Ethos 54C advice please

[craigsa1uk]

Hi

I have pretty much decided to replace our old system boiler and open vented set up with a 300 litre accumulator and high flow rate boiler. we have a large house, really poor flow rate and low pressure as well as a 3 electric showers to replace in various bathroom. we are planning to redo the main bathroom in the summer, so thought it best to deal with the boiler now, as we are having a few problems and the plumber has quoted a little too much to repair our 12 year old Potterton.

after reading many forum topics, I have decided to go for the Ethos 54C boiler, but, am not having any luck finding a merchant. would be grateful of someone can give me a point in the right direction. Contact with the company has only offered to supply me directly, something I am not keen on.

my other option was to go for 2 smaller combi's.

of course, happy to take any further advice if I am totalyl going doen the wrong track with this - I had originally thought about an unvented set up, but with the demands in our household, a regualr sixes Megaflow would simply not cope, so it looks as though a high flow rate combi seems best?

many thanks

 

[htgeng]

after reading many forum topics, I have decided to go for the Ethos 54C boiler, but, am not having any luck finding a merchant.

Why? its the installer who will be supplying and fitting. You should be looking for someone who is familiar with it and will support it. Otherwise good luck with the warranty.

my other option was to go for 2 smaller combi's.

A gimmick. Extremely non-standard and would throw up red flags to any surveyor who would probably recommend they were taken out.

of course, happy to take any further advice if I am totalyl going doen the wrong track with this - I had originally thought about an unvented set up, but with the demands in our household, a regualr sixes Megaflow would simply not cope, so it looks as though a high flow rate combi seems best?

You've been reading too much from a certain Dr Drivel who is obsessed with being anti-unvented . Megaflo or unvented cylinders would give you the best flow rate and would pi55 all over a combi. So what if they match the output from a 54kw combi. Have you seen the size of gas pipe needed for one of those if its some distance from the gas meter. Also if boiler goes t1ts up you don't have any backup.

I think in the first instance you need to find someone in your area who will give you a quotation for a quality boiler and unvented cylinder. If Dr Drivel comes on here to the contrary then why don't you ask him if he will come and install it for you!

 

[craigsa1uk]

thank you hteng! you are probably right, but, as we are a household of 4 adults and 1 child, 4 bathrooms, i thought that the megalfo would 'run out' after a couple of showers/baths?

I assume I would still need an accumulator - we have around 9- 12l/min only, that is after upgrading the supply pipe to the mains.

 

[snb]

one of the advantages of the megaflows is the large internal expansion vessel. this will act as a small accumulator. But to give you guaranteed volumes of water then an additional accumulator would be required due to your poor flow rate.

I would still want a plumber to investigate this quoted flow rate. There could be several reasons why this so slow. Often replacing the stop cock will improve this greatly.(especially if you have 15mm stopcock. get it changed to 22mm will greatly improve flow rate).

megaflows can produce large volumes of hot water and the reheat times even for the 300lt version are as quick as 40mins for the whole tank.

 

[Biggles..]

Ethos are available to us through Jacksons building merchants(dont know if you have one)

The figures for that ethos depend on the water pressure and flow to the boiler to produce the figures they quote(small print hidden in the tech spec)

 

[gas4you]

They also quote h/w flow at 41C, not at a 35C temp rise

The european way of doing it to make the figures look better.

 

[Deleted member 105431]

I would recomend an unvented cylinder and system boiler or a combi with an additional cylinder as a seperate zone.

Have a look at the glow worm ultrapower sxi 170, the Xtramax HE and Worcester 550.

Whatever you fit will only perform as well as the water main that supplies it so bear that in mind.

Ethos are non standard, unsupported by most stockists and unknown by most engineers. Could prove to be a nightamre for backup/maintenance/repairs/service. A new gas meter and large bore gas pipe may be reqd dramatically increasing installation costs.

 

[craigsa1uk]

thanks for all the replies - it seems as though it is back to the drawing board for me. mind made up and been un made.

I will get a local ( Corgi Registered ) plumber in. any idea best place to find a list.

we have one company locally that charged me £2k for a biasi combi replacement in our flat ( and I have since found the unit costs less that £1k ).he did not even do a power flush for that. job was done in less that a couple of hours! Is it polite to ask for references?

 

[gas4you]

You can ask for what you like. You are the customer.

I have often supplied references when asked.