Error S.61

Safety precautions:

1) If you smell gas, evacuate the property immediately, avoid operating electrical switches or naked flames, turn off the gas at the meter if it is safe to do so, ventilate the building, and call the gas emergency number for your country and a Gas Safe/qualified engineer.

2) If the boiler is showing S.61 but there is no smell of gas, treat it as a gas-safety-related fault: do not attempt internal repairs, do not repeatedly press the reset button more than once or twice, and do not operate the boiler if you are unsure of its behaviour.

3) Isolate electrical power to the boiler only if instructed by a professional; do not remove internal covers or touch components if you are not qualified.

Initial checks a homeowner can safely do:

1) Note and photograph the exact error code and display message, and record when it occurred and any actions you took (reset, power off, etc.).

2) Try a single reset following the boiler manual: press reset once, wait for the start-up sequence and observe. If the boiler runs normally and the code does not return immediately you have temporary operation, but arrange a professional inspection promptly.

3) Check the gas supply basics: confirm other gas appliances (hob, gas fire) work, check that a prepayment meter has credit if applicable, and ensure the gas meter isolation valve is in line with the pipe (open) if you can do so safely.

4) Check the boiler status lights and that the mains fuse and isolator are on. Look for obvious external signs such as water ingress, heavy corrosion, scorch marks, burn smell or loose external wiring; do not open the boiler or touch electrical parts.

Specific diagnostic and fix steps (what an engineer will do and what you should expect to provide):

1) If the fault persists after one reset, turn the boiler off and call a Gas Safe registered engineer. Provide the engineer with the exact code (S.61 / F.61), whether it reappears after reset, recent service history, and any observable symptoms.

2) The engineer will perform safe on-site diagnostics: confirm gas supply and pressures, check for gas leaks, inspect the wiring harness to the gas valve for shorts, earth leakage or loose connectors, and measure the gas-valve coil resistances and PCB output signals.

3) Typical engineer repairs include repairing/replacing damaged wiring/connectors, replacing the gas valve if it is seized or leaking, or replacing the boiler’s PCB if the control electronics are faulty. A PCB replacement requires correct model-specific setup parameters to be entered so the control knows the boiler variant.

4) After component replacement the engineer will run gas-tightness and combustion checks, set up the PCB parameters where needed, and complete a full gas-safety certificate and flue-gas analysis to confirm safe operation.

Important warnings and final notes:

1) Do not attempt internal electrical or gas repairs yourself. The gas valve and PCB control combustion and must only be handled by a qualified Gas Safe engineer.

2) Repeatedly resetting the boiler to clear the fault can mask a developing failure and may increase the chance of complete loss of service or cause further damage.

3) If the boiler works after a reset, book a Gas Safe engineer promptly; intermittent operation is common with this fault but it will often return and eventually lock out permanently.

4) When the engineer arrives, share photos, timing information, and any history of previous F.61/F.62 faults or recent board/valve work to help speed diagnosis.