Condensing system/combi boiler recommendations?

[OldBill]

Anyone care to recommend any particular current make/range? This is to replace ancient Potterton Netaheat 16kW in well insulated 4 bed detached house. The hot water cylinder and loft storage tank to be retained. If combi is used the hot water flow rate is not important as it will only be used to feed kitchen.

I have read Ed Sirett's faq on picking a boiler but finding out which of those features boilers actually have is hard work. e.g. Alpha have been mentioned here but their very annoying website is not very illuminating.

[Doctor Drivel]

Why? What is your mains pressue and flow like? How amny baths, showers, etc. Give as much info as possible to avoid a to and fro.

You don't have abathroom? :-)

The FAQ is about 20 years behind.

[John]

We've got an Alpha CD32C and it's brilliant. Can't understand why you're having problems with the Alpha website. If you want tech. specs and comparisons of their products, simply hover over "Boilers - High Efficiency Range" and when sub-menu pops out, click on "Feature / Technical Comparisons", then, in the right-hand pane, click on "Click here to launch comparisons table"

John.

[OldBill]

I have that here printed out in all its fine colours, but it answers few points in Ed's faq. e.g what is heat exchanger made from? For some of their boilers you can download pdfs with more info but not others. Why is their website cramped in such a small window? perhaps its designed for pda users..

[OldBill]

... mains pressure & flow are good. 2 bathrooms. Pumped showers over baths are fine with current arrangement. Want to keep stored water tank in loft. Some time ago in another property I used a combi as a system boiler in a similar setup because it was actually cheaper. I believe you recommended this at the time... Not sure what current models are in favour, went into local trade place who had 5 or 6 condensing boilers at good prices but mainly turned out to be re-hashed combis with extra heat exchanger bolted on. They sell 'em "because the trade are familiar with them"

[Doctor Drivel]

Why? To have toilets running in case of a water cut? In one arrangement I suggested keep the tank supplying only the toilets and cold to the baths, as the baths would not have mixer taps. Then a supply of water in case. Then a combi doing the hot water and the mains doing the rest of the cold supplies.

Yep. they can be .

No.because the trade don't know any difference and they get a big discount on this cheap crap.

[Doctor Drivel]

Worcester-Bosch sell the Greenstar range of aluminium silicon coated heat exchangers. Great boilers.

I managed to download the installation instructions. The heat exchanger is stainless steel.