Ideal Boiler L2 Fault Code: What It Means and What to Do

L2 on an Ideal boiler means ignition lockout. The boiler has tried to light, couldn't, and has shut itself down. Ideal's guide for its Exclusive 2 says this comes after five failed attempts. Newer models can show the same fault differently: the Logic Combi2 shows L02, and the Logic Max Combi2 and Vogue Max Combi show "Ignition Lockout" on the screen. You'll have no heating or hot water from the boiler until it's cleared, but there are a few things you can check before you call anyone.

If you can smell gas, stop here. Open doors and windows, turn the gas off at the meter if you can, don't smoke or use naked flames, and don't touch electrical switches. Call the National Gas Emergency Service free on 0800 111 999, 24 hours a day.

Check the condensate pipe first

On models such as the Exclusive 2 and Logic Heat2, Ideal's advice for this fault is to check first whether the condensate pipe is blocked. It's the plastic pipe that carries waste water away from the boiler. If it blocks, water builds up and, on these models, the boiler makes a gurgling noise before it locks out. Restart it and Ideal says it will gurgle and lock out again. If it gurgles and the weather isn't freezing, Ideal's fault code page says to contact your installer, as there may be a blockage.

In freezing weather, the cause is usually ice in the part of the pipe that runs outside. You can often thaw it with a hot water bottle, a warm damp cloth or warm water from a watering can, as long as you can reach the frozen section from the ground. Never use boiling water. Ideal says not to try to thaw pipework above ground level, and warns that water you pour can freeze and become a slip hazard. Our guide to a frozen condensate pipe takes you through it.

Check the gas supply

If the pipe isn't the problem, check gas is reaching your home. Ideal suggests three checks:

• See whether your other gas appliances are working.
• If they aren't, or you have no others, check the gas supply is on at the meter.
• If you have a prepayment meter, check it has credit.

Restart the boiler

Once you've done those checks, restart it. On the Exclusive 2, that means pressing the restart button, and the boiler will repeat its ignition sequence if there's a demand for heat. Other Ideal models can differ, so check your manual.

If it lights, keep an eye on it. If it locks out again, leave it there. Pressing reset over and over won't fix the cause.

When to call an engineer

If you've checked those and it still shows L2, the fault needs a Gas Safe registered engineer, because the remaining checks include parts inside the boiler, such as the electrodes and gas valve. Ideal says to contact it if the boiler is still under warranty, and otherwise to contact a Gas Safe engineer. So check your warranty paperwork before you pay for a repair. Ideal can charge a call-out fee if it can't find a fault or the cause is excluded from the warranty.

We repair boilers across Edinburgh and the Lothians. Call us on 0131 644 0045 with the model, the code and what you've already checked, and we'll talk through cost and when we can come out. Our boiler repairs page has more on how a visit works.