Favorite boilers??

[canwefixit]

My existing system is gravity fed with a Potterton Netaheat boiler and I'm looking to get the system changed to a sealed one, doing away with all the tanks etc.
Does anyone have any preference or favorites when it comes to choosing a new boiler i.e. quick and easy to get serviced, reliable etc.
Any comments or views much appreciated.

 

[ELZ4742]

vaillant or glow worm (same company) are pretty reliable. ideal have a good customer service record although ive had a few pcb issues, plus there combis have an issue of not being able to switch off water pre heat. annoying

 

[Agile]

Most people have their own favourite! Paul Barker now likes Alpha and says that 99% are properly installed!

 

[pierrot]

vaillant or glow worm (same company) are pretty reliable. ideal have a good customer service record although ive had a few pcb issues, plus there combis have an issue of not being able to switch off water pre heat. annoying

Vaillant and Glowworm may be the same company but the only commonality betwen the boilers is the heat ex, the Vaillant is a very good relliable boiler, I wouldnt fit a glowworm if my life had to depend upon it though.

 

[gavinda]

worcester bosch..

 

[andsam]

Baxi 105 e

I think they are great for working on.

( unfortunalty they are a band D boiler )

 

[HarrogateGas]

Vaillant all the way for me, although im quite impressed with the range of Vokeras at the moment. really well designed and assembled pieces of kit for the money you pay

 

[canwefixit]

Thanks guys,
Seems Vaillant are just in the lead.
Another question....one of the brochures I have shows the SEDBUK bands for each boiler, but doesn't say what SEDBUK stands for or what the bands mean

 

[OvertonPlumber]

http://www.sedbuk.com/ Doh

I personally like Glowworm boilers have fitted over 150 in the last 3 years without a single dead one out the box.
Btw a glowworm 24hxi internally is 100% vailant well most are.
Vailant are the best built in my opinion.
Worcester bosch just seem overengineered and the electronic flow reduction on the combis is just a problem waiting to manifest itself in years to come.
Manual flow restrictors on the incoming main is a much better way to manage the situation.
The worst boilers, or the worst i ever had the misfortune to fit are ariston rffi combis, the gas valves attenuate the boiler flues like a tuning fork and they sound like a saturn 5 rocket. There technical response was great oh yes we are aware of that issue, as yet unresolved lol.

 

[Gasguru]

Seasonal Efficiency of Domestic Boilers in the UK

Don't bother comparing figures - all immaterial - lifestyle, insulation, and heating temperature setting will have far more influence on gas consumption than the book figures.

Band boilers A are generally have fully premixed burners with a single main heat exchanger in stainless steel or aluminium - ie they have more complex burners and are slightly more efficient (but more expensive to service/setup).

Band B boilers are generally older design Band D boilers having a conventional burner, copper main heat exchanger and addition stainless steel or aluminium heat exchanger (recuperator) added to improve the efficiency. They are easier to service and setup.

Band A boilers are prooving to have more problems due to lack of understanding and setup at installation and more design faults from the manufacturers.

 

[canwefixit]

http://www.sedbuk.com/ Doh

Thanks for the link MrB, all a question of knowing where to look and then all is explained.

Thanks for the comments as well.

 

[Agile]

"""Band A boilers are prooving to have more problems due to lack of understanding and setup at installation and more design faults from the manufacturers."""

These are really too advanced for most installers who dont fit the correct size gas supply pipe or have a flue gas analyser to set them up.

Most are also very sensitive to external gas supply variations or inconsistancies.

As for band A design faults could you let me know these by posting here or direct to my email?

Tony

Edited to correct the test instrument!

 

[gavinda]

mind you.. i use a flue gas analyser..even more accurate

 

[Gasguru]

Specific Band A design faults so far:

All the problems with leaking heat exchanger to flue manifolds eg Glowworms, Vaillants etc.

Burner gaskets overheating eg Baxi's

Burner reasonance noise (unique to fully premix flame) eg Ideal, Biasi etc

Cracked ceramic burners

Corroding heat exchangers eg Ideal

In addition to intolerance to undersized gas pipework there is the chance of burner flashback, leaking seals (gas/air mix) especially after reuse, higher risk of CO production due to lower excess air etc, some seriously iffy design - rubber hoses carrying gas.

 

[Agile]

The burner resonance is a symptom of a weak mixture and can occur on any premix boiler so its not correct to suggest its only the Biasi which does it, they all can. Even the Ideal Icos or Response.

In any case the Biasi has had the susceptability reduced now by a thin wall inlet tube and three little detuning holes punched in it.

Vaillant made a similar hole in their inlet tube.

Any boiler can leak at a seal ! Its just at the back of the HE its so difficult to get at!

The burner flashback only occurs if the mixture is seriously weak by about 20% and this would never occur if the gas supply was properly sized and the boiler had been commisssioned with an FGA.

One premix I inspected had an inlet gas pressure of only 12 mB yet it worked and ignited quietly.

Tony