Fix an old Vokera Excell 80SP or replace?

[cl000]

Please can someone give me some advice on whether to fix the problem with my old boiler or replace the it entirely.
I have a Vokera Excell 80SP. Since the start of the week, the hot water supply stopped being heated up when I turn the hot water tap on. It starts initially warm for a few seconds and then is cold from then on. The central heating works fine and fires up as the timer controls. There is no hot water even when the boiler is firing for the central heating. I was told that if you had heating then it would heat the hot water anyway.
I have been living in the house for 9 years and have serviced the boiler regularly. I can think of nothing that has happened to cause this fault except the boiler is quite old. Last year (18 months ago) I had the same problem with the hot water not comming on but the engineer replaced the part with a new one and it worked fine since then. I can not remember the part that was replaced nor find the receipt.
As my finances are tight, I would prefer to fix the problem but not if it costs a couple of hundred pounds that could go towards a new boiler.
Can anybody suggest what the problem is and approximately how much it will cost to fix?
I have been reading a lot about the Vaillant ecoTech 831 as a replacement. I am in a 2-bed semi with one bathroom.
Many thanks in advance.

 

[bengasman]

repair it. to replace it properly with a decent boiler will cost you around £2000.

 

[clf-gas]

Get it repaired, will no doubt be the diaphragm at a guess.

 

[DP]

I would always repair/service unless many parts required (because they are faulty not because these are being changed to find the fault), when it becomes economical to replace

 

[Agile]

I would usually repair this fault for £106 in our local area.

Tony

 

[bellairaphon]

diaphragm but id fit new service kit which are roughly £20 and £45-55 labour depending on how nice your brews where

 

[cl000]

Many thanks for all who responded.
I thought I was going to be advised to change the boiler as it is quite old. I've read a lot about how efficient the new ones are and that they would save money in the long run.
I will contact the service engineer and sort it. Thanks again.

 

[DP]

I suspect regular service you talk about is only a spring clean. Service should be as indicated in the manual. To do this would generally mean faultless operation (general wear and tear excepted). I regularly work on Vokeras, some nearly 30 years old, that respond well to a proper service.

Also see new boilers that break down well within the warranty period. Looked at a Vokera Linea HE yesterday which at 8 months was leaking internally.

Tony your charge of £106. How can you be so precise with your charge without checking the boiler. After all, non operation during HW is not only case of faulty diaphragm, but several other components can give similar malfunction. I suspect you will have plenty 'small print' attached to that price.

 

[Agile]

Thats a standard charge which we can quote over the telephone for any diverter valve repair causing no DHW on any boiler ( ex. 24cdi ) but does exclude any additional parts which may be required.

Covers no DHW situations on jammed diverters in the case of the fully in line types.

Tony

 

[cl000]

Just an update for people reading this later.
I had it fixed and "serviced" (but actually looked like he just vacuumed the box) and it cost me £105.
The problem was the rubber diaphragm valve, which probably cost £1. The service guy said that the water had caused the rubber to develop 2 holes that caused the problem.
Still it's fixed and seems to be working well. Hopefully, this time for longer than the 13 months when it was fixed the last time.

Thanks once again to those who gave their time and advice.

 

[gas4you]

Most diaphragms will need replacing about every 3rd service to maintain reliable HW service.

 

[numpty1]

when i worked on these it was company policy to change the hw diaphram on a full service,some diaphrams just last 12 months in parts of london.good boiler that will last years if looked after properly

 

[DP]

It would have been a good idea to remove rubber deposits from the manifold, clean the check valve within and also strip, clean and lube the diverter section.

Stiff diverter operation puts greater strain on domestic manifold. Rubber contamination on check valve and manifold will lead to early demise of new diaphragm.

Look at the manual. It tells you what should be done during service. Hoovering the CC is not a service.