Glow worm Flexicom 30 Leaks...help !?

Had a British Gas engineer come out to fix this leak. He says it's simple to change yourself. The part number is 0020020749 if you want the "right thing". I can't find any prices nowadays less than £20 inc vat with (expensive) delivery on top (but can collect from a local supplier).

So I'm going to try just supplementing the clips with more jubilees, and if that doesn't work, go for the spare, drain the boiler's heating loop and swap it out.

There's an installation manual here for the cx boiler range (24-35; ours is a 30) http://www.glow-worm.co.uk/glow-worm/flexicom-cx-157167.pdf

Russ
January 2016

I've got one of these on the go & will be fitting hose from my car spares shop tomorrow. Horrible boilers.

ebaydave
March 2015

There might be a problem that the water manifold that is leaking as mine did after 4 years of service,it took the engineer from British gas about 3 hours to put a new one in,and when he showed me the one that he took out it seemed of poor quality.

Trust me
March 2014

Repaired with an 18mm internally measured car hose & 2 x new stainless steel clips
The £17 part + £6.95 over night delivery did not arrive, now fully refunded and repaired for £3.97 from my local car accessories shop!
Also note the car hose by design is better because its designed to run hotter than any boiler will and it has more bradding in so a lot stronger than the original part.

foz
July 2013

same problem flexicom 30cx
why it need's a pipe on there i don't no ..
it should be a fix tube save this fault happening!!

foz
June 2013

The flexible rubber pipe on the left of my Glowworm boiler completely ruptured! Thus dumping the contents of the boiler onto blankets etc. in the airing cupboard. Ruined!! My plumber fixed the problem easily. However, he can't get his head round the fact that this hose split in the first place! It's reinforced like a car radiator hose. Not happy :(

Steve Coe
April 2013

I have had a Glow-worm Flexicon 30SX for four years. I complained to Glow-worm who eventually after three or four visits changed everything in the boiler including two new siphon units ad pipes. Still leaks in night and usually in the winter.

Although they will not admit it, I guess it’s a design fault.

Keith
March 2013

i have the same problem ... surely this is worthy of the 'watch dog' treatment ... gona call glow worm tomorrow and see where it gets me, else i'll be fitting jubilee clips myself

dan
December 2010

Well surprise surprise. Our flexcom 24 has been doing the leaking murky white water overnight thing since just after the 12months had expired. Hasn't been a problem during the summer but now with winter coming, turned on central heating and its started doing it again. Clearly does it when its cold. In the beginning it would relight if turned off for a few minutes, Now it required a combination of pointless and useless procedures including, turning the temps of the water and CH up a few degrees and replacing the lost water from the overnight drip by increasing the pressure of the system which is now at 1.5bar. Not sure why but it always seems to work. Did it nearly everyday during last winter. It gets to the coldest part of the night then it displays the F09 and starts dripping a puddle. I'll fix it myself rather than give gloworm the £200+ they are asking for the robbing cnuts

Unhappy Glow worm customer
October 2010

Yep, ours has just developed the same problem. Leaking from a plastic pipe going in to the heat exchanger & because we didn't get it serviced within 12 months of fitting Glowworm won't repair on guarantee. Boiler is only 18 months old, a disgrace! Solution seems so simple too, if it was a car it would have been subject to a recall by now!

Dave (Cardiff)
February 2010

My Flexicom 18sx has just developed the exact same fault. When sufficiently cold that rubber pipe flow-link has developed a leak at both ends! It's fitted with crimped metal bands that are not tight enough in the cold.

The boiler would go from 1.0 bar to below 0.5 in a few hours over-night.

I just put two jubilee clips on there and it's almost water-tight now. Two plumbers failed to help me on this. I even told one to just put a jubilee clip on there, but he and his mate said that it's absolutely impossible to open up a jubilee clip to put around a pipe! wtf!

Job took about 10 mins tops.

Not my house, but if it was, I would *never* fit a Glow-worm boiler, there rep is obviously rightly deserved!

John
December 2009

can i install flexicom 30 externally in outhouse. my plumber says this is no problem to do

mary
July 2009

Hi,
The rubber tube on the left is called a flow link tube and the part costs approx £10. We had a bad leak from both ends of the rubber pipe.
The new part comes with the rubber pipe and the clips already attached to plastic elbows, 5 minute job to fit.
I suspect this is a known fault but Glow-Worm would want to keep it quiet

ron
February 2009

Hi all ! The problem was the flexible rubber pipe on the left of the boiler. There are two clips securing it, but you cant tighten them up (stupid idea !), anyway, as Glowworm washed their hands of the problem (boiler a week out of warranty) i bought two new 'jubilee clips' from my local DIY store and got a plumber to fix them.
So something for all 'Flexicom' boiler owners to keep an eye on. THOSE CLIPS ARE RUBBISH !

paul
December 2008

Had similar problem now resolved, but it stumped the plumber and glowworm engineers at first.
The plastic Condensate drain pipe from boiler to the external waste water system was 'bowed' under the floorboards. Instead of running downhill at 2.5 degrees away from the boiler, the drain pipe was running slightly 'uphill' with a bow in the middle. This overloaded a siphon inside the boiler. Plumber redid the waste pipe to fall away correctly and problem has never reoccured. It happened during colder weather as the volume of water going through the system is greater for longer. there is nothing inside the boiler that needs repaired - siphon should work normally. Do not open the boiler cover its against the law, you must be COrgi registered to do this. We only found out what was wrong when we stuck a mobile phone camera under floorboards to try to see any problems. Plumber didnt think of that one. Original gas installer had done work correctly, but subsequently a new bathroom installer messed up the drain layout. We had no problem during the summer months. get your plumber/installer to recheck the fall of the condensate drainpipe. Hope this helps.

Gerry
December 2008

My Flexicom 30cx boiler also leaks from a small plastic pipe within the boiler, but only in the middle of the night when its particularly cold. We wake up every morning to find a pool of water on the kitchen worktop.

Paul (Devon)
November 2008