Potterton E160 fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
The fan is not running at the speed the appliance expects, so the burner is locked out. This needs an engineer.
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What E160 means
E160 stops the burner because the appliance cannot confirm its fan is turning at the commanded speed. What is worth understanding about this code on a Potterton specifically is the economics rather than the mechanism. These appliances are old, they are disproportionately in rented and social housing, and the decision that follows an E160 is usually not "how do we fix it" but "is this boiler worth another part". A fan on a Promax is a few hundred pounds fitted. On an appliance that has already had a pump and a diverter valve, that money is a meaningful fraction of a replacement — and the replacement comes with a guarantee and an efficiency gain that a fifteen-year-old Promax cannot match. There is a second Potterton-specific point in your favour: because the range shares componentry with Baxi across a very large installed base, fans are readily available and rarely a special order. Whatever is decided, it should not take a week to get the part.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| Bearings finally given up | On an appliance of this vintage the fan has usually done well over a decade of duty cycles. Failure here is expected wear rather than bad luck. | Common |
| Speed signal lost at the connector | The tachometer feed corroding or working loose. Worth insisting is checked, because it is the difference between a call-out charge and a new fan. | Occasional |
| Something in the flue terminal | Nesting material or debris altering the resistance the fan pushes against. Common where a terminal sits under an eave with no guard fitted. | Occasional |
| Board no longer reading the feed | On a Promax this is where the sums usually stop making sense, since a board plus a fan approaches replacement territory. | Rare |
Can you fix it yourself?
Stop — this needs an engineer
What it costs to fix
Typical repair cost
£180–£420
A fan assembly is £280 to £420 fitted. A connector repair or flue clearance is a call-out charge of £80 to £140.
Typical UK prices including parts and labour, updated August 2026. Your quote may differ.
What other owners found
Nobody has shared what worked for them on this code yet. If you have had it, you would be the first — and it genuinely helps the next person.
Related Potterton fault codes
- E130Get it checkedThe flue gas thermostat has tripped on high temperature. It usually means heat is not getting into the water where it belongs.Related: fan and flue
- C6 224Get it checkedThe fan is not reaching the speed the boiler asked for, so combustion cannot be confirmed as safe and the burner has been prevented from firing.Related: fan and flue
- E16Get it checkedThe control board cannot confirm the fan is running at the speed it asked for, so it will not let the burner light. This one needs an engineer.Related: fan and flue
- F.32Get it checkedThe fan is not running at the speed the boiler expects, so combustion cannot be verified as safe and the boiler has locked out.Related: fan and flue
- E160Get it checkedThe fan is not running at the speed the appliance expects. Baxi direct engineers to check the fan and its cable, in that order.Related: fan and flue
- F3Get it checkedThe fan is not running at the speed the boiler expects, so it cannot confirm the flue is clearing and has stopped the burner firing.Related: fan and flue
Related guides
Common questions about Potterton E160
Is it worth putting a fan in a fifteen-year-old Promax?
Ask what else the appliance has had recently. One fan on an otherwise sound boiler is easy value. A fan following a pump and a gas valve inside three years is a boiler telling you something, and at that point a comparison quote for a replacement is the sensible spend.
Will they have the part, or am I waiting a week in the cold?
Almost certainly in stock. The Potterton and Baxi ranges share components across an enormous UK installed base, so fans for the Promax are stock items for merchants and most engineers rather than something ordered in.
I am a tenant and I reported the noise months ago. Where do I stand?
Keep the record. A landlord has a duty to keep the heating in repair, and a documented report of a developing fault that was not acted on matters if the boiler then fails in midwinter. Put any further chase in writing rather than by phone.
Sources and how we verified this
We establish the facts from the sources below and then write the explanation ourselves. We do not copy manufacturer wording and we do not host their manuals.
- Manufacturer technical and service documentation
- Interviews with working engineers
Checked by Technical reviewer (Gas Safe registration to be displayed on appointment) on 5 August 2026.