display are on.
- The burner goes out after ignition.
The first step is to inspect the safety block. If the element burns out, a new fuse is installed. If this procedure does not help, you need to proceed to further study of the system:
- Cleaning the filter is carried out after completely turning off the device and closing the valves. The filter part is washed under running water and installed in place;
- If an air lock or excess fluid is detected in the pump, the main central screw is unscrewed, the air is released and the rotor of the device is turned with a screwdriver. After complete drying, the parts are installed back;
- low pressure in the system is eliminated by pumping the air mass into the area of the expansion tank located inside the structure. The pressure should be 0.2 bar lower than in the system itself.
These recommendations allow you to eliminate minor causes of breakdowns yourself without the help of professionals.
What to do if the boiler turns off
Let's look at typical problems and ways to solve them.
Unsuitable power
If the boiler switches on and off frequently, it is due to excess power. Yes, yes, excess is the same problem as lack. A powerful device in a small room quickly warms up the area. Frequent shutdowns lead to wear of components, parts and rapid breakdown.
Before purchasing equipment, consider the following factors:
- climatic conditions;
- square;
- quality of insulation;
- number of windows and doors;
- purpose of adjacent rooms.
For large areas and private houses, floor equipment “Baxi” (Baxi), “Navien”, “Lemax”, “Danko” are suitable. Wall-mounted units will fit into a small apartment space. These are models “Bosch”, “Ariston”, “Visman”, Beretta, Vaillant.
But what to do if the boiler has already been purchased and installed? Don't go to the store for new equipment. Adequate solutions are needed:
- Installation of four-way valves in a hydraulic system.
- Modulation of the burner flame to minimum mode.
- Inclusion in the boiler circuit. This way the equipment will work not only for heating, but also to provide you with hot water.
Low pressure in the gas line
The problem is caused by problems with the common line or frequent interruptions in the fuel supply.
- Gas meter is clogged or broken. You may hear noise or other sounds. A working meter should change readings. If this does not happen, contact a specialist. You are not allowed to fix the problem yourself.
- The protective sensors have activated. Modern equipment is equipped with gas control and temperature sensors. If a fuel leak is detected in the system, the operation of the boiler is blocked on its own. Apply a soap solution to the connections to locate the leak. If bubbles appear, turn off the gas supply and open the windows for ventilation. Call the gas service immediately.
- Gas filter clogged. Clean.
Before the heating season, services check the condition of the mains. They also calculate the gas supply. If your home is constantly experiencing power outages, notify your gas utility.
Chimney problems
Problems with the presence of draft occur during the operation of turbocharged and atmospheric boilers. In the first and second cases, freezing of the outer part of the chimney is typical. Along with the removal of combustion products, hot steam also comes out. It settles into condensation, which freezes outside. This blocks the flow of air, so the device turns on and turns off immediately.
Way out: remove ice and insulate the chimney pipe. Then the drops will drain and not freeze.
To check for draft, light a match and bring it to the control window. If the flame deviates to the side - there is draft, if it burns evenly - no.
Facts about blocked chimneys:
- The mine can become clogged with construction waste. These are pieces of pipe that break off under the influence of condensation.
- Insulated sandwich pipes are susceptible to peeling of the zinc coating. It looks like a film blocking the passage.
- The mine becomes clogged with soot, soot, garbage from the street, and leaves.
- There have been cases when birds built nests on the chimney heads.
Reasons for private switching on and off of a gas boiler
A situation may happen that you have just installed a new gas heating boiler at home, just set it up and put it into operation, and then it starts turning on and off every five minutes. In fact, it should independently regulate its operation, but turning off and turning on on its own too often indicates that something is wrong here. In addition, this behavior of heating equipment negatively affects the duration of the operating period, since the working parts wear out and the boiler fails.
There are several reasons why the heating boiler often turns on. If you do not have enough experience, you should call a specialist for help, since blue fuel does not tolerate careless treatment. So, the main factors that provoke frequent switching off and on of gas heating equipment:
- The boiler was selected incorrectly. Its power is designed for large rooms, and it was installed to heat a small room.
- Errors when installing the circulation pump.
- The temperature range is set incorrectly.
- There is no thermostat in the room, the boiler operation is adjusted only according to the coolant temperature.
The problem is not complicated, but in some cases the solution is to replace the heating device.
Problems with the ignition piezo in a gas boiler
Causes of poor heating and methods for eliminating them
Let's consider what are the reasons why a gas boiler does not gain temperature.
The coolant temperature is incorrectly set
First you need to set the temperature on the unit correctly. This indicator may differ for different boiler models. Usually the maximum and minimum values are indicated in the instructions. Most boilers have a maximum temperature of 80ºC or 85ºC, but experts recommend setting it to no more than 60ºC. Since at high rates the water gets very hot, and scale begins to appear. Deposits cover the walls of the circuit, and its heat transfer deteriorates. This leads to the heat exchanger overheating, and the liquid does not have time to heat up enough. As a result, the heating system does not provide the optimal temperature. This problem can be solved by cleaning the heat exchanger from scale.
Problems with closed-type turbocharged equipment
Sometimes when installing a new chimneyless apparatus, the flame periodically goes out. In this case, you need to check the components and parts. The problem is detected by the following factors:
- ignition of the igniter is accompanied by periodic attenuation - this indicates a failure of the thermocouple, which affects the operation of the valve. It is produced in the form of a copper tube with a bimetallic piece at the end. When different metals come into contact, the voltage increases to 20-45 W. This problem keeps the gas valve open. The thermocouple must be replaced with a new one; it cannot be repaired;
- breakdown or clogging of the traction sensor - the flat part is combined with the fuel valve. When the leading contacts are closed and the burner is ignited, a fire occurs - this indicates the need to replace the sensor. Oxidized areas of contacts can be cleaned with sandpaper with fine abrasives;
- if the circulation pump malfunctions, it is necessary to carry out a complete diagnosis of the unit and replace it;
- A yellow flame is due to the fact that the jet is clogged. You can clean it if you have experience working with gas appliances.
Most of the reasons can be eliminated with your own hands, however, this will require some knowledge and a lot of time.
Repair of wall-mounted and turbocharged units
Modern products have a complex design, they are equipped with electronics and a security system. Even in such instances, you can eliminate minor problems yourself.
To detect malfunctions, you need to study the instructions for using the device. The technical documentation specifies the error codes that appear on the unit display. The heat generator does not work due to the following symptoms:
- The indicator lights do not light up, the heater does not turn on;
- Automatic ignition does not occur when the device is turned on, in which the display and network notifier are lit;
- Extinguishing occurs after the main burner starts.
In such situations, the voltage supply is immediately checked; if it is supplied to the device, it is necessary to proceed to subsequent repair points. Initially, the front panel of the device is unscrewed and the front cover is removed. The remaining manipulations are performed step by step:
- the fuse box is checked, if a faulty element is present, it is replaced with a new part;
- when the equipment starts, the work process begins;
- if the product turns on and stops working again, then you need to seek help from a technician, since this problem cannot be fixed without professional knowledge.
It is possible to eliminate other signs of device failure by describing the error code. You can deal with such breakdowns yourself:
- A clogged sump can be easily cleaned after disconnecting the generator from the electrical network and turning off the taps;
- Jamming of the rotor or the appearance of airiness affects the operation of the circulation pump. These causes are eliminated by unscrewing the large screw to bleed air and turning the rotor with a screwdriver. When completely dry, the parts are mounted in place;
- Low pressure on the pressure gauge without leaks in the system itself is eliminated by pumping air into the expansion tank;
- If the pressure is low due to a leak, the faulty area should be repaired and water added to the heating system.
Thermostat device
Another common reason for the heating boiler turning off and on frequently is the lack of a thermostat. This means that the device is regulated only by the temperature of the coolant. When the water is heated to the desired temperature, the boiler turns off. And after the water begins to cool, the boiler turns on again. But the problem is that the air in the room takes longer to cool than the coolant. With this method of controlling the device, fuel consumption increases significantly. And the air temperature in the room will be elevated, and it will be uncomfortable to be in it. Therefore, it is necessary to install a thermostat. With its help, the heating gas boiler will be automatically controlled. After installing a room thermostat, fuel consumption will decrease and heating will become more comfortable and efficient.
