Help with boiler choice.

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Hampshire
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I've learnt a fair bit coming on here and have to some degree of success mended our piece of s**t known as a Ravenheat LS 80 combi boiler.
I have to say you do get what you pay for as after only three years its about to die.
Its leaking water badly from the blow out pipe and it seems it could be the expansion vessel. Every day we have to re pressurize the boiler and its been like this for a while so we have to keep topping up with fresh water. This in turn has led to bad scaling and sludge and has screwed up several other expensive if not non existant parts.
Anyway, there are so many boilers to choose from but I think my favoured are Vaillant and Worcester. Are these a good reputable reliable brand?? They've been round a while. I'm desperate not to make the same mistake as I did with the Ravenheat crud.
I have a total of eight radiators in our house, one in each room including toilet and kitchen.. if that helps.
Any thoughts or personal opinions appreciated.
PS I am on a budget as I have two kids!!...two kids that are fed up with spontaneously hot and cold baths and showers.
Thanks Paul
 
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i fit valliant eco tec pro for the contract i am on ... .. and not to keen on them ... no real problems as per fitting and they are a nice size ... ie : for a kitchen etc .. look nice to ..

i stand by the baxi 105 he model .. cracking boiler little big .. and bulky .. but appart from that excellant ... *( i have 1 in my house)

http://www.discountedheating.co.uk/shop/acatalog/Baxi_Combi_Instant_105_HE.html

this would be my choice every time .. if u r on a budget go for the main .. it is the same boiler but different controls on the front panel other than that same manufacturer .. usually 100 pound cheaper .
 
I bought a Worcester for my old house, and was so happy with it that I've just bought another one for my new house.

My opinion is that Bosch appliances are better than most, so hopefully Worcester-Bosch boilers have the same sort of quality.
 
Vaillant every time. Its all I will fit.

Forget about sizing the boiler for the radiators. Size it for your hot water usage. If you mainly have showers and occasional baths then the Ecotec Plus 831 is the one to go for. if you mainly have baths and can afford around £120 extra then go for the 837, although this is about 3" deeper off the wall. Both will be set on the onboard computer to match the radiator output you need when commissioned. 2 year full warranty plus 5 years on DHW heat exchanger (parts only) against scaling up :)
 
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That Ecotec 831 looks like a nice boiler but its almost £1000. With fitting on top this is going to be expensive..isn't it. I always like to do things myself but this is a job for the pros really. I need the pieces of paper, especially if we should move which could well be on the cards in a year or so
 
Mr Lil said:
if we should move which could well be on the cards in a year or so

Chuck in another Ravenheat and let the next people deal with it!
 
Unfortunately nothing you have had on your boiler would have been any different had it been a vaillant or a Worcester.

All boilers need the system pressure set and checked properly and regularly. Thats after a proper installation which includes ensuring the water is spotlessly clean.

They also need regular servicing including in your case repressurising the expansion vessel.

There is absolutely nothing you have listed which is caused by the Ravenheat boiler itself. Everything is as a result of poor installation and lack of servicing and setting the pressure.

By all means get a new expensive boiler. It will keep the trade employed. People who pay £1000 for a boiler are more likely to get it seviced! Those who pay £400 seem to think its not necessary!

You clearly dont want to spend £220 to get your boiler serviced, replace the PRV and flush out the system and add inhibitor.

The reality is that ALL boilers need to be properly installed and serviced.

Tony
 
The boiler has been serviced since being put in. Its been a bind since day one. The boiler was installed by my father in law, a retired plumber in the trade since he was teenage. Just didnt have the CORGI certification. Fair enough, I wouldnt pay thousands of pounds for nothing either. Everything has been checked and changed as necessary over the few years its been in. As well as flushed and cleared.
Its not my doing that the components are not lasting even though we've tried to lengthen their life by maintaining it.
 
I can only say that if the expansion vessel is not correctly charged it will cause overpressure and the PRV will eject that.

Dirt and sludge do not suddenly appear from nowhere! They result from new oxygen oxidising the insides of radiators. New oxygen comes from repressurising.

All these are not related to the make of boiler but just poor maintenance and operation!

I have no axe to grind so I just tell it as it is. I am sorry if this does not please you.

Tony
 
How many radiators is your LS80 heating? This is a compact boiler and the PV on any compact boiler will start to struggle at about 9 rads depending on volume of the system.
 

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