Worcester Bosch Greenstar Jr 28i combi - problems?

IME WB engineers are generally pretty good and at least you know they won't have to run around looking for spares. They do a £200+ call out for which they replace up to 3 components. Given the cost of spares (pump over £100 etc), this isn't too bad a deal. I've elected to cover mine with a Domestic & General policy, mainly because it includes the heat exchanger and corrosion damage which, from memory, the others weren't too specific about. You pays your money etc.

In article , Stuart Noble writes

Chappy turned up from WB. Rapped a shiny metal cylinder, about half the size of a fire extinguisher, and pronounced it dead.

He'd just used his spare on the previous job and had none left. Coming back in the morning. H'm.

Yes, I had that in mind, thinking ahead. Thank you.

I had a WB 28SiII in my other house, and it was faulty from new (fixed by WB), then went faulty again after about 18 months - "£££ callout fee, Sir" - within a week or so it was knackered again so I asked for stats on the reliability of the components and what they thought was acceptable.

I was quickly offered a reduced rate annual service contract (cheaper than a call-out), and i've had to get it fixed a couple more times since.

Apart from the heat exchanger, I think most parts have been replaced at least once now, and it was only installed about 6 years ago I think (at a push, you'll find the date on google because I posted about it at the time IIRC).

Not impressed with WB TBH, not sure if i'd bother going with them again if an alternative manufacturer could be recommended...

Considering this was a NON-condensing boiler, and they're generally held to be more reliable, it says a lot about the current state of the quality being churned out :-/

In article , Colin Wilson writes

Hmm. A warning worth heeding. Thank you.

WB guy left about half an hour ago. He replaced the heat exchanger and showed me the amount of silt it had had in it. Think I'll get the original fitter back to fit a filter.

Unusual to have that replaced so soon I would have thought. Maybe you're in a very hard water area

In message , Colin Wilson writes

When you find yourself even less impressed with other mfrs report back

they all seem to be knocking out rubbish ATM

cost of spares and after sales service is something you have to look at

WB are not bad

I take it that was the plate heat exchanger (sort of brick-like metal block with 4 holes or pipes on it)?

Silt = black gritty/flakey crud?

Not a specifically W-B pr specifically condensing problem: I routinely have non-condensing Poxi/Battertons doing that.

In article , YAPH writes

No, it was a metal cylinder (like a drinks can on steroids)

Yes, larger grains than sand, black, quite loose, not adhering to anything at all.

Blimey, bad news if that had blocked up.

In article , YAPH writes

I didn't actually get a good look at it as the WB engineer was in and out in a flash of lightning. But I got the impression that one side of the cylinder was rippled (not quite buckled).

He wasn't the friendliest guy in the world but did the job ok, I suppose.