veissmann vitodens 100 WB1A boiler problems - give up?

[Agile]

You dont need a new boiler!

That "Viessman engineer" you refer to might just have taken the view that there is scope for further jobs from you and your dirty system.

There is also an attitude of some engineers that customers only want to spend the minimum amount to get things working again. I always list what ideally "should" be done like power flushing on the invoice but rarely get asked to do anything again.

Properly cleaned you boiler and system will give many years of good service.

I will remind you again that all the eight or so Viessmann boilers that all the six early 100 boilers that I have fitted have given no problem yet apart from the ignition units. Thats about 20 boiler years! But unlike your installer I do properly clean the system and I do NOT need to fit any Magnacleans!

Tony

 

[simond]

Well, that is a matter of opinion, Tony.

You mainly specialise in repairs, and I mainly fit new ones.

Whilst your experience has been good, the 100 Series combi boilers (not WB1A heat only) have had a plethora of issues, particularly with the hydroblock. It is numbers game and the numbers of boilers you install aren't going to give a viable figure when scaled up.

The combi hydroblocks suffer a number of issues including a desire to split open filling up the house with water.

Bearing in mind the OPs boiler has been filled up with muck three times over, I question whether in this case it is time to start again.

Let's face it, you aren't going over there to thoroughly clean out the entire boiler internals, and I'm not offering to fit them a new boiler!

 

[Agile]

I dont have any problem cleaning any boiler that I am called to. Chemical internal cleaning is just part of some repairs.

I appreciate that some hose clips do leak, some expansion vessels fail and some hydroblocks split. But none of those have happened yet to any of the eight Viessmann boilers that I have installed and I get called to VERY few Viessmann boilers to repair them! If they were inherently unreliable like Ideal Responses or Icos or Saunier Duvals then I would be getting called to them often.

On that review site which the OP here linked to there is this posting:-

""We have installed over 140 of the newer vitodens 100 boilers within the last 16 months (not the original dover but the newer brussels type) within this time the only issues we have have had have been with the integral remote wireless thermostats which we no longer use, not a single boiler has had a fault upon installation or had any fault other than the odd frozen condense since installation my only criticism is the height of the flue elbow. I would strongly recommend this boiler over any other not only for the quietness of the boiler but for the incredible reliability.""

You would think that Viessmann would send me a spare ignition unit for supporting their products when appropriate. I do have to say that it has often been a struggle for me to get replacement ignition units from them and my local rep seems to be uninterested in their installers. I have heard that some other reps are very helpful and supportive though.

Tony Glazier

 

[simond]

I suggest anyone reading the above clicks on the review centre link to see if this comment is a fair assessment of the general feedback

 

[Agile]

Those review sites do not usually give a fair view of a products reliability. People are more likely to make a complaint than a favourable comment.

Then there are people like the OP here who has clearly had an installer who has not cleaned the system properly and then TWO people who have power flushed his system and left it still full of dirt.

Homeowners are usually unable to differentiate between faults on the boiler caused by failed parts and those caused by the installer or even those who have done subsequent work badly like the power fushing here.

Just today I was called by someone who had their system power flushed ( cheaply ). When I asked what chemicals they had used they were "brands" that I had not even heard of. Its not surprising that they still have problems!

Tony

 

[miacis]

Thanks for interest.

I read the reviews very carefully and it is apparent to me that the unhappy people are ones who got the earlier model that I have. I'm no expert but there seems to have been a pattern of problems similar to mine. Clearly there is a new version which has rave reviews.

I think (fingers crossed) I have found someone local who can do the power flush (highly recommended on another local forum) and I will get that done.

A couple of quetions:
what should I specify - just power flush everything?
A previous person suggested it might be safer to do it chemically rather than using power (sorry if I have got the tech lang wrong guys) in case rads leaked/pipes burst etc - any thoughts?
Plus would all of the faults I have had been down to a dirty system alone?

BTW the Magna clean was cleaned out in Sept and was clean according to him indoors so..no photos though. I will try and persuade him to clean out again tomorrow but it sounds like it being clean is not that significant.

 

[Agile]

I wish you well.

However, based on your past experience of an installer "who was not a cowboy" who obviously did not clean the system properly and then two different people doing power flushes then you had better give a good tip to the fortune teller lady for better luck this time!

I still find it hard to think why you seemed so satisfied with the work done by those people.

Tony

 

[miacis]

The boiler was installed as part of a big building project on the house by our builder who did a really superb job on the refurb.

If anyone has any words of wisdom on the questions I asked esp around the spec for the flush I would be really grateful. I want to give luck a helping hand!

Many thanks (and fingers crossed)

 

[Agile]

The boiler was installed as part of a big building project on the house by our builder who did a really superb job on the refurb.

If you search around this forum you will see that the greatest cause for complaints is when builders are involved in installing boilers.

In fact you are very lucky that, apart from the boiler, the other aspects of the builders work has apparently been satisfactory.

Tony

 

[gas4you]

The early 100 series were a right PITA and still are today.

Luckily they are not very popular in my area, but it seems that control units, the remaining grey ignition modules and the jimmy flapper are still failing at a tremendous rate of knots

Veissmann tech help seem excellent though, IMO, and a standard geographical phone number to boot

 

[mysteryman]

The Vitodens 100 type WB1A did have a higher than expected or desired failure rate, although this was not as bad as some folks say. Bad news travels fast!

It was superseded in 2008 by the Vitodens 100 type WB1B, which is much, much better.

However, if a WB1A is fitted on a clean system, and it has the latest black ignition transformer, it should be reliable.

The Compact Heat Only version does not have a built-in pump or diverter valve anyway.

 

[Agile]

If Viessmann boilers were very unreliable then I would be called to repair more of them!

I have actually repaired more Geminox boilers than Viessmann during the last two years! Thats in spite of being listed on the Viessmann web site.

Tony