Help with my Boilermate 2000

Can someone please shed some light

I have a boilermate 2000 with switch and Ideal Classic FF350

Had the common pulsing hot and cold water in the shower start at the end of last winter. Read up on it and determined it was a faulty sensor. Put it on the long to do list and by the time summer came around the water started behaving. I assumed fault had cleared.

Fault returned at the beginning of winter (guess it is made worse with heating demand)

About 3 weeks ago we noticed we had misbehaving heating - timer, thermostat over ridden, heating blaring hot at random times - only thing we could do was to isolate the boilermate from mains. Assumed main PCB/ACB fault (already replaced once around 5 years ago with similar symptoms) which was confirmed on inspection as all 4 LEDs were on and no display to LCD unit so couldn't fault find. Ordered reconditioned replacement meanwhile kept switching the unit off at mains to switch heat off (we have small children so cannot have it too cold).

All function lost (heat and got water) whilst waiting for PCB - following a lightning storm (coincidence?) switch to emergency and for Heat and water.

PCB arrives and fitted and still no heat or hot water. Run diagnostic and find error on PHE T2 sensor. Order and replace GT153 and PCB is now error free. When I first powered up from PHE sensor change I made a note of all temperatures store 37, PHE 22 & DHW 39. Monitored for 10 mins and the store temp rose to 39 deg (+2), PHE to 34 (+14) and DHW to 39 (no change) felt the flow from boiler pipe and could feel hot water. We made sure the boilermate "switch" was turned off 4 hours before any of this to avoid influence. Header tank is full.

Seems to me the boilermate is either not calling the boiler for heat or it is calling and boiler is not providing. I checked the boiler and it is not firing. Temperature set high and the thermal overheat cut out switch was never activated.

Any ideas? I am really unlucky enough to have a main PCB, a PHE sensor blow AND now a fault on my boiler? The boiler also has a PCB hence me mentioning the lightning storm and next day faults. All my pipework is earthed though.

OR do you think the reconditioned PCB is faulty although no errors are shown.

help!!

Sorry lots to take in but would appreciate suggestions as no engineer around here understands this system.

Thanks
Gavin

Did you set the ACB using the jumpers.
Lightening and power surges / spikes will take out equipment.
So yes you could have problems due to that.
Reconditioned ACB. What version was your?
What have you now?
New Gledhill ones are different.
One of the chips above the very big one has gone.
So modification springs to mind.
You need to check that;
Is the BM 2000 asking the boiler to light up?
Also read through the posts on here.
Much has been covered.
Mike

Hi Mike

Wow that was fast - thanks. To answer:

Jumpers yes on 1, 3&4 as per the user instructions. The 'new' ACB had only jumpers on 1 & 4 which I checked on install and nicked a jumper from my old board. According to the seller the jumpers were different because the board was tested on a system mate.

Old ACB was chip version CB29/01i and new one is the same (same sticker on the chip etc) appears exactly the same. I went for a recon part to be as sure as possible it was compatible.

I have looked through loads of posts on this forum and found them all very helpful, but could you please give me more information on how to check if the boilermate is asking the boiler to light up.

It all seems weird it's all gone pear shaped after a lightning storm. I know the ACB was on its way out but both the boilermate and the boiler were producing heat and hot water before the storm. I can't be that unlucky that I have a blown ACB, faulty replacement and a knackered PHE sensor all in one? I can only deduce that either the replacement ACB is faulty or something external finished off the ACB and did a job on the boiler at the same time (the lightning) although all the pipework entering the boilermate is earthed.

I guess if I can test whether the boilermate is asking for heat from the boiler it would indicate all is well with the boilermate and I have a separate fault on the boiler (which does also have a PCB). I may try and exchange the ACB to be sure and meantime contact my insurers. Hope they cover it!

Thanks again

Gavin

Header tank can be full but pipe from it to Store can be blocked. Try to drain a bit and check if header tank refilled.
From what your saying I understand that pipe from boiler is hot but boiler was not firing up. Either you missed boiler firing or "hot" means 39 deg. As an electronics engineer I know the simplest way how to check if BM calls boiler. There must be pin on one of the connectors(as far as I remember bottom one. don't have diagram in front of me) on ACB which is Live for boiler. You need to check with multimeter voltage between this pin and neutral. Be careful and don't touch PCB, mind high voltage. If you never done it and don't know how to do then don't risk.
You probably has a mains switch on the wall to power up your boiler. I would check fuse in it. Unless you can see any LEDs indicating that boiler is on.

Mike/Scorp

Thank you both so much for your advise.

I managed to now read 240v where the ACB calls for the boiler to heat (terminal 7 marked SL) which determined that the boilermate was calling for heat and there must also be a fault with the boiler.

Managed to speak to a really helpful engineer who knows these systems inside out who talks me through testing various circuits and by process of elimination determined the PCB had also blown in the boiler (tested the boiler fan for power to eliminate).

Looks like lightning took out Boilermate ACB, and boiler PCB and I had an existing pHb sensor fault all at the same time. Not yet discovered any other electronics in the house have suffered - doesn't look like a direct lightening strike so can only attribute to static as all of my household pipework is thoroughly earthed. It's all rather strange.

Perhaps I should buy a lottery ticket tonight as due a change of luck

This forum is awesome and I found the historical posts so helpful. I was close to tearing my hair out! I also now have the number of a fantastic engineer who knows boilermate a inside out so for those struggling in the Gatwick area who happen to stumble across this post give me a shout. I don't want to post his number publicly as it wouldn't be fair as he will get a barrage of calls like mine wanting free advice! If you need it send me a message and I'll ask him to call you.

Thanks again all