Vokera Excell 80SP - replace?

[mcdermc]

Hi All,

I am currently swithering on replacing or retaining my current combi boiler.

As it is the boiler is working although the hot water can take a bit of time to come through and the bath tap has to be pretty low flow to get the water hot enough for a bath. Weirdly enough I have noticed a difference in this after having a radiator replaced. It is now marginally better than it was.

I've been quoted £1300 for a like for like replacement. I'm awaiting details on the model but know that it is another vokera.

I currently pay almost £30 per month for BG homecare and feel that I'm being a wee bit shafted there although they have been out and repaired it in the past but not in the last 12-18 months or so. They recommended me to replace the boiler the last time they were out as it was on its last legs and parts were obsolete. It's still going and I'm glad I didn't take them up on paying £3500 for the privilege!

So, should I replace the boiler? DP I'd be particularly interested in your input here. I've been googling about to try and get an idea and you seem to be very knowledgeable on these boilers.

I'm thinking cancel the homecare element and save that outlay plus more and replace the boiler when it eventually goes. I'm reluctant to replace something that is essentially working. More than that, I think this boiler is 20+ years old and doubt any replacement would last that long.

Any tips for getting the flow rate better on the hot water too? I'd really like a wireless control downstairs to - is it possible to retrofit these on to older systems?

Apologies I'd this isn't the right place but I've been reading various threads for hours without a resolution hence the post!

Thanks in advance to all that are able to contribute.

 

[DP]

First thing I will say is £1300 squid will buy you a pig in a poke!
If a boiler is going to cost a ton, system needs to be spotles irrespective of what is proposed, additional plumbing (condensate) will need fitting, for increased flow rate most likely the gasoline will need replacing, what kind of profit is your fitter going to make from £300 unless boiler fitted is a Pound Shop jobbie that will be a liability once it starts acting up

Second is, if the excel was serviced as it should, it will continue to give years of reliable operation. I tell my customers to ditch the 'insurance' scheme and put the monthly outlay of 30 notes in a biscuit tin that will be your boiler account. If you boiler sinks £360 each year, which is very unlikely to happen, then replace. I have yet to replace an Excel or its older brother that has been serviced as per the makers instructions, but have replaced some current high efficiency boilers that are supposed to save you loads of money, one such boiler only four years old as it was going to be beyond economical repair

What you have is a combi boiler, replacement is not going to magically give you hot water at the tap any quicker regardless of what combi your installer/ plumber promises to fit. Altering the plumbing might make a difference. Altering the mode of hot water system liable to give better flow at the hot tap- for this the boiler does not need replacing. Combi concept is availability of instantaneous hot water at rap on demand, no promise of acceptable flow rate

Fitting controls to boiler is sensible, what you propose should not be a problem

 

[mcdermc]

Thanks for your response DP.

Your comments about the flow rate give me some comfort. My husband seems to think that a replacement will magically sort this but after hours and hours of googling I had an idea that this would not be the case.

In terms of the £1300 to replace, I had thought this was ok. No?! I had a look at vokera boilers and they tend to range from £422 to £1127 retail price not trade so I had thought that this would be somewhere in the middle range and therefore ok?

Could you give me an idea of cost for a full service per the manufacturers instructions? I appreciate that any repairs required would be in addition to that.

The idea about the biscuit tin is a good one and something I shall do from here on in. The boiler is due it annual service about now so this is the ideal time to start.

DP from my extensive googling, I know that you are based in Glasgow. I am in the surrounding area. Are you allowed to give your contact details out and more than that would you like to?

 

[vulcancontinental]

Wise words from DP as usual. I work for Vokera and ours (actually most boilers) will work well if serviced in accordance with the manufacturers instructions which unfortunately many are not. If you did change the equivalent would be the Unica i but if all is well keep the Excel going as I don't think you'd get a Unica i and fitted for 1300.

As for wireless room stat Vokera do a BeSMART which will work very well with the Excel but also if you upgrade later will offer a host of other features on a current Vokera boiler not available on the older Excel. If you have a smart phone you can do fancy things without using the programmer if you prefer and on the latest boilers it will contact you or you instsaller in case of alarms or service requirements.

 

[mcdermc]

Thanks vulcancontinental.

I'll have a Google at that. I think I'm going to look at cost wise how much it would be to give this boiler a full service per manufacturers instructions and costs related to fitting a wireless room stat and then decide.

Whilst the boiler is old, it's not currently broken and from googling I can see that the parts are not obsolete. I have found that this is a tactic employed by BG in order to get new boilers fitted.

 

[Agile]

Most engineers here put their contact details in their profile.

You can see their profile by clicking on their screen name.

Although getting on a little, properly serviced, your boiler should be able to give a few more years of service.

Tony

 

[vulcancontinental]

Thanks vulcancontinental.

I'll have a Google at that. I think I'm going to look at cost wise how much it would be to give this boiler a full service per manufacturers instructions and costs related to fitting a wireless room stat and then decide.

Whilst the boiler is old, it's not currently broken and from googling I can see that the parts are not obsolete. I have found that this is a tactic employed by BG in order to get new boilers fitted.

A tactic that is as old as the hills almost.

If you can get DP to service it, do it, he knows the boiler and the job and more importantly he likes the boilers. To some they are just the means to a wage packet.