Powermax 155

[nickso]

well without seeing the corrosion a comment can not really be made.
in my opinion bg are not up to standards at repairing these machines,most other repair guys will not want to work on these.

You must be joking, almost all bg guys have received powermax specific training and more safety and technical bulletins and updates than you can imagine , they have absolutley no intention of being caught out by one of these again.

sorry, but i would take that with a pinch of salt. the training recived while reasonably comprehensive in its theory was woefully short in practical training. most BG guys who do not regularly work on a powermax are likely to **** themselves if they ever get a random one on their patch. thankfully i dont work on them often but i get the fear when i get one and generally do far more than is required, and if i dont have the gasket kit in the van i dont even bother going, i replan it. im lucky in that i used to own a powermax even though i only opened it twice in two years.

the general message to BG guys was if you dont feel 100% confident dont even bother, pass it on to a sucker who is.

 

[ollski]

We have 90's estates full of them so I may be a little complacent, but they are simple units. Really what practical time do you need on them?, once you have your head round the sequence of operation and the fact you need to fga 2 seals they are less complicated than a modern condenser.

 

[nickso]

We have 90's estates full of them so I may be a little complacent, but they are simple units. Really what practical time do you need on them?, once you have your head round the sequence of operation and the fact you need to fga 2 seals they are less complicated than a modern condenser.

thats the whole point though, you either have an entire estate full of them or you have the one PM on the patch that everyone dreads going to. our patch is split in two and the younger guys on my patch, which has three PM's i can think of, carp themselves due to the hype. i agree they are not particularly complicated but there is a stigma attached now.

TBH the newer ones are more of pain then the old ones. at least everything was reasonably accessible on the old ones, that sump affair on the newer ones is a pain in the arse.

 

[baxpoti]

There is a flange on the bottom of the cylinder which is the plate fixes to (guessing with some sort of gasket used). This flange is what has corroded heavily.

What sort of cost would I be looking at to get baxi out.

I wouldn't bother if it's badly corroded, they will only tell you what you already know.

 

[mrperfect]

just a quick reply to simond,i am not luis or any other alais,i specialise in boilers thay many engineers run away from,espically older powermax;s.
i currently work 3 days a week in the uk just doing powermax;s and imported dutch boilers for insurance companies and a contractor for companies doing social houseing work.
i carry all spares for powermax;s and gurantee a first fix on the first visit as long as the boiler has been serviced to the makers instructions.
ok back to the original subject,the only powermax i have seen which was beyond repair was one which was in a property which was not occupied for 18 months,where rain water got into boiler from an incorrecly fitted flue,this built up in the sump,water level was well above fga test point and bottom of turburlators were wet.
this caused the flue pipe/connector clamp to corrode the flue pipe was actually only held in position with corrosion,so this one was non repairable.
so you guys please keep snapping off the screws which connect the burner to heat exchanger and telling your customers to get a new boiler.

 

[simond]

Well, if Mr Perfect offers a guaranteed first fix I suggest the OP calls him out from the Netherlands.

I note he carries all the parts and has only had one occasion where the boiler could not be mended. This is an incredibly good track record and I can't see how the householder can lose.

It really is an indication of the state of our repair companies in the UK that this one man can traverse the length and breadth of the British Isles, carrying parts and using techniques that are not available to us or the manufacturer, to keep these old stalwarts running.

I take my hat off to you.

 

[nickso]

the only powermax i have seen which was beyond repair .

so are you saying that the OP's boiler which has heavy corrosion on a seemingly obsolete part is repairable or are you just waffling?

 

[Spiddy6969]

If he thinks he can fix it he can get himself here pronto. Everyone else is invited to watch.
Also if you have all the obselete spare parts you should go into business in the uk selling them.

 

[simond]

I'm well up for it, thanks for the invite.

I imagine he would need a nearby phone box to change in.

A Dutch superman with two speeds, slow and stop.

 

[OvertonPlumber]

Im guessing you live in woking on the site of the old victoria hospital opposite the council offices.
The overall problem that the upper flats have there is that the upstairs of the flat is in the roof therefore there are no outside walls to go out off.
The roof is inaccesable as its four- five stories up and beyond the scope of the average installer. The only option is to relocate the boiler from it central position on the top floor to the floor below onto an outside wall. This is not a simple job hence the values quoted.
An obvious consideration would be an electric boiler to cater for dhw and heating. However one big enough would require a 45 amp main feed and 2 16 amps for the immersions which doesn't really leave you much for the ringmain. So electric boilers are only really a option at the time of building these blocks.
In all honesty if i was buying a place like yours id have been happy to pay a plumber say £75 to give me a quick heads up on the unusual boiler.

Oh theres no boiler available that will just slip into its place as i believe(correct if i'm wrong) that the powermax155s in your block use a bastard size aluminium vertex fluing arrangment where the combustion air is collected from a ventilated roof space and the P.O.C vent out of a proprietary ridge vent. All this being non condensing.

 

[Spiddy6969]

No I am in Guildford near woodstreet. I am in a 1st floor flat (top floor). The boiler is currently situated in a cupboard and the flue goes up through atic space (which I have access to within my flat). A new boiler would need to be situated within this cupboard. I have 1 exterior wall and there is no suitable position to mount a boiler let a lone get gas and mains water to it.

I feel I have been very much over quoted as being a mechanical engineer I do not see the complication. All the services (gas, water) are within this cupboard including a condense drain piped to outside (guessing that can be re-used). What I believed to have bumped up the cost is roof work required to make good around a new flue.

Is there a maximum length that a verticle flue can be. I imagine the flue to go up 2m, 90 bend accross 2m, then 90 bend up a further 3.5m out through pitched roof.

I am now looking at purchasing a combi boiler through my work at trade with discount. I have 6 rads, bathroom and sperate en-suit with shower. The mains pressure here is very good. Any suggestions on a good reliable boiler. I will most probably be buying through plumb centre.

 

[simond]

If you haven't already done so, I would advise hiring an installer who is prepared to fit your own supplied boiler, before buying it.

Many installers aren't interested in fitting 'customer supplied' boilers. The reasons for this are many and have been covered on this forum a few million times already.

If you use a large Vaillant for instance, you will be into 125mm flue territory. Current Worcester Highflow can't be done.

 

[OvertonPlumber]

hi spiddy, as a general rule of thumb most twinwall condensing flues like vailant/ gloworm can go 10 mtrs vertical no problems.
Longer runs than that can be done with keston boilers twin flues 50mm and plastic 20-30 mtrs.
Whats the access to the roof like? I take it the existing flue goes to ridge.
A new combi boiler wouldnt have to go that far just say 3-4 tiles up the roof.
I'm a central heating installer based in the woking area from a reputable family company that has been established over 30 years.
Fully corgi registered and insured etc. Ive been known to install at weekends for special prices If you get stuck give me a shout.

 

[simond]

Put a Keston in, and he'll need your mobile number.

 

[Agile]

. Ive been known to install at weekends for special prices If you get stuck give me a shout.

Why are you not able to install during the week?