Recommendations for eventual replacement of an Ideal Icos?

[MJN]

Having recently moved house and inherited an Ideal Icos HE15 heat-only boiler I can't help but pick up the vibes on here that this beast was designed and built by the devil himself and I'm already on borrowed time despite it being only 3 years old...

So, in order to plan for the worst I might start putting a bit away each month to fund its eventual replacement and was wondering what you guys would recommend?

I'm wondering if consideration should be made for ease of installation by choosing a boiler whose pipework/flue arrangement matches or is similar? Or is that a non-issue and I should select a boiler solely on its own merits safe in the knowledge that the installer would be able accomodate whatever boiler I happen to go for?

If it makes any difference the rest of the system is a 2-zone S-plan with an unvented indirect HW cylinder, with 22mm core distribution and 10mm pipework branched to ten radiators. The house is a 3-floor 3-bedroom semi built in 2007.

Would be grateful for your recommendations, and justifications if you can spare the time.

Cheers,

Mathew

 

[linkyplumb]

If it were mine, I would be looking at replacing it with either a vaillant, Viessman or Worcester bosch.

IMHO

Graham

 

[Whitespirit66]

http://www.avantarange.com/15v.html

 

[linkyplumb]

http://www.avantarange.com/15v.html

Forgot to list that one

 

[MJN]

Thanks for those - I'll check them out.

If I were to pick a boiler based on my own criteria what's the best way to find an installer to fit it? Presumably you all have your own preferences as to which boilers you fit, and perhaps don't advertise the fact, so how do I go about locating someone? It strikes me that I want someone that will know the particular boiler inside out and hence able to support it through-life? Is it simple a case of asking the manufacturer for pointers to installers in my area?

Incidentally, looking at the Vaillant site is says 'Open Vent boilers, often known as heat only boilers' - is this correct? My Icos is a heat only boiler, yet it's not open vent. Which Vaillant would be a suitable swap for my current boiler (i.e. without having to make significant changes to the existing system)? They only seem to do combi, system and open vent - neither of which seem to cater for my sealed system with external pump and expansion vessel etc? Apologies if I'm being dumbass...

Edit: I've just read the installation instructions for their open vent boilers and it seems that they can actually be fitted to unvented systems afterall. Why on earth do they not call them heat boilers then? To just call them 'open vent' is fundamentally misleading!

Mathew

 

[Agile]

they are also called heat only. But not all HO boilers can be fitted to an open vent.

You could always fit an Ideal Logic.

I fitted one last week and it worked the first time it was powered. They have obviously improved the reliability.

If you choose a Viessmann you can find an approved installer on their web site.

Tony

 

[Gasman77]

Haha, have you read your advise Tony? the fact that you think the Logic worked was a assurance of improved quality, speaks volume about the brand.

 

[kevplumb]

 

[mickyg]

if your going for a vaillant you may aswell get a glowworm ultracom, same boiler but cheaper. Its a good choice anyhow, out of all the boilers listed its the oldest proven design. getting on for 10yrs+ now.

 

[MJN]

I note that a non-prevalent feature on current boilers is weather compensation. Am I right to assume that the claimed benefits are borne out in practice, and would you therefore recommend putting that on the requirements list? The only two walls available for the external temperature sensor face SW and SE so I guess we'd have to ensure it was adequately protected from the sun.

With regards to manufacturer I think I'm leaning more towards the 'mainstream' brands as whilst the Remeha boiler suggested does seem to be of good quality I am mindful of the fact that I live out in the sticks and so don't have the luxury of a wide choice of installers on my doorstep. I don't want to have to rely on chasing down the one person in the surrounding area that is familiar with that make should I need them in the middle of winter.

Mathew

 

[Beerlover]

I am bound to be shot down in flames with this one, but you have a heat only boiler so weather compensation is not your best option. It modulates the flow temperature of the boiler dependant on outside temperature differences. This can cause hot water reheat issues.

Load compensation aka room compensation is a better option IMHO

I like them both... room ?... weather?... There's only one way to sort this out... FIGHT!!!

 

[MJN]

I am bound to be shot down in flames with this one, but you have a heat only boiler so weather compensation is not your best option. It modulates the flow temperature of the boiler dependant on outside temperature differences. This can cause hot water reheat issues.

Ah, yes, hadn't thought of that. Might some heat-only boilers accept seperate CH and HW call-for-heat inputs and hence omit the weather compensation for the latter?

Load compensation aka room compensation is a better option IMHO

I like them both... room ?... weather?... There's only one way to sort this out... FIGHT!!!

Mathew

 

[Agile]

Most boilers have a connection which will over ride the W/C setting during hot water delivery. In fact the Viesssmann 200 comes with a diverter built in and automatically disables W/C during water heating.

Even if a boiler did not have this feature then its easy to do a small modification to over ride the W/C.

Tony