Tips for repairing faulty boilers
It is annoying when your (new) appliance does not work after installation. We will do our best to provide you with a working appliance. It is important to install the boiler as prescribed in the 📖manual, so we ask you to consult this first before contacting us.
Before you go through one of our FAQs, it is important to observe and listen to what the boiler is and is not doing. This can provide clues to help identify the problem. Our service team may also ask you about this! The troubleshooting guide below provides a solution in 8 out of 10 cases, saving you a lot of hassle and allowing you to use your boiler again quickly.
We also understand if you want to dismantle the faulty boiler as soon as possible. But before you do so, we would ask you to first take photos of the installation. In the event of a water leak, where the water leak is illustrated by means of a photo, you can use MS Paint, for example, to indicate the location with an arrow/circle, making sure that it does not cover the location. This can help us and you to quickly reach the right conclusion and shorten the time it takes to find a solution. It may be necessary to remove the protective cover for this purpose. Always unplug the boiler before working on it. Send the photos and your description (be as specific as possible) to info@kiip.de and we will help you as soon as possible. Sometimes we need additional information to get a clear picture and find the right solution.
The boiler switches off completely, no more power to the appliance.
Thermal protection.
If your boiler is new, you can remove the cover and reset the thermal protection as described below. First, make sure that the installation is in order. The boiler has not been properly vented after commissioning, or the boiler has already been switched on before it is (completely) filled. Vent the boiler by opening the hot water tap fully and waiting until a good stream of water comes out without interruption. Only then plug the appliance into the mains.
Deposits on the heating elements can cause the thermal safety device to switch on. Your appliance will switch off completely and will not work until you have reset it. You can usually find this as the first component after the power cord in your appliance. Depending on the model, there is a button in the middle that you can press. Please note that if the cause is not remedied, the malfunction will recur and may lead to more serious consequences.
Deposits on the heating elements can cause the thermal protection to activate. Your appliance will switch off completely and will not work until you reset it. You can usually find this as the first component after the power cord in your appliance. Depending on the model, there is a button in the middle that you can press (see above). Please note that if the cause is not remedied, the malfunction will recur and may lead to more serious consequences.
Sometimes the thermostat may not be set correctly and will heat to excessively high temperatures, causing the thermal protection to activate. On the other hand, the thermal protection may be too sensitive, causing it to activate too quickly. You can set the boiler to a lower temperature to see if it continues to work. Measuring the water temperature in Celsius will then determine the cause.
The water no longer gets hot, does not reach the set temperature
Contaminants in the water, particularly limescale, cause a layer of deposits to form on the heating element during use. This reduces the efficiency of the appliance. Regular maintenance is therefore important for economical use of the boiler. Insufficient maintenance (see above) can cause the boiler to no longer reach the set temperature or to not heat up at all because the heat remains around the heating element and the sensor thinks that the boiler is at the right temperature. Cleaning the heating element is then necessary. This prevents the thermal protection from activating. (See above for a reset). If you do not remove the cause, the element may break and replacement will be necessary. See here for parts. Check your type plate to quickly find the right parts using our handy filters.
A group in the group cabinet has been switched off
Another possibility is that the heating elements crack because they cannot dissipate the heat (due to the build-up of deposits from use). This will cause a short circuit and the thermal protection will be activated or the earth leakage circuit breaker in your meter cupboard will trip. Make sure you unplug the boiler before switching the group back on. You will then need a new heating element. See our parts page or contact us, stating your invoice number and/or the brand and model number of the boiler so that we can select the right parts for you.
Another reason may be that the electrical circuit does not have sufficient capacity (for all the appliances connected to it). An 80-liter boiler can easily require 2000W or more for heating, which is approximately 10 amps. Although these types of boilers have a shorter heating time, they place greater demands on your circuit. If other appliances are switched on at the same time and exceed the capacity of the circuit, the circuit will switch off. It is important to note that you do not always know when your boiler and any other appliances will switch on and demand too much from your network. Sometimes, standby power consumers are also a contributing factor!
Leaks
Leaks at the connections can generally be repaired using Teflon tape or similar and/or a rubber ring (not included).
Leaks in the boiler can be repaired. Therefore, always take a photo at an angle of about 45 degrees before dismantling the boiler, as this almost always gives a better view of the location of the leak than other angles. You can use MS Paint to clarify this if necessary. If we are unable to determine the cause, the boiler may need to be returned for inspection.
If the boiler leaks after maintenance, this may be due to the gaskets and flange not being replaced correctly. Try to replace them again. Sometimes you will need a new gasket, which you can order on our parts page or contact us.
Cold water
If the water gets cold quickly, there is a good chance that you have accidentally swapped the cold and hot water connections. Another reason why you have (quickly) cold water is that you have installed the boiler incorrectly. Check the manual to see if the installation is correct. Send photos if you are sure that everything is in order, and if the problem is not solved, we will look into it with you. We can only check the first point for you in exceptional cases.
Little or no water is coming out of the boiler
The amount of water coming out of the boiler is equal to the amount going into it. If little water is flowing out of the boiler, this can have various causes. We will go through the possible causes in order from before the boiler to after the boiler, rather than in order of probability:
The water supply is blocked. This may be because there is little or no water coming into your location, e.g., due to drought or a break. Check another tap to rule this out.
The pipe to your boiler is blocked/closed. Check that all shut-off valves for the boiler are open. If necessary, disconnect the supply pipe at the boiler to check that the flow is good.
The pressure relief valve is installed incorrectly and the arrow does not match the direction of flow. Install the pressure relief valve correctly.
The pressure relief valve is clogged or the boiler is clogged with sediment. Removal and cleaning are necessary to resolve this.
Check whether the boiler is completely filled with water. Fill the boiler completely by turning on the cold water supply and the hot water tap until water flows evenly from the boiler.
The pressure relief valve is mounted on the hot water outlet and the arrow points against the direction of flow. If the pressure relief valve is mounted on the hot water outlet, you must always remove it and place it correctly on the cold water inlet.
The pipe to your hot water tap or the tap itself is blocked. Fix this problem.
Normally, solving one or more of the above points will resolve the situation. If the problem persists, we can look at photos to see if we can find the cause. If we cannot determine the cause, the boiler may need to be returned for inspection.