Alpha CD50s anyone got experience of it

[scoobydo123]

Hi,

Currently got an ageing potterton conventional system. Partner wants the boiler out of the spare bedroom as we have another child on the way. Have tested the flow rate of current outlet (19L/min) via 15mm feed to bath tap. Still on an old steel incomming pipe but can have the connection to outside upgraded to MDPE. Boiler will be mounted in the garage with easy access to both feed & return from within the garage ceiling (main run for CH in the two rooms above garage). Also above where the boiler will be sited is a bathroom with bath an 22mm HW feed. Gas meter is 3M away on the opposite side of the garage. Lastly there is a 4 inch waste within 1.5m of the new boiler site for condensate and pressure relief. House has 2 bathrooms, 1 shower and 1 electric shower. Dont expect to run 2 baths at once but potential to have 1 bath and shower but not too fussed if performance is affected.

Have looked at the Alpha and can get it for £1350 inc vat which seems like a reasonable deal but would like to know if anyone has any experience of it. Failing that anything else I should be looking at?


Any help greatly recieved and anyone who covers the essex area more than welcome to PM me to give me a quote please.

 

[gas4you]

Essex is a rather large county. A town or city may receive more attention for a quote

 

[scoobydo123]

Yes might help, Romford.

 

[tomster]

I am also looking at this boiler but haven't seen it at this price, who is doing that deal? I am needing about 45kw which seems to put you into light commercial instead of domestic most of the manufacturers seem to do them but they are £1500+

 

[mehran]

sorry tomster but what do need 45kw for? ch or to meet hot water needs?

as for the OP i would tell him to divide and conquer. forget the cd50 and go for the rinnai water heater(54kw) and heat only boiler.

for example: http://www.rinnaiuk.com/2_Products/1_Twin_Flow/1_Twin_Flow.html

 

[Blooflame]

Why would you want to fit an Alpha?

 

[tomster]

I am looking for a system for heating and hot water for a three storey victorian house, the plumbers I have been speaking to say it needs about 45kw total (high ceilings, uninsulated walls, etc) I wanted a sealed system and unvented hot water cylinder. Domestic boilers seem to go up to 40 or 42kw (Worcester) then you are into light commercial. The two solutions being advised are either two linked boilers (seems like overkill) or putting in a 45-50kw boiler. Vokera technical advised a two boiler linked system rather than their own 50kw commerical and their linking diagram looked like the two boilers fired simultaneously and no additoinal pipework apart from non-return valves. Bosch have a linking diagram with a low loss header and enough pumps to feed the Albert Hall! So I have gone back to thinking about using a single boiler and an Alpha 50 system boiler seemed to fit the bill (apart from the system pump may not have enough head for 3 storeys!)

 

[mehran]

first off...are you sure you need 45kw?

you should do a whole house heatloss calculation to be sure? http://www.idhee.org.uk/calculator.html

if you do find you have has 45kw of heatloss then maybe looking in too insulation would be a good investment.

I have installed a 35kw boiler in a 200 year old 4.5 story house that meets their demands

btw the alpha cd50 is a 32kw boiler with a 50L tank slapped on its side.

 

[D_Hailsham]

I am looking for a system for heating and hot water for a three storey victorian house, the plumbers I have been speaking to say it needs about 45kw total (high ceilings, uninsulated walls, etc)

45kW sound a lot to me. My last house was a 1905 three storey 5 bed semi with solid walls, original single glazed windows etc and it was heated easily by a Potterton Kingfisher 2 CF80 (24kW). I had TRVs on all rads except the hall which had the wall stat. HW was gravity heated but still managed to supply a bath and two showers for six people.

Do a whole house calculation, as Mehran suggested.

So I have gone back to thinking about using a single boiler and an Alpha 50 system boiler seemed to fit the bill (apart from the system pump may not have enough head for 3 storeys!)

Just to correct a misunderstanding that many have. The pump "head" has nothing to do with the height of the house. It's a way of measuring the pressure loss round the heating circuit. Saying that the head is 5 metres is another way of saying that the pressure loss is 0.49bar (49kPa) or 368mm Hg or 7.11psi.

Provided the correct size pipes are used throughout the system a standard 15/50 or 15/60 pump will be OK.

 

[tomster]

Thanks for the info, I have done the whole house calc and it comes out at 41kw but that excluded the extension. My confusion started when I looked at the original boiler which was 64kw!! I did think it strange that it had a standard grundfoss pump on it. The neighbours house has a 35kw combi and they do not have the attic rooms (55m2) that we have. All the plumbers that have looked at the job have come up with figures around 40kw the highest being 45kw so that is why I am looking for a boiler with slightly more that the highest domestic.

BTW the Alpha cd50s is a 50kw system boiler, not the similarly named cd50 combi.

And Blooflame why not fit an Alpha it's not like I am suggesting fitting a Keston.

 

[scoobydo123]

Mehran cannot justify the cost of the Rinnai unfortunatley, and I really dont think I have that much demand. And yes I did get the model wrong so also the price.

Still looking around and open to suggestions

Cheers

 

[C12awa]

Hiya. I have fitted both of the stated boilers (CD50 Combi with HW Storage and also a CD70S, which is the same boiler as the CD50S only a higher output). I fitted the Combi about 4-5 years ago and never heard of any problems from it (was a previous neighbour). Fitted the CD70s about 2 Years ago and she is a regular customer and never heard of any problems with it either.

I really recommend the Alphas as I believe they are a 'Fit & Forget Boiler' which you very rarely get any problems with them.

If you are looking at a good flow rate at your bath an shower then you should maybe consider the flow-smart with the gas saver. I just fitted one and were really impressed with the flow-rate that I got (20 Litres a minute and the hot water temp was about 60oC). The package comes with a CD35C Boiler, Premier Pack, Gas Saver & Flow Smart (All Alpha of course) Totals 6 year guarentee. You can find more info on there website.

I don't think it will work out much dearer than the £1500 you had in mind. (don't quote me on it, Lol).

Cheers,

Alan