This is just a few Vaillant ecotec repair jobs I have done this week in Rotherham, Sheffield and Barnsley. These repair jobs include broken Vaillant boilers with the F.32 fault code, F.28 fault code, F.62 fault code and the F.75 fault code.
I am an independent Gas Safe registered Vaillant ecotec service and repair specialist. If you have a broken Vaillant boiler, live in Sheffield, Rotherham or Barnsley and are looking for a Vaillant engineer near you, I may be able to help.
All the Vaillant boilers I repaired this week were up and running with just one visit, as I carry most of the parts to repair these common faults.
Vaillant ecotec Plus 837 F.32 fan failure fault.
This was a boiler I repaired in Hillsborough, Sheffield, S6. It was a rare F.32 fault on a first generation Vaillant ecotec Plus 837 Combi boiler. The F.32 fault typically means there is a fault with the fan.
If you look up the fault code in the manual it states – Fan blocked ▶ plug not inserted correctly on fan, hall sensor defective, fault in cable harness, electronics defective
On the first generation of Vaillant ecotec models manufactured from 2005 – 2012, fan failure is not such a common problem.
On the later Vaillant ecotec models from 2012 onwards, the F.32 fan failure fault is not uncommon and is the fan a lot of the time, but sometimes it could be the printed circuit board instead.
On the early models I have also come across the F.32 fault code when it has been the printed circuit board itself.
Given that the fan and printed circuit board retail for around £200 each I would recommend getting a professional who knows Vaillant boilers to deal with this problem.
I have dealt with many F.32 fault codes on early ecotec models where the fans have failed due to getting wet. This is usually what causes them to fail but occasionally they just give up like the one I repaired earlier this week.
This boiler had been neglected for some time and needed a full service which included replacement of the G10 burner door seal.
Vaillant ecotec Plus 831 F.28 fault repair
I was called to have a look at a Vaillant boiler in Sheffield S11, which would fire up for a few seconds, several times and then go to ignition lockout which is represented as the F.28 fault code.
Now the F.28 fault code is actually quite generic in terms of possible causes of the problem.
This fault is often cause by something simple as no gas going to the appliance.
I have seen this fault caused by no gas, faulty gas valves, faulty printed circuit board’s, failed G10 burner door seals and even the ignition cable which connects between the printed circuit board and spark electrode.
On pre 2012 Vaillant ecotec models which this one was, gas valve failure is extremely rare in my experience. Printed circuit board failure is very common but doesn’t usually cause the F.28 fault when it does fail.
On this particular occasion it was the ignition cable which had failed. It was working well enough to provide high voltage to light the burner, but not enough to allow low voltage current to flow as part of the flame rectification/ flame detection system.
This fault can be easily misdiagnosed by an engineer as a faulty gas valve or printed circuit board. Both of these parts retail for around £200 each, so one could replace the gas valve then printed circuit board and spend £400 on non refundable parts and still have a boiler that doesn’t work.
The ignition cable can be easily tested with a multimeter. It should measure 1 kohm(1000 ohms), from one end to the other.
This was a part I had as stock so I was able to get this boiler up and running with one visit. The customer opted to have a full boiler service and G10 burner door seal replacement amongst a few other needed service parts.
Vaillant ecotec plus 831 F.61 fuel error valve control repair Barnsley
This repair was in Elsecar, Barnsley. This was a second generation, post 2012 Vaillant ecotec Plus 831 combi boiler which would almost immediately go the the F.61 fault code. The display also read “fuel error valve control”.
Now once again this fault could easily be misdiagnosed by someone not familiar with Vaillant boilers.
The installation manual reads the following for the F.61 fault code – The gas valve assembly cannot be actuated ▶ Check: Cable harness, plug, gas valve assembly (rinse), PCB.
I’m not sure how you rinse the Gas Valve to be honest, but I do know a lot of the time this fault is caused by a faulty printed circuit board.
In this instance this fault was caused by a faulty printed circuit board. I have seen this faulty misdiagnosed many times before, so I recommend getting someone who is familiar with Vaillant boilers and this problem. Otherwise it can end up costing you a lot more replacing parts that you may not need.
Vaillant ecotec Plus 618 F.75 Fault: pump/water shortage repair Rotherham
This was a common Vaillant F.75 repair on a Vaillant ecotec Plus 618 system boiler in Rotherham.
This particular fault is very common on Vaillant ecotec Combi and System boilers. These boilers rely on a little sensor which determines if the pump is working before the boiler fires up.
If you have a problem with the sensor and/or the pump, the boiler will shut down and display the F.75 fault: pump/water shortage. The older models just display the the F.75 fault with no additional message.
This fault is not typically caused by a lack of pressure, so adding more pressure will not typically solve this problem, and could make it worse if your system pressure was ok before you added more pressure.
The pressure sensors are prone to failure and can get blocked quite easily. A faulty sensor was the cause of the problem in this instance as the pump was ok.
Early Vaillant ecotec models used a pump which was manufactured by a company called WILO. These pumps were of a poor design and very prone to failure, and as such the F.75 was a very common problem caused by pump failure.
So if you get this fault on your boiler it could be the pump or the sensor or both. The older the boiler the more likely it could be that the pump is failing, having said that the later Grundfos pumps are very reliable and have a life expectancy of 10 – 15 years.
I have also seen the F.75 fault caused by printed circuit board failure but this is not so common.
Areas where I can repair your Vaillant ecotec plus combi boiler
I cover a large part of South Yorkshire including most of Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley. I also cover a small part of Doncaster.
Sheffield:
I cover most of Sheffield including central Sheffield, Chapeltown, Ecclesfield, Grenoside, High Green, Oughtibridge, Thurgoland, Wortley, Aston, Aughton, Swallownest, Todwick, Hillsborough and Stannington.
Rotherham:
I cover the whole area of Rotherham including central Rotherham, Brinsworth, Catcliffe, Canklow, Masbrough, Treeton, Whiston, Greasbrough, Kimberworth, Thorpe Hesley, Rawmarsh, Wentworth, Bolton-on-Dearne, Goldthorpe, Thurnscoe, Wath-on-Dearne, Mexborough, Swinton, Kilnhurst, Hooton Roberts, Ravenfield, Thrybergh, Bramley, Hellaby, Maltby, Thurcroft, Wickersley and Braithwell.
Barnsley:
I cover most of Barnsley including central Barnsley, Birdwell, Stairfoot, Worsborough, Kendray, Ardsley, Athersley, Monk Bretton, Lundwood, Royston, Brierley, Cudworth, Cortonwood, Great Houghton, Shafton, South Hiendley, Brampton, Darfield, Wombwell, Hemingfield, Elsecar, Hoyland, Jump, Barugh Green, Cawthorne, Darton, Dodworth, Gawber, Mapplewell, Pogmoor, Staincross, Wilthorpe, Worsbrough, Thurnscoe and Tankersley.
Doncaster:
I cover a small part of Doncaster including central Adwick, Conisborough, Edlington, Warmsworth and Mexborough.