Thank you for answering. Here is the detailed sequence of events:
sunday 06/01; return from holiday. pilot off. no reignition possible.
monday 07/01: called a registered plumber who changed the thermocouple, cleaned the pilot flame. he believed the overheat stat was faulty and disconnected it. Told us he was ordering a new part and to leave the heating not on at all time. The boiler was programmed to heat twice a day and worked fine.
friday 11/01: the boiler was still running fine without overheat stat .the plumber installed the new part. From there on, the pilot light goes off a a few minutes after ignition and can be reignited.
saturday 12/01: the plumber checks for air locks in the pipes but does not find any thing. He thinks that the new part is not exactly the same as the old one and is too sensitive. He disconnects it.
From there on, the pilot light goes off after a few minutes, with the overheat stat disconnected.
joel
January 2013