Help please, twin keston 130 boilers !!

[charlesa61]

Good morning all,
this is my first post on here so apologies in advance for my general ignorance re Central Heating matters.
I have a large (~ 6,000 sq ft) 16c timber framed house. When I moved in 13 years ago I was advised to have twin Keston K130 boilers fitted to heat ~ 30 radiators, provide hot water and heat a swimming pool for a few months in the summer.
The Kestons have been, frankly, terrible. Virtually everything has been replaced at huge cost and then, a couple of weeks ago, both boilers failed at the same time. They start up ok but although that there appears to be an adequate gas supply reaching the gas valves, the gas isn't passing through the valves. My heating engineer has done all the tests and these are indicating that both gas valves have failed at the same time. These are now obsolete. I have located one at £440 (!).
I phoned the Keston (Ideal) tech line this morning and they said that for both to fail simultaneously would be virtually unheard of.
I know these boilers are clearly at the end of their life but does anyone have any suggestions as to:
(a) a possible short term fix
(b) potential replacements that would offer a more reliable long term solution ?

Many thanks in advance. Please bear in mind that I am extremely ignorant when it comes to water and heating issues !
Best wishes
Charles

 

[Dan Robinson]

How sure are you that they failed simultaneously ? Could one boiler not be coping then fault with the same fault later?

Have been to several multi-sh|tbox, I mean, keston installations where this has happened.

Usually because one boiler is enough, but they were so unbreakable even the installers new better then to leave the customer with just one.


Cut your losses. Change them for something more reliable. A candle perhaps ?

 

[muggles]

If it really is the gas valves that are the issue, a short-term fix isn't going to happen I'm afraid. Time to pull them out and put something better in

 

[charlesa61]

Thanks guys, I agree I need to replace. According to my heating guy all the tests are suggesting it's the valves.

 

[simond]

I would concur that for both gas valves to fail at the same moment it is a frankly unbelievable coincidence, even by Keston stands.

Have you had any electrical work done recently?; I'm thinking of a reverse polarity situation being created.

In terms of replacement, most of our customers for whom we've removed Kestons (they're a gift that just keeps giving) are paranoid about support and reliability. In which case a pair of Bosch units each carrying an 8 year on site parts and labour warranty is usually compelling.

Sure, you could go for something a bit fancy like an ATAG, but the warranty and support isn't as good purely because they've a smaller presence in the UK, although the build quality is superior.

So my recommendation is for a pair of Worcester Bosch units, 7 day call centre, 364 day support, 8 year warranty.

 

[Dan Robinson]

pair of Worcester Bosch units, 7 day call centre, 364 day support, 8 year warranty.

Would prefer a product that didn't need that kind of support personally

 

[simond]

Dan doesn't like Worcester, which is fair enough.

Our own experience, over the last 14 years, is that Worcester products are the most reliable we fit, by a considerable margin. We fit Worcester, Vaillant, Viessmann, ATAG in the domestic and light commercial sector. We don't do bathrooms, WCs etc, just boiler systems and controls.

 

[Dan Robinson]

We don't do bathrooms, WCs et

Neither do we if we can possibly help it

 

[charlesa61]

Thanks very much everyone, really helpful.
Never knew that I would be able to hate a pair of boilers SO much ......

 

[muggles]

Thanks very much everyone, really helpful.
Never knew that I would be able to hate a pair of boilers SO much ......

The particular "joy" of Kestons is that the hatred of them is exponential to the quantity owned, so you hate two four times as much as you hate one! Could be worse, you could have three....

 

[charlesa61]

I think the hatred was multiplied by a factor of 10 on learning the price of the one miserable gas valve that I could find on offer at the bargain price of £440 ! I have a good friend in the village who services Honeywell aircraft electronics and he is going to have a look at these bloody valves for me.......
Best wishes
Charles

 

[muggles]

What part number do you have? I have B04307000
B04307000
B04307000

 

[charlesa61]

I need to check Andrew as I'm not at home at the moment.
Cheers
C

 

[charlesa61]

Yes Andrew, that's the correct part number for the little beauties !
C

 

[muggles]

Did you follow the links? No idea whether either company actually has them in stock, but they're both half the price you've quoted