Hi.
We've had some work done on this boiler.
Domestic hot water was fine - central heating was triping.

It seems to be working again now after a few replacement parts.

Thing is - I now notice that the control panel area is warm even if the boiler has been idle for some hours.

I never noticed such a thing before.

I don't believe these things have a pilot light - do they or don't they?

Does anyone else have a warm control panel (the buttons to reset a failure or switch to domestic only etc, i.e. the pressure sensitive round buttons - not the clock timer)?

Wonderer., July 2009

Thanks for the answers.

I accept the possibility of latent water heat - however ;-)

No hot water of any kind has been requested for around 6 hours.

The upper casing (metal and closer to the water) is cold.

The lower casing (plastic [poorer conductor] and further away from the water) is warm.

I'm no expert - but the amount of heat I feel - is more than is generated by other electrical items (i.e. PC).
If it is the electronics (granted - it is always switched on and running checks at the very least) then I feel it is too hot and something is amiss there.

Do you still think I'm worrying over nothing?

I'll see if a thermometer can give a temperature.

It would be nice if anyone with the same boiler could tell me how their control panel feels. Even maybe the temperature of it.

Again - many thanks for both responses.

Wonderer (originator of question)., July 2009

Like me John has a tendency to make it up as he goes along when answering questions on here...

Any heat you feel will be the latent heat of the heated water, heat exchanger and pipework - and here I too make it up - it should not be too hot to the touch - just gently warm.

Most modern boilers have an external 3A fuse - transformers are typically 98% efficient so the maximum heating from a transformer is approximately 14Watts and not enough to warm up the casing so that you might feel it - assuming of course that your boiler actually contains a transformer - mine doesn't.

My boiler has an electrical power rating of 80W but I suspect most of this goes out to the external circulating pump and diverter valve.

I agree it's nothing to worry about unless it's burning your skin when you touch it - but it's not the electronics.

Sorry John

Peccavi, July 2009

Although the boiler may be at idle, the electronics are very much still alive, so the heat that you feel will be from transformers and the like. Nothing to worry about - but you shouldn't be able to fry chips on it!

John, July 2009