Any central heating techos on myswag?

[D4D]

Our 14 year old Vulcan central heating unit won't fire. I ripped the lid off and hit the reset button as suggested on the outside of the unit and still no joy. I can see the diagnostic LED flashing twice which according to the sticker is 'pressure switch fused closed' error. Gave the pressure switch a few 'taps' thinking the micro switch might be stuck but no go. Can I just go an buy a new pressure switch and fit myself? Looks pretty easy.

Here is what is looks like
http://www.northerngas.com.au/heating/vulcan/Switch-Pressure/

[prodigyrf]

http://homerepair.about.com/od/heatingcoolingrepair/ss/Troubleshooting-A-High-Efficiency-Condensing-Furnace_6.htm 

[fuji]

The proplem is that it's a Vulcan. Throw it in the bin and buy a new one. We had nothing but dramas with ours when she got a bit old.
 

[D4D]

http://homerepair.about.com/od/heatingcoolingrepair/ss/Troubleshooting-A-High-Efficiency-Condensing-Furnace_6.htm 

•A trick to get a stuck pressure switch to function is to give it a hard flick with your finger.

That's what I did and at first it didn't work however I left it on and about 2 hours later she fired. 

[D4D]

The proplem is that it's a Vulcan. Throw it in the bin and buy a new one. We had nothing but dramas with ours when she got a bit old.
 

Agreed not the best brand but it was here when we bought the house and hasn't failed us until tonight.

What did you replace yours with and who fitted it?

[GGV8Cruza]

Fitted up one of these a couple of years ago and been very happy with it D4D, the age of the unit you have is of vintage quality

http://www.brivis.com.au/products/ducted-gas-heating/starpro-series (the max one at the top)

GG

[D4D]

Thanks GG, that's the unit I was looking at as a replacement. Probably way more efficient on the gas to, which is good considering the price of gas now. At least now I can get some quotes without it being an emergency.

[speedcomm]

I've got a Vulcan ducted too, about 9 years old, worked great for the first 7 years ! Started having intermittent not lighting faults, cleaned and then replaced the flame sensor, this seemed to help for a while then on the coldest few mornings in winter it just wouldn't go till the frost cleared...  I was working OS and had to get a repair guy in before I got divorced.. They claim the processor board was faulty, and I must admit it hasn't played up once since.
The symptom with mine was, the exhaust fan would start, the clicker would start clicking, gas would flow, unit would light, then extinguish after about a half second. Then repeat after a minute or so.

[prodigyrf]

•A trick to get a stuck pressure switch to function is to give it a hard flick with your finger.

That's what I did and at first it didn't work however I left it on and about 2 hours later she fired. 

Good one and it might be worth renewing the pressure switch depending on price if you're happy with the unit. 14yrs is pretty good and some of the China Inc stuff nowadays often won't give you that sort of run and they keep wanting to complicate appliances with Green crap on them that buggers their performance.

Case in point I recently pissed off the one yr old Simpson top loader after owning a few reliable machines in the past. The latest 'Green' one took an hour and 40 mins plus to do a load, so much so the missus put it on delicates for a shorter cycle and then left me to wonder why it kept stopping out of balance. Gave up and pissed it off on Gumtree and bought a commercial Speed Queen like the cara parks and what joy what bliss, it blows a wash through in 35mins like they used to and God's in his Heaven again.

[prodigyrf]

I should add this old dog has learned the new trick in fixing everything and anything and that's the power of the net and how to come up with an answer by asking the right question and a couple of clicks like that pressure switch Q & A. One thing I've discovered  (like when the defrost thermostat packed it in on the frost free fridge), is someone somewhere has been nice enough to show you how to trouble shoot and sort it. In particular the Yanks don't have our nanny state mentality and their online suppliers, trades and techs clearly believe in the pioneering spirit and DIY.

Ever wondered how to replace a ceramic cooktop element like I did recently? Try googling 'replace ceramic cooktop element youtube' and find out like I did when asked to do so. You look like a consumate pro when you roll up to sort it and yes the standard elements are available off the shelf in various wattages and windings/connections. Some of you young fellers want to get up to pace as someone somewhere has just been dying to show off how you do it and a video is often worth a thousand words. What I wouldn't have given for that world at my fingertips starting out, although you still need to have the broad experience and skillset to know what you're looking for, how to frame the question and quickly skim and pick the best answer. I've got that down fairly pat now and it's fun tackling completely unknown tasks as you get a bit bored in your dotage with the familiar 

[D4D]

Been working fine for the last 2 days, fingers crossed.

[Bird]

How often do people get their system flushed out?

[fuji]

Agreed not the best brand but it was here when we bought the house and hasn't failed us until tonight.

What did you replace yours with and who fitted it?

Talking another life. We bought another Vulcan silly us, that failed a few years later and the ex bought another brand. We went with Brivis under floor here in Yallambie. 10 yrs old now.

[GGV8Cruza]

How often do people get their system flushed out?

That depends on who you believe Lost, I replaced my old system around 5 years ago with all new ducts. The ones I replaced were over 10 years old and still in good condition with no dust or any other things inside. For the current system we have some small filters that go in the floor outlets which also condition the air to some extent and I clean these most years. It is a closed system with the internal of your house, depends on how well you keep it and the ducts will have a similar outlook

GG

[Bird]

That depends on who you believe Lost, I replaced my old system around 5 years ago with all new ducts. The ones I replaced were over 10 years old and still in good condition with no dust or any other things inside. For the current system we have some small filters that go in the floor outlets which also condition the air to some extent and I clean these most years. It is a closed system with the internal of your house, depends on how well you keep it and the ducts will have a similar outlook

GG

ours was in the house when we bought it around 13yrs ago.. I've never had ducted before so know nothing about it as where we lived in Shitney was awesome, didn't need it.

Another question, are you supposed to replace the ducting at certain intervals? EG: 10/15yrs?

Might get it done for peace of mind.

[GGV8Cruza]

ours was in the house when we bought it around 13yrs ago.. I've never had ducted before so know nothing about it as where we lived in ****ney was awesome, didn't need it.

Another question, are you supposed to replace the ducting at certain intervals? EG: 10/15yrs?

Might get it done for peace of mind.

I would only replace it if the inner lining was starting to fail, take the floor duct of and grab a gopro or similar and take some footage inside the duct, if all looks shiny and clean and no tears in the duct all should be good. Our house got flooded 2 years ago up to the underside of the joists, all the ducts were immersed in flood water and the inside still looks like it did when I installed it. I don't really want to go under and replace any of my ducts as its a job for a qualified miner with a shorter and narrower stature than mine

GG

[Bird]

I would only replace it if the inner lining was starting to fail, take the floor duct of and grab a gopro or similar and take some footage inside the duct, if all looks shiny and clean and no tears in the duct all should be good. Our house got flooded 2 years ago up to the underside of the joists, all the ducts were immersed in flood water and the inside still looks like it did when I installed it. I don't really want to go under and replace any of my ducts as its a job for a qualified miner with a shorter and narrower stature than mine

GG

You think you have issues getting under the house....

[GeoffA]

.......
Another question, are you supposed to replace the ducting at certain intervals? EG: 10/15yrs?
.......

I hope not. Our are cast into the slab. Been there for 42 years.....

[Markoutback]

I would recommend you have a look at breamer ducted heating units they are a good quality unit have had no trouble with them and if so there service has been good. Would only replace ducting if it was breaking down or was replacing a old unit with a new 4 or 5 star unit you can get 2 types of ducting R.6 or R1 hope this helps
Cheers Mark