How to easily and easily repair gas boilers with your own hands?

Thermostat (TS) — a device that switches the boiler on and off automatically. This occurs depending on the air temperature in the rooms and the equipment settings.

Modern boiler houses are controlled by appropriate electronic boards, which are a kind of “brain” of the device, they have a two-pin connector for connecting the thermostat.

By default, the connector is set to jumper, therefore, a boiler room without connecting the TS will operate constantly, which significantly reduces the efficiency of the system.

Possible malfunctions of wall-mounted gas boilers

Boiler equipment fails as a result of breakdowns of the main units and elements.

Malfunctions are divided into groups:

• damage mechanical parts;
• problems with electrical nodes;
• failure of electronic components;
• violation tightness connections of pipelines and hoses;
• failure settings boiler room.

According to the rules, if you smell gas, you should tighten the inlet valve and call gas service specialists. The fact is that tightening of threaded connections should be done with special wrenches made of bronze alloys, which eliminate sparking.

Gas leak locations are identified during application soap foam on the pipe connections. Blowing bubbles indicates that the seal is broken, which means that some of the gas does not reach the burner.

Repair requires skills in use electrical tester, knowledge of technology rations, understanding the equipment diagram.

Failure of mechanical elements is eliminated either by their complete replacement or by repairing the faults, if possible. In many cases, the owner can carry out the work on one's own.

Cleaning pipelines is not a complicated procedure, so calling a specialist is not necessary, but it is worth considering that careless actions can damage the structure.

If the malfunction occurred as a result of reset board parameters, responsible for controlling the boiler operation, should be restored. Constant failures may indicate a malfunction of the electronic boards.

Diagnostics

Competent repair work requires following a certain sequence of actions:

1. Identification malfunctions. There are obvious and hidden faults. With a boiler that has stopped functioning, everything is clear, but there may be defects that are difficult to notice immediately or do not greatly affect the operation of the boiler room.
2. Diagnostics: search for the reasons that led to the breakdown. This could be clogged filters, damaged wires, failure of individual units.
3. Elimination of causes. First, you should determine whether you can repair the boiler yourself. In some cases, you can save a lot by performing simple manipulations, but sometimes there is a risk of worsening the situation if you perform the wrong actions.

Unstable operation of the burner, which often goes out. To maintain the combustion process, the presence of oxygen is necessary, its deficiency (when the boiler is running) is easy to detect if, for example, you open the windows in the boiler room. Stabilization of combustion indicates the need improve ventilation in the workroom.

It may be necessary to install air inlets or a door with a vent.

Insufficient gas flow in the main line, determined by disconnecting the hose from the boiler. When the valve is open, you should hear hiss and feel smell of additives gas mixture.

The pressure may drop as a result of the filter being clogged, to clean it you should remove the filter inside grid, and flush. If the blockage occurred in the gas meter, you will have to call the gas service workers.

Overheating of the coolant can cause emergency shutdown of equipmentThis often happens due to a faulty pump that distributes the working fluid throughout the house.

If air has entered the pump's working chamber, then it needs to be added to remove it. coolant.

Sometimes rotor — a pump element — sticks and stops rotating; the malfunction can be eliminated by disassembling the housing, the rotor is rotated manually, if possible removing debris particles in the chamber.

And you should also check expansion tank, which in modern boiler models is built into the unit itself. The pressure in it is checked with a standard automobile pressure gauge, its value should be 0.2 atm less, than the working pressure in the pipeline.

If necessary, air is pumped in using a manual or electric pump.

Materials and tools for repair

To identify and fix breakdowns in a gas boiler, you will need:

• set of wrenches;
• pipe wrench and adjustable wrench;
• screwdrivers;
• electrical tester;
• pressure gauge;

  

  Photo 1. Pressure gauge with membrane box for low pressure ranges model 611.10, manufacturer - "Wika".

• pump (manual or electric);
• a container with soapy water and a brush;
• fum tape or plumbing flax, sealant.

DIY repairs

The following problems with a gas boiler are possible.

Flame sensor failure

The sensor switches off the gas supply to the boiler combustion chamber when the flame goes out. It detects the flame by its special properties, for example, by direction of current flow (the fire conducts it only in one direction, like a diode), or by the magnitude of the current.

The combustion sensor of the gas boiler may not work as a result clogging of the gas pipe. Troubleshooting comes down to dismantling it and thoroughly cleaning it. If the boiler continues to turn off on its own, you will have to call a technician.

Overheat

Reasons for equipment overheating:

• absence fluid circulation;
• airing systems;
• garbage in filters.

Clogging of pipelines can be determined by hearing, during the operation of the boiler there will be sounds: clicks or light knocking.

Special tools are used for flushing. acid-based solutions.

Cleaning the heat exchanger of a gas boiler is done in the same way. Manufacturers recommend cleaning them once every two or three years.

And you should also check the serviceability of all shut-off valves, installed in the system. Replace if necessary.

To remove air from the system: open the taps and wait for the gas mixture to come out until a stream of water flows.

Boost Fan Malfunctions

Gas boiler fan malfunctions:

• The weakest point of any fan is bearingsIt is recommended to lubricate them periodically.

  To do this, you need to remove the back of the cooler, pull out the stator and apply grease to the bearing surfaces.

  Better to use heat-resistant types of lubricants, recommended by the equipment manufacturer. They can be purchased, for example, in stores selling auto parts.

• Short circuit between stator turns also leads to a malfunction. In some cases, it is possible to repair the part in a workshop, sometimes it is easier to replace it with a new one.

Chimney malfunctions

Signs of a malfunction of the boiler chimney:

• violation traction— is detected by holding a match to the inspection window of the boiler;
• advanced education soot.

There are several possible options for disruption of the draft of a gas boiler:

1. The flame is deflected towards the viewing window, this means that there is a draft. However, there is a possibility of a false response of the draft sensor, especially often this happens with old electronic elements. It is better to replace them.

2. 

   The flame does not deviate, but when disconnecting the flue from the boiler, the fire shows the presence of draft in the chimney. In this case, it is necessary to carry out cleaning the boiler.

3. There is no draft either inside the boiler or in the chimney, which means the blockage occurred in the pipeline itself.

   The cause can be eliminated independently or a specialist can be called, since improper cleaning can damage the chimney.

   Clogging can be caused by the destruction of brickwork, the presence of condensation and other factors.

There are reasons that significantly worsen the draft, even if both the boiler and the chimney are not clogged. For example, there are higher objects (these can be buildings or even trees) that prevent the boiler from functioning properly. In this case, the pipe will have to be extended.

And it can also affect the draft powerful hood, installed in an adjacent room, for example, in the kitchen.

Problems with electrical and control boards

First, you should inspect the external cables leading to the gas boiler to see if there are any damage, bends and fractures, their presence may indicate that the power supply is disrupted.

No indicator lights It is also evidence that power is not reaching the equipment boards.

Control board malfunctions cause failures in the operation of boiler equipment or its complete shutdown. For repairs, you should invite specialists, since without knowing the circuit diagram of the board, it is impossible to even diagnose it.

The cause of a gas boiler malfunction may be: individual elements (microcircuits, diodes, capacitors, resistors) or failure of the entire unit.

Moreover, replacing a specific component will not necessarily lead to restoration of functionality, since incorrect operation of the power supply will cause failure of other boiler boards.

Therefore, replacing individual elements of a gas boiler with new ones can be a waste of time.

Cleaning the valve of a single- and double-circuit gas boiler

It is best to do the cleaning once every two years, otherwise, it will be difficult to remove soot and scale deposits later.

Having shut off the gas supply valve in advance, you should begin disassembling the boiler by removing the burner:

• remove all from the gas valve wiring;

  

• pull out of combustion chamber thermocouple, connected to the gas valve by a capillary tube;
• disconnect gas supply pipe;
• unscrew 4 nuts (or bolts), which hold the stove and burner;
• pull out the entire knot out;
• clean the burner with a regular brush.

Gas boiler cleaning process:

1. After removing the top cover of the boiler, disconnecting the draft sensor and removing the chimney pipe, you can gain access to heat exchangerIt is covered with insulation and a casing, they should be removed.
2. Remove from the heat exchanger tubulators (swirls), they are cleaned with a metal brush.
3. The heat exchanger itself is cleaned using homemade shovels and scrapers of the appropriate size and shape.
4. The following are used as washing solutions: a mixture of citric acid and vinegar.
5. There are also several types of factory-made products, such as: "Antinakipin".
6. Usage homemade flushing units allows you to clean heat exchangers without disassembling or removing them. It is best to use reversible pumps for assembly, which allow you to change the direction of the flow in one direction or the other.

Useful video

Check out the video that shows the process of cleaning a gas boiler.

Correct installation is a guarantee of long-term operation

The process of installation and maintenance of gas equipment is regulated by:

• SNiP 2.04.08-87 (gas supply).
• SNiP II-35-76 (boiler installations).
• By Government Decree No. 549 of 2008 (rules for the supply of gas to citizens of the Russian Federation).

Therefore, installation, replacement and maintenance of boilers should be carried out only with the participation and control relevant authorities, since gas appliances are high-risk equipment.

There is a fine for unauthorized installation and replacement of boilers. Utility services may even turn off the gas supply.

Installation of gas equipment carried out with disregard for the basic rules will lead, at best, to its failure. ineffective work, and at worst - to breakdown boiler.

The destruction of the housing may occur if the piping of the device, the power of which is incorrectly performed above 50 kW (at low temperatures it may crack).

Installation voltage stabilizer will solve the problem of breakdowns of the electrical part of the boiler equipment. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the total power of the connected devices, starting currents, the value of which approximately 3 times higher workers (this is true for pumps that distribute the coolant throughout the house).

Preventive maintenance of boiler equipment will help ensure its uninterrupted operation during the season. It is recommended to carry it out twice a year: before the start of the heating season and after its completion.

Preventive maintenance includes: inspection of boiler units, pipelines, lubrication of bearings, checking the tightness of pipe and hose connections, cleaning the chimney.