ariston microgenus 27 repair or replace..?

[mlusmore]

I usually manage to find the answer to most of my queries here on diynot by just browsing other peoples posts but feel i may be stuck on this issue so a little help would be great if anyone can spare it..

I have a two bedroom flat with an Ariston microGENUS 27kw combi boiler. My little sister has been living in the flat for the last year and doesnt like to tell me whats going on so i usually find out about problems when its too late. As is with my boiler.

My sister has always - despite being told not to - switched the combi boiler on and off when she wanted to shower. And on and off when she wanted heating. I have explained the timer for heating and the combi boiler process but my explanations fall on deaf ears of someone who worry's about her bills. Earlier this year the boiler would occasionally cut out and the red light would come on when having a hot shower. The boiler would also drip from the bottom. On hearing of this I noticed the pressure was dropping and so asked them to top it up to the minimum cold pressure if it was low. The central heating worked fine. Pressing the reset button would fix the hot water for a while - a day or a few weeks. After a while I had a few people come and look at it. One boiler engineer said there was nothing wrong with it when he came and couldn't diagnose a problem that wasn't there which is fair enough. Another plumber (a family friend) spent a few hours with it and couldn't define the problem although thought there was one. And another replaced a sensor for a 2-300 quid.

Although I thought the problem was solved - it turns out that a few months down the line and a lack of communication means actually the problem is worse. The current problem is that the hot water works and then gets very very hot. The temperature lights on the boiler go up rapidly to the maximum and then the boiler cuts out and we get the red light again. The boiler still drips - usually when it's off. And apparently the central heating doesn't work although I am yet to actually get to the house.

I have spoken to my plumber - a family friend - and he has suggested that I should replace with a new boiler - worcester bosch - for 1300 plus a few days labour. So I wouldn't expect much change from 2k.

After pouring over how to save money on a new boiler installation (which doesnt seem to be a good idea) I have a few concerns. I have looked at similar problems with this boiler and there seems to be lots of solutions. I think the boiler is about 5-6 years old and was hoping that there was a few year left in it. My problem being I don't want to throw money at a dud boiler but two grand is a lot of money to come up with.

I had a look at the BG fixed price suggestion from a few other posts and at £168 it could be worth a punt. Or does the boiler just have too many problems.

I also wonder whether my boiler is just one good diagnoses away from being fine again?

if anyone has a any suggestions they would be graciously received.

mike

 

[mcmarshon]

Sounds like sis has seized the pump at a rough guess.

Get it checked over by an independant, dont let someone bum you over, a worcester combi model you would need is nowhere near £1300 !

I get the impression you already know this.

 

[noodledamus]

hey, my dad has the same boiler and he had it fitted about 6 years ago as well.

the first year or two it seemed ok, but then it started to really over-heat the hot water... almost to boiling point, which then meant that the temperature relief valve would open. This would happen each time you open a hot tap.

the problem was the temp sensor (which he then had replaced) plus he also had a blending valve fitted on the hot outlet.

Then the 'hot water' expansion vessel had failed too. Apparently it should have been fitted on the cold inlet side rather than on the hot outlet side (a manufacturing fault perhaps) causing the premature wear and tear.

Once this was all resolved it seemed to all work ok again, until the 'central heating' expansion vessel failed... which then meant that the pressure relief valve would open. So that then needed replacing too!!!!!

so all in all i reckon Ariston Combi's are abit crap. I think most of the blokes on here say the same...

so goodluck with it mate... you will need it!!!!

 

[mlusmore]

Thanks for the replies. I'll take a good look at it tommorrow and speak to a few heating engineers. I guess they can give me a quote for fixing and or replacing at the same time..

anyone got a recommendation for a heating engineer in Bristol...?

If it does come down to a replacement. I know there is a lot of choices out there and my plumber mate instantly reccomended a worcester bosch. I don't need the best of the best but I like to spend my money well on the correct product so i took a look at a few.

I have about 17kw of rads and one bathroom with a shower running off the mains. Looking on Worcester Boschs website that leaves me at the mercy of a few boilers that seem to be fairly similar to the untrained eye. i'm interested in what those differences mean to the consumer - the user.

There is the Greenstar Junior 28i which to some accounts is 24kw and other sites 28kw and gives 11.4 l/min of hot water. It doesnt have hot water temp control - but do you need it when there are only a few taps and they are all mixers?

Then there is the greenstar 25si- same power output and slightly less - about 10l/min of water but you get the water temp control.

Obviously there are a few others that fall into this very wide category (27cdi and 24i junior) and the savings only seem to be about 100 pounds but i need the hundred pounds to spend elsewhere...

anybody been in the same pickle..?

 

[tonybhoy]

I install WB boilers and would only recommend the Greenstar CDI range, 27CDI or 30 CDI, they come in about £1K and £1.1K with a five year warranty however with someone in your circumstances I would recommend a Vokera Compact 25HE at about £450 plus fitting, the boiler comes with two years warranty and you can always extend the warranty after the two years are up for about £85 a year.

Tony.