Ravenheat Condensing Combi's.......Any Good?

[mifty12]

Well I have finally decided to dump my Potterton Puma (great sighs from local heating engineers!!) cos it seems to have something new wrong everytime i wanna start the heating up.

My friendlt plumber has suggested to me that he will fit a ravenheat CSI85 which from write ups on various sites sounds like a good choice. I was wondering if any professionals out there have fitted many of these and what the general opinion of them is?

Cheers

Justin

 

[mifty12]

bump

 

[Alfredo]

Not what I'd call a premier league make, but I'm sure that if the system is properly cleaned, and the boiler carefully installed there is no reason why it should not give good service.

I'd check the hot water flow rate. The elderly ravenheat combi I serviced yesterday only did 8mb burner pressure on H.W. (as specified on plate incidentally) which didn't give the HW much oomph, but it was not a terribly new one, so perhaps its not fair to compare with the latest model.

I stand to be corrected here, but I THINK that Ravenheat are made in Italy like so many combis. For quality go Buderus, for middle range I'd go with Glow Worm Cxi, for low range..probably the Glow Worm Econoflows that have just come out.

My own combi is a Vokera Linea 24 (non condensing) and has been better than I expected over five years, but I do have a water softener which is kinder to combis.

Quality installation is the main thing!

Alfredo

 

[Agile]

Most professionals prefer the Biasi as an economy boiler at the same price as its design is prefered and its considered to be more reliable.

As Alf has said the reliability is more determined by installing properly on a totally clean system than the brand name.

Tony

 

[simond]

The Biasi and Ravenheat address the 'I'm skint' area of the market.

If you are in this position they represent a reasonable budget solution. If you are not skint, buy a better boiler.

 

[mifty12]

Thanks for the replies.

I did get a couple of quotes, one for the ravenheat and one which was for a worcester, trouble was there was over £700 dofference in supply and fit price between the two !!

I thought the price for the ravenheat fitted was a bit pricey but it has been a while since i last had a boiler fitted and probably wellout of touch with market prices.

Sounds as tho on a budget the ravenheat will be okay, the plumber says he fits a lot of them with no come back and they have a three year guarantee so can't be too bad.

Cheers



Justin.

 

[corgiman]

try calling ravenheat with a made up fault and see how long they take to get to you

then call some heating boyos and see if they will comeout to it

then get a decent boiler as ravenheat are shyte

As far as I am aware we are only the silly beggars that will attend then in our area and I wish we didnt

 

[Softus]

Biasi

®?

 

[mifty12]

thanks for that eloquent appraisal corgiman.

So would you say that they get a lot of faults? How many of them can be put down to poor installation ? Bearing in mind I only have a budget of about £1200 to supply and fit what would you suggest ?

Cheers

Justin.

 

[micky p]

i have fit quite a few ravenheat CSi 85 AT and BT. I have a 1 or 2 probs which Ravenheat came out sorted. Like others said they are not the best boiler on the market. also the spares are quite expensive in comparison to others. You tend to find the cheaper the boiler the more expensive the spares are. If you are staying in the house for quite a few years it may be worth while installing a more up market boiler or you may have some expensive repair bills come the future.

If you get the Ravenheat CSI 85AT then it come with a 3 year warranty as too the CSI85BT which only come with 1. I think there is only approx £50-£70 difference in the 2 so i would go for the 85AT. I have fit more Biasi boilers than Ravenheat and i have had fewer come backs from the Biasi than the ravenheat. So on my experience the Biasi are a more reliable boiler. But then again i replaced a pump on 1 the other day and they quoted me £137 just for the pump spare. So i modified a standard Wilo pump head and it fit like a glove £30 seemed more reasonable for the Wilo pump.

 

[Agile]

"""Bearing in mind I only have a budget of about £1200 to supply and fit what would you suggest ?"""

I would suggest that you save up another £300 and get a 28 kW boiler installed properly on a clean system!

The Biasi pump which Micky changed will have failed as a result of a dirty system and not the Wilo pump becoming faulty.

"Modifying" the standard Wilo to fit the boiler will not result in the full flow rate being achieved as the inlet will not be properly coupled. Its not a manufacturer's approved part and could get you into trouble if the customer is not made aware of whats been done and charged at the lower price.

You dont have to pay over £99 for a replacement pump for the Biasi if you know where to get it!

Tony

 

[Softus]

Biasi ®.

Wilo ®.

 

[corgiman]

Softus ®.

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Heat line® Vizo's are flying off the shelves at "BNFNQ®" along with Biasi® just like Ravenheats® used to. Havent seen one with a real problem yet but beware as that could be because they time the problem to happen the day after the guarantee runs out.

I like Ravenheats cos I go where many angels fear to tread fixing them. They are just as good or bad as any other boiler to me but people dont like them because they emanate from BNFNQ®. They do always seem to have teething problems though

Biasi® get a bit of cred because many of them are actually Ideal® mini HE's with a different badge on!

Given a choice of 3 right here and now I would chance the Heatline® followed by the Biasi®. Remember thats just my preference. Make up your own mind

 

[Softus]

I think you've made up for the all ones that Agile® has been missing out.