Worcester Bosch Boiler Service TB 0138 TB138 TB0138 Plumber Plumbing Gas Engineer Tips

WORCESTER BOSCH BURNER SEAL Technical Bulletin TB138 Leaking Burner Seal. Boiler Service
Worcester Bosch boiler service and TB01328. So, that's a technical bulletin from Worcester and that's talking about the burner seals on the top of the boiler. My name is Allen Hart, and in today's video I'm just going to go through this technical bulletin from Worcester. Also, go through a few tips on servicing a Worcester Bosch boiler. As always, if you can add a comment below, like, share, all that good stuff, I really appreciate it.
Before you start, before you work on any boiler, if you're a new trainee especially, make sure that you read the installation and servicing instructions for whichever boiler that you're going to work on. Also, if there's any up to date technical bulletins from Gas Safe or from the boiler manufacturers. Just to bear in mind that these instructions sometimes could be out of date. If this boiler is 8, 9, 10 years old, it may be they've found that there's a problem with that boiler, or there's extra guidance for that boiler, and it wouldn't be in the original installation instructions. So, just a tip for you there.
So, what we'll do, I'm not going to go through everything with this boiler, but I'm going to go through as many bits and bats as I can. So, first of all, when you're going to work on a boiler, obviously you do your safety checks on the boiler. You'd isolate the boiler, you'd check your fuse spur, make sure you've got a three amp fuse in there if that's what the boiler requires. Some other boilers, warm air for instance, it might need a five amp fuse, but again you'd check with that particular boiler.
On this boiler, all we've got, we've got two screws on the top, one on this side and one on this side. So, we'd remove them two screws, and then at the bottom we've got two screws, one on one side and one on the other. They're slightly slanted. The bottom ones sometimes can be a little bit awkward when you put them back together, but we'll have a look at the case and I'll show you why on that once we've took it off.
So, I've removed the screws already on this, so we're just going to take the case off, and that just comes off. It is a little bit awkward sometimes, but it's not too bad. I'd just to thank Worcester as well for doing these technical bulletins because it's really, really helpful. Not all manufacturers do it, some manufacturers, they just make the boilers. If there's problems in the future, you don't really get to know about it, but Worcester help the engineers with that. So, we can thank Worcester for that.
And before we do anything inside this boiler, I'd normally be looking inside, check to see if there's any leaks. See if that's been leaking. See if there's any stains at back of the case, because sometimes flues can leak, on all boilers really for this, flues can leak, and it can drip down the back, and on some of Worcester's this gas valve will lower down and it can short the gas valve.
We replaced the boiler once and they'd had engineers out a few different times. Luckily, I only went to replace the boiler, I didn't actually go to do the repair. But if I'm honest with you, I probably wouldn't have known, at that time I wouldn't have known about that fault. So, what had happened is water had been leaking, flue was too steep, it had not been installed very well. Flue was too steep. The flue seal was leaking, water was dripping down the back, and it wasn't a lot of water, condensate really, dripping down the back and it were going on to the back of the plug on the gas valve and just shorting it out. So, that's a tip for everybody who's going to be doing fault finding.
Another thing is, sometimes you'll come to these and they're all rippled. Now, Worcester say if it's got a slight ripple on it, it's probably okay. If it's really bad, sometimes they start to leak on here. That's nearly always down to water quality and how the boiler has been installed. So, if it was on a heat only boiler, sometimes it's just because it's not had a pump overrun wired in and it's just not been installed correctly.
Now, if we're going to service this, normally you would check your fan pressures. So, it says in the installation instructions to check the fan pressures, and you're checking for a negative pressure, and that tells you whether or not you need to strip this down. Personally, if I haven't been to a boiler before and it's more than a few years old, maybe three or four years old, I would be stripping it down almost definitely and I'd be replacing that seal.

[@kevincranfield5235]

Looking well Allen. Little tip…cut the bent bit off the brush and put the brush in your cordless drill. Much easier to clean.👍

[@oldblokeswhoshouldknowbett8108]

Thanks Allen, I'm 52 years young and just done my ACS for the first time and registered with GS. I'm happy installing but this is the sort of thing that I'm dreading to be honest because you don't know what you don't know.

[@patrickbradley7191]

Thanks for the videos you put out on a regular basis!

[@LaraCamilleri-h9i]

Thankyou your videos are very informative. I’m good at boiler installs and have just gone self employed and servicing and your videos are a god send

[@AllenHart999]

Thank You

[@plumbertime]

Once you’ve done one they’re pretty easy. If baffles are stuck try to cap the condense and add bicarbonate soda and water and leave for 30 min and give it a go. Worcester’s I find can last and most years your only doing a analyser service so it’s win win

[@mikecave4154]

Sometimes the flue collector seals can give you a reading inside the boiler if they are worn out not just the red seal caught me out changed the red seal and was still picking up ppm

[@MrDougie1403]

I spent a lot of years installing worcester and had many problems with gas pressures not being able to be achived, they refused to listen and insisted that it was my fault but turned out that they had fucked up and not allowed for resistance of pipe to the test point. I dont have any good words for worcester they are shit. one of the worse boiler to work on generally, the only reason they are still out there is because of stupid public think, well it's Bosch it must be good and the fact that they spend so much money on marketing. Had so many arguments with them over the years and gave up on them and moved over to fitting Vaillant. Wow what a difference so easy to fit what the fuck had I been doing all those years fitting those shit boilers. Still have to service and work on crapy worcesters and curse them every time ussally with cuts on my knuckles or loads of water puring out even after fully draining them, and stupid wire clips and plastic holding them together. I can have a fan and burner out of a eco tec plus in about 2 mins and not feel I'm having to force a component out or have to buy expensive service kits that comprise of a useless brush and a bent piece of metal to force out a baffle. If you are still able to stay calm after you have carried out the work that wont last long as you still have to wrestle with the case and getting that back on. best place to put a worcester is in the skip they are at home there with all the rest of the unwanted rubbish. Thanks Allen for your time and effort doing what you do really appriciate it and whatch all the time 👍

[@OctaneHunter]

Been waiting for this video to come out

[@malachy1847]

Navien seem to be the new kids on the Block... coming from Korea i suppose they are like the KIA/ HYUNDAI of Boilers, obviously time will tell but they seemly are being backing their products up with really good warranties, so that must say a lot for the design, manufacture and quality of parts going into those Boilers, that coupled with, ''Open Therm'' on the control side may well unblock a lot of log jams from the Electrical Control side of things... we shall have to wait and see, great Upload, Allen

[@chriscars3578]

Great video again Allen

[@teplotehnikaspb]

Thanks Allen! Another great video

[@robertmailer4978]

Bi carbon of soda and boiling water, left for an hour, that’s what tec said, most I come across have never been serviced!!

[@stephendoherty8291]

Why can't boilers just not work if not serviced - could link it to the lowest room temp so it does not turn off in a snowstorm/cold blast. That would get service calls pretty quick.

[@raul835]

Brilliant vid Allen.. Thanks

[@jethrohealy3277]

I nearly always replace the electrodes when I strip service these models. Normally the seal has failed and the baffles are dirty but you can get the electrodes as part of the service kit and it just makes sense to do it while replacing the seal.

[@tethadam6678]

Can you do a Keston boiler service

[@hamzaparvais3948]

Thank you

[@sipepguru]

Hi Allen. What would you say to baxi 836 Vs Worcester Bosch 8000 35kw (£340) more for the WB8000, but does have 2 years more warranty. 10 Vs 12 years on the WB.

[@tomstrutton4351]

Allen, what’s your favourite boiler to service, the most engineer friendly one? I stripped my first baxi eco blue heat only the other day and was well impressed

[@AllenHart999]

Ideal Vogue is very very easy. Thanks.

[@tomstrutton4351]

@@AllenHart999 they’re easy i agree, but baxi as far as im aware say you don’t need to replace the seal every time you disturb it…..I fit mainly glowworms by the way

[@voltagevillain7342]

Hi Allen. What’s your opinion on the WB 4000 30kw? Are they any good?

[@AllenHart999]

I have one here to do a review. I will get it on soon. Thanks.

[@voltagevillain7342]

@@AllenHart999 Thanks Allen. Appreciate your reply. Which would you choose: A WB 8000 35Kw or a Vaillant combi? And if Vaillant, which one? Is the ecoTEC plus 32kW Combi the nearest equivalent? Thanks for all your help :)

[@stephendoherty8291]

As an installer or end user ?

[@muhammadgreen9711]

Great vid Allen can you tell me where I can get a copy of that technical Bulletin please

[@AllenHart999]

www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/support/literature/download/TB%200138%20

[@justmeEnglandUK]

I have a Bosch 37cdi combi from new would get up to temperature the first few times then .it wouldn't get up to temperature again . Have to turn if off and turn it on again and it goes back up to set temperature . Been serviced by Bosch several times and never been able to find or recreate the fault . Really disappointing .

[@raul835]

Bicarb and warm water to get bottom baffle out

[@bluedwarf8858]

Can you recommend any training companies where they train you to service a boiler.

[@AllenHart999]

i am working with vivatraining.co.uk/ and we offer training. Thanks.

[@dazheathcote2210]

A little birdy told me bi-carb is good to help loosening up the baffles.

[@gedheaton1415]

I'm going try that Daz, cos Coke didn't work for me tbh, absolute ball ache.

[@dazheathcote2210]

@@gedheaton1415 this came from WB 👌🏻

[@stephendoherty8291]

you can't blame the owners for not getting a proper service - its not like there is a cut price gas service vs a standard service. Bad servicing should be reported to the gas engineer registration for a "chat" with the service engineer. Its not like the engineer seeing the mess can't take date stamped video and pics to show the mess made

[@thepm3972]

There is a difference. Periodically a full strip down service is required. Therfore more time and usually replacing seals, electrodes,injectors may be needed. Washing of the main heat exchanger can also be difficult . Ps. Owners can be blamed for Not getting a service done and waiting till it breaks down...hoping the once in 7 years service will cure all faults.. lost count on how many boilers I've condemned due to lack of or no servicing at all.

[@flashclynes]

I only change the seal if it fails the sweep test or the fan pressure falls out of range. The customer wants cheap

[@AllenHart999]

part costs £6 very cheap

[@michaelbrierley921]

Worcester change every 3 & say it should be 5 max, at 5 the heat exchanger could still be clean so won’t fail your test

[@michaelbrierley921]

Customer is not the last competent person to work on the boiler before it starts leaking and becomes dangerous, it’s your reputation & livelihood, customer wants cheap walk away!

[@JayGasEssex]

Should replace red seal every 5 years, doesn't take long either.

[@AllenHart999]

I wouldn’t personally leave them 5 years. Thanks.

[@hunterb9273]

I test them from 1st service with fga , had them fail after 3 years and seen 10 year old boilers not leaking. I normally change them after 4 years or if I've no service history. Changed loads recently. Still coming across boilers that hadn't been serviced since start of covid lockouts.