Opinions on Ecotec plus 618 (any issues?)

[hicbibi]

Hello,
I'm new to DIYnot!
I'm about to talk to my local heating engineer about boiler replacement.
My current boiler is Vaillant 615. It needs replacing as it doesn't have enough capacity for the extra radiators about to be fitted.
However, the 615 is 5 years old and water drained from the system smells of 'hot rubber'. There are bits of what seems to be rubber in the water.
I'm after opinions/knowledge of whether the Ecotec 618 is likely to suffer from the same issue - i.e. 5 years on is this a solved problem, or are the internals of the 618 different from the 615?
If the 618 is doubtful any alternative suggestions?
Thanks,
hicbibi

 

[Steelmasons]

So you are thinking of replacing the 15 for an 18?

Sorry i couldn't resist although if i told you what i would do i'd get lynched.

New ecotec doesn't use rubber hoses.

 

[Agile]

So BiBi what is your whole house heat loss?

Another new boiler about to be fitted unnecessarily?

Tony

 

[mogget]

Tony, hicbibi is my father.

His house is of an unusual construction so most of the calculators online are not of much use. I have not done a whole house calculation but have done the heatloss for all the rooms. The rads will add up to 15.6kw. +2kw for the DHW. He currently only has central heating downstairs and wishes to extend the system upstairs to replace the electric heaters he and my mother currently use. Now it's quite probable that the 15kw boiler is sufficient for all but the coldest winter. But my parents wish to keep warm even in the coldest winter. The other option would be to replace the very old double glazing with new low-e units but this will cost far more than a new boiler and 4 rads, and the house will be more saleable with rads upstairs in the bedrooms/ offices.

I will be adding the radiators but he asked me about my opinions on the new ecotec. I am not qualified to answer such questions, so I directed him here - please go easy on him!

 

[Agile]

The rads will add up to 15.6 kW so the existing boiler is adequately sized for the rads.

As log as the HW is timed outside the CH times then its correct ly rated to -1 C outside.

In reality no one would ever notice anyway.

I would consider it a waste of money to replace it with a boiler three kW more powerful even if the figures say its needed for the very coildest five days of the year.

In any case turn off the heating in the office outside office hours and turn off heating in the bedrooms during office hours.

Better zone the upstairs when you fit the new rads!

No problem.

Lower loss windows save fuel costs! Should add value to the house too.

Tony

 

[Dan Robinson]

Just change the rubber houses to the copper upgrade and add the rads.

I wouldn't bother changing the boiler unless it proved to be inadequate.

 

[mogget]

Is the copper upgrade the same as the f.75 kit? Have had f.75 a few times already, solved in the short term by fitting a new sensor (water was very clean at this point).

Indeed, I made provision to zone the system when I did the wet work on the existing heating.

Please note I will not be fitting any copper tubes to the boiler myself!