I've done a few forum searches and read the FAQ and it seems that generally no-one likes Ideal boilers, with the exception of the Classic. Is the Classic still a safe option, in terms of reliability, please? (I know specifications may change from year to year.) Thank you.
Is the Ideal Classic still an OK boiler?
- Thread starter Cambridge Mum
- Start date
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The Ideal Classic is a pretty reliable boiler introduced about 15 years ago and discontinued about seven years ago!
Its a pretty simple boiler and thus quite reliable but having a cast iron heat exchanger and not being a modulation boiler its not that efficient.
As I repair boiler I tend to see those which have failed. Mine has been OK for last three years but might now fail tonight.
One bad aspect of the design is the fan sits directly on top of the heat exchanger so when the boiler turns off the fan cooks.
The plastic fan connections become brittle and break when touched. The fan bearing dry up and the fan has to be replaced although the life can be extended by lubricating.
Tony
Its a pretty simple boiler and thus quite reliable but having a cast iron heat exchanger and not being a modulation boiler its not that efficient.
As I repair boiler I tend to see those which have failed. Mine has been OK for last three years but might now fail tonight.
One bad aspect of the design is the fan sits directly on top of the heat exchanger so when the boiler turns off the fan cooks.
The plastic fan connections become brittle and break when touched. The fan bearing dry up and the fan has to be replaced although the life can be extended by lubricating.
Tony
I do the part p electrical work for a local guy who fitted a new one a fewmonths ago.
http://www.idealboilers.com/classic_he.html
Same good old reliable boiler with a recuperator at the back.
Absolute genius on ideals part. Should trance the rest of their range and alot of other modern fancy boilers in longevity stakes.
One of the clever aspects is the flu emerging through the back of the boiler asin the original model. When i was installing a lot of the time this was often an obstacle the fact that most condensing boilers the flue elbow comes off the top yet many of the boilers we were replacing were classics and elan's. Now there is a dead straight boilerswap option with only a condensate to run which is different. Should make straight swaps a lot more profitable.
Absolute genius on ideals part. They needed to pull something out of the hat. Well doneideal.
http://www.idealboilers.com/classic_he.html
Same good old reliable boiler with a recuperator at the back.
Absolute genius on ideals part. Should trance the rest of their range and alot of other modern fancy boilers in longevity stakes.
One of the clever aspects is the flu emerging through the back of the boiler asin the original model. When i was installing a lot of the time this was often an obstacle the fact that most condensing boilers the flue elbow comes off the top yet many of the boilers we were replacing were classics and elan's. Now there is a dead straight boilerswap option with only a condensate to run which is different. Should make straight swaps a lot more profitable.
Absolute genius on ideals part. They needed to pull something out of the hat. Well doneideal.
N
namsag
Ideal classic one of the best boilers about and Agile is mistaken its still being made and is also sold through plumbcentre under the name Optia which is a bit cheaper
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My first reply was in relation to the original Classic which had a reputation for reliability.
The Classic HE, which might have been what the OP was referring to, is a bodge design to make it into a condensing boiler.
Its still potentially less efficient because it has the high specific heat cast iron main heat exchanger. Its not even modulating and just switches on/off without varying the output power as all other modern gas boilers do. The second heat exchanger is aluminium and most people prefer stainless steel as it corrodes less.
I doubt that they sell very many. Probably just to old fashioned people who had the original Classic before.
Tony
The Classic HE, which might have been what the OP was referring to, is a bodge design to make it into a condensing boiler.
Its still potentially less efficient because it has the high specific heat cast iron main heat exchanger. Its not even modulating and just switches on/off without varying the output power as all other modern gas boilers do. The second heat exchanger is aluminium and most people prefer stainless steel as it corrodes less.
I doubt that they sell very many. Probably just to old fashioned people who had the original Classic before.
Tony
Namsag
You and i don't seem too different in opinion.
You and i don't seem too different in opinion.
Your missing the total genius of this approach and the significant issues. insteadsniping at issues which are not so important.
Economy of labour costs when replacing an elan or classic and longevity of the design compared to the "clever" boilers will ensure a true saving over any hi tec boiler for many years.
Asforhow efficient it is it's band b the facts are there so sniping about materials is pointless.
Stainless steal is not proven over 20years which aluminium is in the case of Buderus.
A great deal ofgianoni styled boilers aregoing to beripped off thewall every 10years. just wait and see.
N
namsag
Well the original classic was avialable up to at least 3 years ago when the condensing boiler regs came in but that not the crux
With paul on this even with the added on secondary heatexchanger the classic is still a very reliable boiler. Not had to revisit any of the new HE`s and thats going on 3 and a half years now
With paul on this even with the added on secondary heatexchanger the classic is still a very reliable boiler. Not had to revisit any of the new HE`s and thats going on 3 and a half years now
But my fave boiler remains Buderus.
Funily enough though i bought a potty combi with gianoni for home because it only cost £145.
For me it is always about economics. i am not emotional about it.
Funily enough though i bought a potty combi with gianoni for home because it only cost £145.
For me it is always about economics. i am not emotional about it.
i find the original classics to be good boilers.
the pcb was a weak point & went through several versions.
there will still be a lot still hanging on the wall years after many of the boilers that were fitted this week.
anyone remember the classic combi, thats a different story.
the pcb was a weak point & went through several versions.
there will still be a lot still hanging on the wall years after many of the boilers that were fitted this week.
anyone remember the classic combi, thats a different story.
N
namsag
Space we had about half a dozen of the combi`s . Basically the insides of a sprint stuck on top and those braided pipes constantly blocking and causing blow off valve to pi5s out.
A recuperator design is not necessarily a bad thing.
It lets the bits that don't mind getting very hot and sludgy get hot and sludgy. We know cast iron boilers can take a lot of abuse.
The recuperator bit then has a relatively easy life and just has to deal with some lightly corrosive liquid.
The Kidd boiler (introduced 1982 and outlasting nearly every other high efficiency boiler) uses this principle (although it has a steel tube main boiler) and has proven to be both reliable and efficient.
It lets the bits that don't mind getting very hot and sludgy get hot and sludgy. We know cast iron boilers can take a lot of abuse.
The recuperator bit then has a relatively easy life and just has to deal with some lightly corrosive liquid.
The Kidd boiler (introduced 1982 and outlasting nearly every other high efficiency boiler) uses this principle (although it has a steel tube main boiler) and has proven to be both reliable and efficient.
ideal thought they were cleaver as f**k converting a cast iron blr to combi.
its surprising no other manufacturer went down that road.
its surprising no other manufacturer went down that road.
N
namsag
Space , Glowworm did with the spacesaver combi now that was a pile of sh#te too
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