Who manufactures the best combi?

[simond]

The case seals on Vaillants are very old news, this was happening years ago.

We came a cropper with the first of our ecoTEC installed base last year. The MIs detailed a servicing procedure on the boiler where the burner gasket had to be inspected and replaced if cracked, along with the case seal. It listed a part number for both.

So we went out, found the burner seal had cracked, removed it (it fell to pieces) looked in the box we had brought with us bearing the MI s part number - and there was none there. Also the burner gasket didn't fit, it was for the ecoMAX.

So if you come across an early ecoTEC eg: late 2005 do not follow the MIs that were sent with the boiler, they have now been revised.

In our case Vaillant had no burner seals in the UK (along with HRPC etc etc) and we had to plunder one from a new boiler we had in stock to get the customer working next day.


On the heatstore combi discussion, whilst it is true that when the HS runs out, you are back in poor flow rate territory, some of these HS combis only peg out after 190-200 litres of run off -eg: Viessmann 333.

Surely, many unvented cylinders are installed with this capacity and when they run out, you have nothing for at least 20 mins. So are we not splitting hairs here?

 

[bripl]

whilst i appreciate your comments simmond not too many people have viessman products i think you will find most are more mainstream makers and have 50/75 litres again this is an assumption based on experience.

 

[Agile]

Surely, many unvented cylinders are installed with this capacity and when they run out, you have nothing for at least 20 mins. So are we not splitting hairs here?

Well thats so, but if HW demand would regularly exhaust a 200 li cylinder then a 300 li is/war required.

I see little use for the average storage combi. Most only have 50 li of storage and many are only 24 kW so the underlying power input is lower than the better combis.

The only application I see for those storage combis is to fill a bath in a few minutes rather than the 10-15 min with a combi.

Tony

 

[gas4you]

Also the burner gasket didn't fit, it was for the ecoMAX.

So if you come across an early ecoTEC eg: late 2005 do not follow the MIs that were sent with the boiler, they have now been revised.

Ecotec and Ecomax are exactly the same burner seal kit, now graphite as mentioned before. Ecomax has the extra small seal as well. Kit contains new burner fixing bolts that must be changed at the same time. 5 for Ecomax and 4 for Ecotec.

I've fitted and serviced Ecotec since day one that they were available and I have never come across any burner seal problems when serviced correctly. Training course at Vaillant instructed you to replace seals annually

 

[nickso]

flow rates drop off once the store is depleted so you only get 10/12 litres rather than the 18/20 the manufacturers like to shout about

thats pretty much what chris said...did you read what he said?

i would imagine you would get more than 10/12 litres/min after the store was depleted on a 440. the calorifier is massive on it. however ive not checked what it will provide after store depletion. have you?

10.2 Lpm after store depleated............they really are not all they are cracked up to be. Id sooner put a high output combi and get 16lpm indefinatly. Ive installed a couple of Baxi 133HE's and they CAN run two showers at the same time and providing the shower is a good thermostatic (we install Mira Excell) it will happily supply a shower and a kitchen tap no problem. (and they are only about £900 including the VAT)

For all the non Baxi fans there is always the 40KW worcesters which will do the same sort of job.,

10.2 litres.....wow thats disappointing.

 

[simond]

The MIs have been changed for ecoTEC since the first came out to say that if the burner seals are cracked they can be retained, only if they are falling apart should they be changed.

While I note your comments, Gas4you, (in which you imply I am mistaken) Vaillant UK have admitted the problem in their early manuals and are arranging us material and financial compensation.

I provided this information to hopefully prevent other RGIs from using the supplied manual to order the incorrect service parts.

 

[gas4you]

Just stating my findings. I have always fitted and serviced to Vaillant training course instructions rather than M I's printed versions so I am not in a position to disagree with you on what was printed originally.

At least dealing with a reliable company has got you compensation

The new graphite seals are now the only ones available to buy for servicing the Ecotec & Ecomax range, so no-one should be able to purchase the incorrect ones any more