New Boiler Recommendations

[Andrew May]

Ok, I am sure this has been asked many times before but I am interested in what the current view is.

It snowed here Saturday night so its cold. Sunday morning the boiler failed to light and then with an electrical type bang failed completely. Its a fifteen year old Ideal Minimiser so I don't think that the snow and boiler failure are necessarily related.

If it cannot be repaired it will need to be replaced. I was hoping to avoid that until next year when I need to move it but we need heat so I may need to install a new one then move it to a new location next year.

So what is the current best recommendation of an ordinary condensing boiler? Not a system boiler and not a combination.

Andrew

[Andrew May]

I should add that something with the flow and return connections at the top right and gas connection at the bottom left would be preferred.

[Mathew Newton]

I would recommend against biasing your search for that reason as many boilers have a stand-off mounting bracket available to allow alternative pipework routing behind them even if they can't be run around the side.

Mathew

[John Rumm]

Open vented or sealed system?

[Fredxx]

If you're moving soon, why replace the boiler?

Why do you think it's not repairable? As long as you don't ask a plumber it can be repaired. Plumbers hate repairing boilers and love to fit a new one, which in general is 1/2 days work, for which they make a lot of profit.

[Andrew May]

The boiler's moving, not me. It probably is repairable but its fifteen years old, very rusty inside (the Minimiser was one of the first condensing boilers and as I understand it had several design flaws). It sounds as if the control board has failed and I know that one of the screws holding the gas pipe to the gas valve has rusted in. if this cannot be removed then that is probably a new gas valve as well. Since the intention is to replace it later in the year then there must be a point where it is cheaper to replace it now and face the cost of moving it later.

[Andrew May]

Sealed.

[Fredxx]

I misunderstood. I've been lucky buying old boiler bits and pieces off eBay.

Not sure what you mean by "screws holding the gas pipe"? Perhaps its a case of moving boiler and a section of pipe?

[Scion]

Andrew May spake thus:

Have a look at Worcester Bosch, the Greenstar I put in four years or so back had the gas inlet bottom left and the flow/return top right, although they could also be routed bottom right. Mine was for a vented circuit but the specs for all the range are available on the WB web site.

[John Rumm]

The Vaillant 400 series open vent boilers can be run into a sealed system as well. They are nicely made and well laid out.

(gas connection is at the bottom middle, and flow/return top left on those)

[Andy Cap]

I's also thinking about a new boiler in the summer and keeping an eye open for this kind of advice but on sticking Vaillant 400 series into Google, immediately come across a 'micro-firing' problem when using weather compensation, which Vaillant refuse to acknowledge. Are there any boilers that are reliable and aren't going to cost an arm and a leg to keep going for more than 10 years say ?

Andy C

[John Rumm]

Yup there are known issues with those and weather compensation. The system equivalents (6xx series) don't have the problem though.

[usenet2012]

In message , John Rumm writes

Would you recommend a Vaillant over a WB? (needing to replace our Potterton in the very near future).

[John Rumm]

I don't have access to any significant amount data to give an informed answer really. When I was doing the research myself, I got the impression that WB had slipped a little in perception among regular fitters, and there were some specific features that I wanted that the Vaillant provided. Hence that is why I chose one for myself. Others may also be coming up on the rails like Gloworm since they are now owned by Vaillant group, and the design of recent models shows lots of commonality with some of the Vaillant models.

[geoff]

In message , Andrew May writes

I have given up telling people to go for quality - just go for the longest warranty you can get (7 years?)