Vaillant ecoTEC F61 fault code

Vaillant F61 fault code explained

One of the most common Vaillant boiler fault codes is the F61 error code. If you have a Vaillant ecoTEC boiler there is a good chance you may experience this fault code at some point. This fault code can cause your Vaillant boiler to stop working, leaving you without central heating or hot water.

If you look in the Vaillant ecoTEC installation manual under the F61 fault code it states the following;

“Fault: Fuel valve actuation – The gas valve assembly cannot be actuated”.

On all boilers including the Vaillant ecoTEC range of boilers, they have a printed circuit board which controls every process that happens on the boiler. They also have a gas valve which controls the flow of gas going to the burner.

The printed circuit board on a boiler controls every single operation the boiler does. It receives inputs from all the sensors and applies power to the various components such as the fan and gas valve.

It also has fail safes built into to ensure that the boiler operates safely, when a serious failsafe is triggered the boiler is designed to shut down and display a fault code. The F61 is a failsafe which is trying to say that there may be an issue with the printed circuit board and/or gas valve.

The F61 fault code on a Vaillant ecoTEC boiler can be caused by several things but is usually a faulty circuit board or a faulty gas valve. Often it is because the printed circuit board is starting to fail or has failed completely.

This is sometimes because the transformers on the printed circuit board start to fail which affects the voltage on the circuit board. As such the printed circuit board can detect this and will often display a fault code as an indicator as to what might be wrong.

This is why it is important to get a suitable Gas Safe registered heating engineer with experience on Vaillant ecoTEC boilers, otherwise you could waste money fitting parts that are unnecessary.

When to call a gas engineer to fix your boiler

If you are experiencing the F61 fault code on your Vaillant 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.

Because the F61 fault code can be caused by several different faulty parts, it is extremely important to get a suitable heating engineer with experience on Vaillant ecoTEC boilers, otherwise you could end up wasting money fitting parts to your boiler that are unnecessary.

Often you will be able to reset your boiler if its showing and F61 fault code, but in general this is just a short term solution and usually your boiler will stop working altogether at some point, leaving you without hot water and heating.

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

How to prevent the F61 fault code

A lot of the time certain faults on a Vaillant ecoTEC boiler can be prevented with regular annual servicing and maintenance. However this is often not possible with the F61 fault code as often it is the printed circuit board that fails which is a non serviceable component of the boiler.

While servicing your boiler a good engineer with experience working on Vaillant ecoTEC boilers might be able to tell if your circuit board is coming to the end of its life.

As such they can recommend replacing the printed circuit board as a preventative maintenance measure, to ensure your boiler doesn’t stop working when you need it most – like in the middle of winter.

First generation Vaillant ecoTEC boilers made from 2005 – 2011, will often exhibit certain behaviours when the printed circuit board is starting to fail – good Vaillant trained engineers know exactly what to look for!

Vaillant ecoTEC boilers affected by the F61 fault code

The F61 fault code on Vaillant ecoTEC boilers can affect any combination, system or heat-only boiler.

So this fault code can be found on any Vaillant ecoTEC Pro combination boilers, any ecoTEC plus 800 Series combination boilers, any ecoTEC plus 600 series system boilers and any 400 series heat-only boilers.

Below is a list of ecoTEC boilers affected by the F61 fault code;

• ecoTEC Pro 24 and ecoTEC Pro 28 natural gas combination boilers
• ecoTEC Plus 800 Series 824, 828, 831, 837 and 937 natural gas combination boilers
• ecoTEC Plus 800 Series 825, 832, 835, 838 and 938 natural gas combination boilers
• ecoTEC Plus 600 Series 612, 615, 618, 624, 630 and 637 natural gas system boilers
• ecoTEC Plus 400 Series 415, 418, 428 and 438 natural gas heat-only boilers

Frequently asked questions:

Is my boiler showing an F61 fault code worth repairing ?

Yes most of the time your broken Vaillant ecoTEC boiler displaying an F61 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 Vaillant ecoTEC boilers, to make an assessment of your boiler so you can determine whether it is worth fixing not.

Can I repair the F61 fault code myself?

No unfortunately not, in most cases repairing the F61 fault code will 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.

You may be able to reset your boiler and it may work for some time, but it will more than need a repair at some point.

Is the F61 fault code dangerous?

No the F61 fault code is not inherently dangerous.

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

In general if you have an F61 fault code you will be able to reset your boiler for a period of time but then it will probably stop working altogether.

The F61 fault code is often indicative of an issue with the printed circuit board, which is the most important part of the boiler as it controls everything.

As such if your boiler is coming up with an F61 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 Vaillant boilers.