Ideal Logic F3 fault code

Ideal Logic F3 fault code explained

Whilst the F3 fault code is probably not the most common fault, if you have an Ideal Logic boiler you may experience this fault code at some point.

This fault code will cause your Ideal Logic boiler to stop working, leaving you without central heating or hot water.

If you look in the Ideal Logic installation manual under the F3 fault code it states the following;

“FAN FAULT”

All Ideal Logic boilers have a fan. The fan only has one job to do, but it is one of the most important components on an Ideal boiler.

If you are seeing the F3 fault code on your Ideal Logic boiler it more than likely means that the fan has failed.

Sometimes you may be able to get your boiler working intermittently with a reset, but most of the time a F3 fault code will not reset and your boiler will not work at all.

Fans on modern gas boilers with premix burner designs like the Ideal Logic, have sophisticated electronics which communicate back to the printed circuit board(PCB).

The printed circuit board controls the speed of the fan and modulates its speed depending on the load on the boiler.

If the fan isn’t running at all or at the right speed, the printed circuit board will know this and shut the boiler down with an F3 fault code as a safety precaution.

The fan operating correctly is crucial to the boiler working properly and safely. Any irregutlatires detected with the speed of the fan, or the fan not working at all will cause the boiler to shut down with the F3 fault code.

Unlike some fault codes on Ideal Logic boilers, the F3 fault code is very specific and is trying to tell you that the fan has failed.

In our experience working on Ideal Logic boilers, the number one cause of the F3 fault code nine times out of ten is the fan itself.

The fan can fail in a few different ways but mostly the electronic printed circuit board, or the motor on the fan just fails.

When to call a gas engineer to fix your boiler

If you are experiencing the F3 fault code on your Ideal Logic boiler, it is important to take action as soon as possible. While some issues can be resolved by homeowners themselves, others require the expertise of a qualified Gas Safe registered heating engineer.

The F3 fault code is usually caused by a faulty fan, but it could be caused by a faulty printed circuit board or faulty wiring harness. This is why it is extremely important to get a suitable heating engineer with experience on Ideal Logic boilers, otherwise you could end up wasting money fitting expensive parts to your boiler that are unnecessary.

With some fault codes you can often reset your boiler to get it going short term, but this is generally not the case with the F3 fault code. Once you see this fault code it generally won’t go away without a repair.

So it usually best to get a qualified Gas Safe registered heating engineer to have a look at your boiler at your earliest convenience.

How to prevent the F3 fault code

A lot of the time certain faults on Ideal Logic boilers can be prevented with regular annual servicing and maintenance. Unfortunately this is not generally the case with the F3 fault code.

A lot of the parts on an Ideal Logic boiler are non serviceable parts, this includes the fan. This means that not much can be done to extend the life of the fan and prevent the F3 fault code.

The only thing you might be able to do to help to prevent seeing the F3 fault code is to avoid turning your Ideal boiler off unnecessarily.

Sometimes when people go on holiday they like to turn their boilers off electrically. This is a bad idea. It’s best just to isolate your boiler hydraulically by turning the mains water off, but it’s best to leave the power switched on to your boiler.

This is because sometimes the electronics inside the fans and printed circuit board’s for example, on certain boilers fail when getting powered back on after being off for a while.

As far as we know fan failure on an Ideal Logic when being powered back on is not a common problem. However it is still best to avoid turning your boiler off unnecessarily, regardless of what boiler you have a lot of electronic components on modern boilers are sensitive.

Ideal Logic boilers affected by the F3 fault code

The F3 fault code on Ideal Logic boilers can affect any combination boiler, any system boiler or any heat-only boiler

Below is a list of Ideal Logic boilers that can be affected by the F3 fault code;

• Ideal Logic Combi C24, C30 and C35 combination boilers
• Ideal Logic + Combi C24, C30 and C35 combination boilers
• Ideal Logic Combi 2 C24, C30 and C35 combination boilers
• Ideal Logic Max Combi C24IE, C30IE and C35IE combination boilers
• Ideal Logic Combi ESP1 26, 33 and 38 combination boilers
• Ideal Logic System 15, 18, 24 and 30 system boilers
• Ideal Logic Heat 12, 15, 18, 24 and 30 heat-only boilers

Frequently asked questions:

Is my boiler showing an F3 fault code worth repairing ?

Yes definitely, most of the time your broken Ideal Logic boiler displaying an F3 fault code will be worth repairing.

Obviously the cost to repair your boiler will be determined by which parts need to be replaced.

You would need a competent, Gas Safe registered heating engineer to have a look at your boiler and make an assessment to determine exactly which parts might need to be replaced.

Before replacing your boiler it is always worth getting a suitable Gas Safe registered heating engineer, with experience working on Ideal Logic boilers, to make an assessment of your boiler so you can determine whether it is worth fixing not.

Can I repair the F3 fault code myself?

Most of the time an end user will not be able to solve the F3 fault code in any way, even by resetting the boiler.

Fixing the F3 fault code will usually require removing the cover of your boiler to replace parts which you are not legally allowed to do unless you are a Gas Safe registered heating engineer.

Is the F3 fault code dangerous?

No definitely not , the F3 fault code on an Ideal Logic boiler is not inherently dangerous.

Modern Ideal Logic boilers are designed with fail safes in place to make sure that the boiler will only work if it safe to do so.

If you are having issues with an intermittent F3 fault code, resetting the boiler is often only a short term solution to your problem, and your boiler may stop working altogether at some point.

As such if your boiler is coming up with an F3 fault code, the best thing to do it get it repaired at your earliest convenience, by a suitable Gas Safe registered heating engineer – ideally one that has experience working on Ideal Logic boilers.