New Vailent ecoTec exclusive Green - how does it compare?

[dishman]

In the market for a new combi soon. Just a single bathroom and combined bath and shower. So a combi should be a good fit. It will replace my dying 20 year old combi which has to be ripped out anyway.

Looking at their current line up, without being in the trade, the variations are all quite confusing and they do not really make it clear what the differences are and why in their combi range.

There is the new one I mention in the title, which has impressive credentials, a good warranty and good flow rates (assuming good mains pressure and flow I assume) and 1:10 modulation.

Then there is the Ecotec plus, the Ecotec pro and the Ecotec pure. Which I assume are some form of Deluxe, midrage and budget options.

But, I cannot decipher from the stats, what the major differences are. I will be looking over the literature in my own time but I wondered if there were any Vailent specialists around to give a basic comparison.

I know some have copper rather than plastic innards and things like that. What other things should one be looking at?


How does the new one stack up in terms of quality of components and performance. Or is it a too good to be true, more things to go wrong job.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[muggles]

They've all got a certain amount of plastic in them - even the Exclusive contains rubber hoses, a plastic flow switch and plastic pump hydroblock. They're also very expensive, but yes the modulation is good. If you want a durable all metal boiler which will last another 20 years you need an Intergas. If you want a reasonably well built boiler with great modulation look at the 20:1 Viessmann 200W. What size is your house?

 

[bernardgreen]

If you want a durable all metal boiler you need an Intergas.

Other durable all metal boilers are available.

 

[DP]

Other durable all metal boilers are available.

Bernard, care to expand on your thoughts?

 

[dishman]

It is a 3 bed semi, 1950s, so a bit larger then most but still modest.

 

[bernardgreen]

Bernard, care to expand on your thoughts?

One reason for using plastic or rubber is when flexiblity is need to accomodate differential expansion of metal parts that are rigidly bolted together to form a "ring".

Heating one side of a metallic ring to a higher temperature than the other side will create different expansion and thus a distortion in the ring and thus stress in the metal. Repeated temperature cycling leads to metal fatigue which can further lead to fractures in the metal.

The various parts of a boiler may be bolted together form a closed "ring." Replacing a length of duct or pipe with a flexible duct or pipe will break the metallic ring and thus remove thermally induced stress.

 

[DP]

Bernard, your theory most likely valid for humongous boilers, but the humble baby boiler that heats most houses is adequately bolted without resorting to expansion joints

 

[Hason]

If it's the new Vaillant iq you need a min of 11 Liters per min to fully test, nightmare to repair in the future due to internal pipe work lay out, went on the course and didn't seem impressed!!