High
E40 on Potterton Powermax HE

Your boiler has detected that a temperature sensor responsible for monitoring water returning to the unit has disconnected or broken, preventing it from running safely.

Call an engineer soon

Book a Gas Safe engineer within 24 to 48 hours. Your boiler may be unsafe or could break down completely if left.

What the manual says

Manufacturer manual

Return sensor open circuit. Check cable/connections not damaged. Renew sensor/cable. Check connections on control

Shared across the Powermax HE range
This code is shared by the boilers in this range, which use the same control board. It may not be printed in this exact variant’s manual.
Plain-English guidance below. Severity, DIY steps, costs and parts are our interpretation to help you act, not text from the manual.

What causes this fault?

This fault occurs when the boiler's control board loses communication with the sensor that monitors water temperature returning from your radiators. This is typically caused by the internal sensor failing due to age or the electrical wiring connecting it to the main board becoming loose or corroded. Because the boiler can no longer monitor these temperatures to prevent overheating, it shuts down as a safety precaution.

Engineer required

This is a high severity fault. Stop using the boiler and call a Gas Safe registered engineer. Do not attempt gas-related repairs yourself.

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Related fault codes

All 59 fault codes on the Powermax HE

Seeing a different code? Every code this model can display, in one place.

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