Smallest combi boiler?

SmallSpaceGirl · Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 9 Location: United Kingdom

I have a tiny London flat and am going to replace my existing gas fired non combi boiler with a 24 kW condensing gas combi. The problem with tiny London flats though is that there is absolutely no space. Current boiler dimensions are 700H x 425W x 300D and I want to put the new boiler in the same place and preferably in a cupboard where the constraint is that the cupboard depth including any front spacing should be as close to 300 as possible (otherwise the boiler blocks a window). I can be more flexible on height and width.

Am currently considering:
Worcester Greenstar 25Si
Keston C36 (the shallowest I have found so far at 300 mm)
Buderus 500

Any thoughts on which of these is least likely to go wrong (assuming it is properly installed) or any ideas on other small combis?

Thx

fitz1 · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:32 pm

ill tell you in 25 yrs. how long is a piece of string.

gasmarkone · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:35 pm

Well I would......

1. Greenstar....fit it, good boiler.

2. Keston........buy one and let me come round with a sledge hammer and kill it before it stesses out any gasmen!

3. Buderus......good boiler [the 600 is better], I think is pick of this bunch.

That concludes the voting of the Dorset jury!!

Gasguru · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:43 pm

Glowworm Flexicom despite the sales pitch it won't fit in a 400mm width cupboard if you want hinges on the door! Glowworm condesnsers don't have a great reputation.

Buderus will not be famiiar to most boiler repairers and spares will not be stocked that widely (Now owned by Worcester/Bosch)

Kestons have had their problems - spares should be OK as Keston (Stevenson heating) are based in Bromley. They have recently be bought by Ideal who have the reputation for producing the most unreliable, poorly designed condensing boilers in the universe so the future of Keston is unknown.

Worcester Greenstar's have been around for a while and are generally considered not too bad. Spares and repair expertease shouldn't be a problem.

Installation must be top notch to have any hope of reliabilty - a big problem in London.

SmallSpaceGirl · Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 9 Location: United Kingdom

Thanks GasMarkOne.

Buderus 600 is 360 deep, so I'd lose more of the window. Worcester is 330 deep so I'd lose 3 cm of the window. Is the Keston just a nightmare to instal or is it cr*p in use? I'm paying my Corgi man by the day, so if it's a good boiler but just takes a long time to put in I'll give him the problem!

fitz1 · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:51 pm

mixed opinions on this one , but have a look at the heatline vizo at b&q.400 quid . if im right in thinking you can get 10% off on wednesdays if you get a pensioner to buy it.

scatmanjohn · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:58 pm

I think the smallest combi is the IDEAL ISAR (290mm deep)

http://www.idealboilers.com/docs/html/brochure_he_combi.html

A lot of engineers dislike them but if space is the No1 issue then it could be worth considering.

SmallSpaceGirl · Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 9 Location: United Kingdom

ScatmanJohn

Ideal definitely seems the smallest. Keston second. I'm not keen on the Worcester or Buderus unless they're truly exceptional performance/reliability/ease of maintenance as they cut off some of my window. However, forum posters say bad things about Ideal and feelings are mixed about Keston.

If you had to pick one of the two, which would you go for? (price is low down my priority list - size and performance and reliability/ease of maintenance are highest)

gasmarkone · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 9:18 pm

Well I think your list is back to front! s** the view, can't see bu&&er all in London anyway [country lad me]. Do you want reliable hot water & heating or do you want to be on first name terms/christmas card list of your local gasman? Off to bed now, loads of hot water for a bath guaranteed cos I ain't got a combi.!!!!

scatmanjohn · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 9:24 pm

I can't comment on the Keston as i have never worked on one or even seen one installed.

The ISAR is a bit difficult to work on due to its small dimensions.

I have changed lots of PCB's (expensive) the odd diverter (very easy job).

Also know of lots that have been trouble free.

Would i put one in my house? Probably not.

Agile · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:42 pm

I mend all of them so I am not biased. They all go wrong sometimes but some rather more than others.

The Ideal and the Keston both have the auto air vent where it leaks onto electrical parts.

If I really only needed 24 kW then I would use the cheapest and buy the Vizo from Heatline if I had to use a small unit.

As I would ensure there was not a trace of any dirt in the system I would expect it to be very reliable. In the unlikely event that it were to fail then obviously I would fix it myself. With my clean water the Grundfos pump would last for ever.

Being Band B with a conventional burner its not sensitive to adjustments or gas supply fluctuations and you dont even need a flue gas analyser to set it up or check it so mine could stay in the box.

Tony