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Heat pumps · Error codes · Glow-worm
F.283Glow-worm · GeniaAir (HA x-7.1 O)

F.283 on a Glow-worm GeniaAir: De-icing was unsuccessful

Short answer

On a Glow-worm heat pump, F.283 means: De-icing was unsuccessful. The heat pump stops until the fault clears or is reset. An engineer is needed to fix the cause.

Reviewed 23 September 2026 · 1 source

What it means

The manual says: De-icing was unsuccessful.

Part involved: De-icing was unsuccessful.

Likely causes:

  • Electric back-up heater not sufficient or not available; insufficient heat energy in the house installation (heating circuits closed during de-icing); ice formation on the evaporator.
  • Glow-worm trade page: De-icing was unsuccessful Electric back-up heater is not sufficient or is not available at all, insufficient heat energy in the house installation, ice formation on the evaporator.

Is it safe?

Does the heat pump stop?Yes
SeverityFault — needs a manual reset once the cause is fixed
Engineer needed?Yes

The heat pump stops until the fault clears or is reset.

Resetting itself: no - the fault remains displayed until the cause is eliminated.

Manual reset: yes - after the cause is eliminated, press the reset button (indoor unit) or reset via the system control; if it recurs after several resets contact customer service.

What you can check

  • Note the full code and text shown on the display (and the date/time it appeared). Make sure all heating circuits/radiator valves are open. Check the outdoor unit for heavy ice or snow build-up and clear snow from around it (do not chip ice off the fins or open the casing). Glow-worm's MiPro Sense operating instructions say always contact your competent person in the event of a fault message; until they arrive you may select a limp-home (back-up heater) setting on the control, which is expensive to run.

What the engineer will check

  • Check the setting for the electric back-up heater; check the heating circuit setting and ensure all heating circuits are open during de-icing; check the outdoor unit for ice formation and remove any ice plates.

Who to ask for: Vaillant-trained heat pump installer/engineer (MCS-certified installer).

Certification: MCS installer certification; Vaillant product training recommended.

What you might notice

Sources

A code explains what the controller detected, not a confirmed root cause.

Reviewed: 23 September 2026