Is there a modern Floor Standing boiler?

[fairisle]

New house has a very old Potterton Kingfisher boiler which still works well but is probably costing a fortune to run. I am getting quotes to replace this with a Condensing boiler and necessary pipework, new cyclinder etc.

However we like the old Floor Standing boiler, we are not space limited and the heat it creates is great for adding warmth for the kitchen and drying clothes in a downstairs airing cupboard.

Is there a like for like replacement that is more efficient and meets current regs?

Thanks

 

[45yearsagasman]

Worcester Bosch make a condensing floor stander. Have a look here
http://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/homeowner/boilers/gas-boilers/greenstar-fs-30cdi-regular

 

[fairisle]

Wow that looks to just what we need. Right now we have no separate control of the hot water so it ranges from boiling to scalding, would this modern unit give us this control.

Thanks very much, I will be very popular if we can retain the same type of unit.

 

[45yearsagasman]

That boiler is only fitted where the system is fully pumped and the controls upgraded to permit boiler interlocks. Your old boiler is probably gravity hot water and pumped heating which can cause the stored water to get extremely hot. If your system is as described then a straight swap is not possible unless your system is upgraded to fully pumped. A good heating engineer will take all this into account when quoting.

 

[fairisle]

Yes that is correct, what you describe is our exactly our system. What would you expect to be more cost efficient having our present system updated to allow us to retain a new FSB or a completely new Condensing system in a different location? Quotes so far are £3.5k for the new relocated condensing system.

 

[StephenW]

I had a similar thing done about a year ago. I had a Potterton Kingfisher boiler in the kitchen - open vented, pumped CH and gravity HW (3-bed semi).

I had it replaced with a wall mounted Worcester Bosch in the attached garage. It included converting to fully pumped including new pump, two motorised valves and an expansion vessel, a new 7-day controller, a new room thermostat and a HW cylinder thermostat. The old F&E tank in the loft was disconnected and a fill loop installed. It also involved drilling through the internal wall of the house to feed the new pipework which was then connected into the existing system under the upstairs floor. Total job with powerflush took 2 days. Cost just shy of £2500 from an established local company. Very pleased with the result and the gas direct debit dropped about 25% after the first quarter.

 

[fairisle]

Thanks Stephen, well that suggests that I need to get some more quotes then!

 

[Dan Robinson]

Be incredibly careful about expecting prices from a forum. the posters have no idea what the actual layout of your system is.

Regional variations play a big part too.

 

[fairisle]

Understood, but £3.5 + £2 allowance for rads + VAT seems a bit excessive to me. Its a four bed detached.

 

[Symptoms]

fairisle - I had a Worcester-Bosch Greenstar FS 42CDi Regular (FS for floor standing) installed a couple of years ago and I'm very pleased with its performance/efficiency/running cost. It replaced a floor standing oil boiler.

The installation was what they called 'semi-sealed'. The only alterations to the existing pipework was:
open vent to header tank closed with an 'air bleading valve'
2 zone valves fitted (H/W, C/H)
H/W cylinder thermostat
room thermostat
expansion tank (this is sited in cupboard next to boiler)
bypass valve
TRVs to all bar one rad
new pump

So very little disruption.

They flushed and pressure tested the system before fitting new tackle.

I had a Potteron Kingfisher 150 at my previous house in England and its combustion was very noisy by comparison to this new beast ... so enjoy the quiet!