Vokera Compact 25 - Standby Problem? I've a £300 bill now.

[az200]

Hi everyone,

I've recently rented a flat that came with a Vokera Compact 25 (discontinued). I'm new to boilers and heating systems, so I studied the manual I found online on the website.

My property agent helped me set up the heating system and set both dials to 7. I also set up the timer system to that machine will only run when I'm at home.

However, I just got last month's bill and it hit a skyrocket of almost £300. I get that it's winter but I don't think my gas bill should be that high!

I checked my gas meter and found the numbers rolling quite fast.

When I checked the boiler settings, the green LED light was blinking every few seconds (Vokera's customer service says it's on standby). I changed the left dial to 5, which the manual said would have the boiler respond to the timer, and reduced the right dial down. My gas meter has slowed down a lot now and isn't moving.

I'm confused here. Isn't the clock timer supposed to control when the boiler is running? And doesn't the blinking green light means it's on standby and would only activate when I need it to?

I realise that the high bill might be my fault for not adjusting the boiler settings properly. But I need some help making sense of this. I called up Vokera's customer service and they're not much help.

I'd really appreciate input from any of you guys out there. Can't afford to shell out hundreds every month.

Thanks!

 

[picasso]

I reckon your paying for another flats gas ! try turning the gas off at the meter for a couple of days and see if it gets turned on again, been to a few flats where the meters don't match the flats.

 

[Ted777]

Seems experience, how many hours a day do you have the heating on for? Did you give a meter reading when you moved in and double check the meter serial numbers match the ones on the bill.

 

[az200]

I reckon your paying for another flats gas ! try turning the gas off at the meter for a couple of days and see if it gets turned on again, been to a few flats where the meters don't match the flats.

I've checked with the property agency, as well as the property's technician. This boiler-heater is fitted only for the flat I'm in. The other flats in the same building has their own heating system.

Seems experience, how many hours a day do you have the heating on for? Did you give a meter reading when you moved in and double check the meter serial numbers match the ones on the bill.

I've set the heater to turn on from 6-8am, 5pm to 9pm and 2-4am. Basically to let it fire up once every few hours to keep the house warm when I'm in. I gave a meter reading when I moved in and confirmed that the serial number is the same.

I'm staying at home today, so I've been monitoring the Vokera. It turned itself on again to activate the radiators, despite the timer indicating that it's supposed to be off (I double-checked it with the gas meter, which was moving). I called the Vokera folks again just now but they've told me to get the property's engineer to look at the problem.

I'm trying to avoid that because I've this nagging feeling that the problem can be solved by just using the correct settings, and I wouldn't want to waste anyone's time. Unfortunately, the manual is not too helpful.

 

[ianniann]

See how much gas the meter says you're using. See if it matches the usage you just got billed for. If the billed usage bears no relation to what you appear to be using now, then start chasing meter readings to see what went wrong. Maybe someone dropped a decimal point? Read or wrote a digit wrong? You photographed the meters when you moved in, right?

If the current usage matches what you were billed for then you are losing gas because it is hard to imagine it is all going into the boiler for a flat (unless a penthouse suite?). You could keep a large detached house very nicely warm for that sort of money. Maybe you're on a crazy expensive tariff, but still hard to see that for one month. Even then you might not want to look at the boiler first. It could be on all day and night and it doesn't explain ten quid a day without you living in a sauna.

Do you have TRVs on the radiators? A room thermostat of some sort? What does the pressure gauge say? Is it steady near 1 bar?

 

[Ted777]

Also with you saying it's coming on when it shouldn't be makes me think it could possibly be a faulty frost thermostat in the boiler.

 

[DP]

OP is there a wall thermostat titled? Where is it and what is it set at?
If yes, is the radiator in that room fitted with a TRV?

 

[dilalio]

Speak to your gas provider and ask them what their average is, for your type of property. Also ask them what historical usage they have, on record, for your actual property! There's a good chance they've made a data-entry error, especially with the change of billing details! There may have been an outstanding balance from the previous tenant and they are hitting you with this!

 

[az200]

See how much gas the meter says you're using. See if it matches the usage you just got billed for. If the billed usage bears no relation to what you appear to be using now, then start chasing meter readings to see what went wrong. Maybe someone dropped a decimal point? Read or wrote a digit wrong? You photographed the meters when you moved in, right?

If the current usage matches what you were billed for then you are losing gas because it is hard to imagine it is all going into the boiler for a flat (unless a penthouse suite?). You could keep a large detached house very nicely warm for that sort of money. Maybe you're on a crazy expensive tariff, but still hard to see that for one month. Even then you might not want to look at the boiler first. It could be on all day and night and it doesn't explain ten quid a day without you living in a sauna.

Do you have TRVs on the radiators? A room thermostat of some sort? What does the pressure gauge say? Is it steady near 1 bar?

The gas readings on the bill and meter matches - so I figured that the problem is likely with the boiler. Yes, the radiators in my flat have TVR installed in them. I set it to 'normal', which is the small green knob that clicks to prevent you from turning it up further. Could the TVR be the issue?

Also with you saying it's coming on when it shouldn't be makes me think it could possibly be a faulty frost thermostat in the boiler.

This is quite likely. I'm trying to cover all the bases first before calling in the property's technician.

OP is there a wall thermostat titled? Where is it and what is it set at?
If yes, is the radiator in that room fitted with a TRV?

There's a wall thermostat in the room that is set to 20°C. I've basically left it at that temperature since I've first moved in. And yes, the radiators are fitted with TVRs. I'm trying to make a wild guess here: but is the TVR the reason why the boiler-heater turns on by itself despite my timer setting?


I think I should add here that I'm staying in a studio flat, with two radiators in both ends of the property.

 

[dilalio]

Have you noticed the boiler firing when the CH and HW is off?
Change the times on your programmer so that they are OFF, whilst you are at home and monitor the boiler for firing and heating the rads. If this happens then you have a faulty timer/programmer and/or frost stat, in the boiler and maybe even faulty roomstat. Get you landlord to have it looked at!
As for nuiscance firing, during a heating period (I.e when the programmer/timer is in an 'on' period) the radiator in the room in which the roomstat is located, should have manual and not TRV valves fitted! This is simply because the TRV is likely to shut the rad off, allowing the room to cool, which makes the roomstat call for heat, whilst all the other rooms are up to temp!

 

[DP]

There's a wall thermostat in the room that is set to 20°C. I've basically left it at that temperature since I've first moved in. And yes, the radiators are fitted with TVRs. I'm trying to make a wild guess here: but is the TVR the reason why the boiler-heater turns on by itself despite my timer setting?


I think I should add here that I'm staying in a studio flat, with two radiators in both ends of the property

Turn the hall radiator thermostat to full power and wall thermostat to 18 degrees.
This will reduce boiler on time as the hall temperature (design temperature is 18 degree C) is achieved, even though the programmer is calling

 

[DaveHerns]

Surely you'd have a flat as hot as an oven if you'd used that much gas? Have you been sweating indoors?

 

[ianmcd]

is it a Vokera Compact 25A ? if so it has built in frost protection which could be faulty and false firing , but to be honest wouldnt have thought you would have such a high bill with your stated usage even if this was faulty

 

[Ted777]

As a work around where your wall stat is you really want to turn the trvs to max so that room reaches temp quickly and turns the boiler off. Also trvs do not talk to the boiler they are very simple things. A trv will not turn the boiler on and off only the room stat will call for heat when the room temp drops.

 

[Agile]

You seem very reluctant to do the obvious and see about the billing aspect.

Is the supply in your name?

Did YOU supply the start reading?

Did you even know what it was?

Even with the boiler on 24/7 it would be unlikely to use £300 of gas!

Is the £300 based on ACTUAL meter readings? Have you even checked the actual meter reading against the billing?

What was the start and present meter readings?

Tony