Joining the Renewable Heating Hub forums is completely free and only takes a minute. By registering you’ll be able to ask questions, join discussions, follow topics you’re interested in, bookmark useful threads and receive notifications when someone replies. Non-registered members also do not have access to our AI features. When choosing your username, please note that it cannot be changed later, so we recommend avoiding brand or product names. Before registering, please take a moment to read the Forum Rules & Terms of Use so we can keep the community helpful, respectful and informative for everyone. Thanks for joining!
Vaillant Arotherm Plus problem
Morning, My ASHP has decided to switch itself off this morning, the SensoCOMFORT reports "Mode: Back-up Boiler if fault occurs. HP Call the competent person."
As my competent person is my bankrupt installer and we don't have a back up boiler I have no idea what to do (Vailant's help line doesn't open until Monday). System water pressure is good and the HP was working fine until 45 mins or so ago.
Any ideas.
My initial response in all issues with heat pumps is to check the filter and see if it’s restricting flow. I’ll pass your issue over to Vaillant tomorrow.
Is the message really that you need to contact a “competent” person. That’s really funny if it is.
🔥 Britain’s Heat Pump Shitshow
How Installing a Heating System Became a National Nervous Breakdown
Free UK shipping.
Rewritten and updated for 2027
📘 From Zero to Heat Pump Hero
🛠️ Bodge Buster
New to heat pumps?
Take the Heat Pump Fundamentals course and use INTRO50 at checkout for 50% off.
Yup that's exactly what it is telling me! 🙂 Just got a fault code of F.788 (pump) from the main unit in the garage.
Posted by: @witchcraftMorning, My ASHP has decided to switch itself off this morning, the SensoCOMFORT reports "Mode: Back-up Boiler if fault occurs. HP Call the competent person."
As my competent person is my bankrupt installer and we don't have a back up boiler I have no idea what to do (Vailant's help line doesn't open until Monday). System water pressure is good and the HP was working fine until 45 mins or so ago.
Any ideas.
Looking at the manual it would appear that F.788 is in relation to the water pump external to the heat pump unit. Try carrying out the checks detailed in the fault code list.
Also try the reset procedure as detailed on pages 37/38 of the manual.
If all else fails switch the power off for 10 minutes then restart the system.
Posted by: @editorIs the message really that you need to contact a “competent” person. That’s really funny if it is.
My Vaillant is the same, always makes me smile when I see that. The installer can fill in their own details on the system so it will tell you who to call; my installer didn't bother, possibly because even he didn't think he was competent 🤣
Posted by: @editorMy initial response in all issues with heat pumps is to check the filter and see if it’s restricting flow. I’ll pass your issue over to Vaillant tomorrow.
Is the message really that you need to contact a “competent” person. That’s really funny if it is.
Tut Tut Editor, are you saying that the forum members are not competent? 🤣
As I have been advising Junior Engineers for many years, 'If all else fails, read the instructions'. 😎
@derek-m, if my heat pump had had the same great advice, my first port of call wouldn’t have been to call the local farmer every time we’ve had heat pump hiccups 😂
🔥 Britain’s Heat Pump Shitshow
How Installing a Heating System Became a National Nervous Breakdown
Free UK shipping.
Rewritten and updated for 2027
📘 From Zero to Heat Pump Hero
🛠️ Bodge Buster
New to heat pumps?
Take the Heat Pump Fundamentals course and use INTRO50 at checkout for 50% off.
Sorted, found out its fault code F.788 - pump not running. The controller manual fault section (left in my garage by the installer muppets) suggested switching it all off for 30 sec and restating it and its all fixed and we have a warm house. I might have a career as a central heating engineer. Thanks for the feedback everyone.
You can always download the manuals, which is what I do. Just make certain that you have the correct one for your model.
The installers should have provided you with a handover pack, including the manuals, along with instruction of how to operate your system. Unfortunately it is quite often the case that this does not happen.
I am very pleased to hear that you have resolved your problem. Switch it off, count to ten and switch it back on, is a technique I have used extensively on industrial control systems. You would be surprised how many times it has resolved the problem. Sometimes the software just gets its knickers in a twist.
If the fault should appear again then check and clean any filters. Also check any plugs and sockets for loose connections.
@derek-m Handover pack, hmmm a handover of any sort would have been nice 🙂 Thankfully they left a full set of Vaillant docs along with the coke cans and general crap in my garage when they "finished". I did get a compressed file of my room surveys, etc, too after I whinged about it.
- 27 Forums
- 2,758 Topics
- 64.9 K Posts
- 1,983 Online
- 7,162 Members
Join Us!
Installer Finder
Degrees of Separation
Latest Posts
-
RE: Where heat loss surveys seem to go against practical reality
@cathoderay I started to record oil usage per month on ...
By ian33a , 41 minutes ago
-
RE: Next steps on my ASHP journey: Radiators and Pipework
@bobflux The hydraulic simulator is very interesting...
By Rob of York , 4 hours ago
-
RE: 7kW EV Charger Options Advice
Thanks. Yes, we have patchy 4G. The only option we had ...
By Rusty , 9 hours ago
-
-
RE: Being screwed over by Volkswagen Audi Group
Thanks, @batpred. That integration is the one I have in...
By Majordennisbloodnok , 1 day ago
-
RE: How Accurate Is My DIY Heat Loss Calculation?
@batpred I suspect it will be more this year. I had 9 ...
By AndrewJ , 1 day ago
-
RE: Surface mount or bury primaries for heat pump installation?
@jamespa It's rusting 🙂
By tomasmcguinness , 1 day ago
-
RE: Glass lined Cylinder for private water supply
Thank you, once again, for your replies. Yes...
By ian33a , 1 day ago
-
It’s been out a few days and Amazon has already attache...
By Mars , 1 day ago
-
RE: Missing flow temperature in Heat Geek proposal
Yes, and this is another point I agree. We did find a f...
By Batpred , 1 day ago
-
RE: Problems with sizing a replacement for a Viessmann Vitocal 200-S
A very good point. In effect, the DHW pipework is an em...
By cathodeRay , 2 days ago
-
RE: Solar Power Output – Let’s Compare Generation Figures
@tim441 Here are those same three month periods for 202...
By Toodles , 3 days ago
-
RE: Adding additional Solar Panels to a DC coupled battery system
@transparent thank you for your reply above. As alway...
By Old_Scientist , 4 days ago
-
RE: Adventures in heat loss calculations
@rob-of-york — thanks for posting this, all very useful...
By cathodeRay , 6 days ago






