Replacement for Apollo Boiler 15/30b

[semi-acoustic]

Hi All

My Apollo boiler is 25 plus years old and still going strong, most parts are easily sourced online although the heat exchanger which is decent (cast iron) is no longer available.

I know the time will come when the boiler dies and goes to heaven, I want to be one step ahead. so can anyone recommend a replacement without too much alteration, the flow and return pipes enter from the top.

I would like to keep the tank and stick with a conventional system as sometimes for work reasons the property is left empty, I leave the heating on constant with the room stat on 10 and make sure the mains stopcock is turned off.

If I go for a combi (I like the Vaillant eco plus models) is it possible to turn off the mains and use the frost stat mode without too many issues?

Any advice would be truly appreciated.

 

[bernardgreen]

When selecting a boiler do not ignore some of the lesser known manufacturers.

My choice was a Johnson and Starley heat only boiler. No problems with it and my plumber is quite impressed by its simple but robust construction and ease of servicing.

Avoid combi boilers as there is too much to go wrong in them. They were after all designed for flats and compact houses where there is no space for tanks ( cisterns ) and cylinders of a conventional system.

 

[ianmcd]

the problem with boiler frost stats is that they only protect the boiler and not the radiators or associated pipes, if you go for a system boiler(keeping your HW Cylinder) ask your chosen installer about wiring in a frost stat with pipe stat and this will protect everything, another way is to have a smart thermostat installed , these connect to your wi-fi router and anywhere in the world you can check on your smart phone and see what temperature your home is at and you can switch the heating and HW on remotely from anywhere, also great if you live alons as you can switch the heating and HW on and off from anywhere , I switch my heating (Combi) on when I am on my way home from work and house is warm when I get home , I never know what time I will be home so a timer wouldnt suit me.

 

[semi-acoustic]

Hi

Thank you for the quick replies and very good advice, something to think over.

Regards

 

[Dan Robinson]

Avoid combi boilers as there is too much to go wrong in them. They were after all designed for flats and compact houses where there is no space for tanks ( cisterns ) and cylinders of a conventional system.

Here we go again with your crap.

And how big a property do you think the OP has?

 

[ianmcd]

Here we go again with your crap.

And how big a property do you think the OP has?

Someone has been reading the top 100 gas engineers posts me thinks

 

[Dan Robinson]

Someone has been reading the top 100 gas engineers posts me thinks

It's getting unbearable I tell you. I'm beginning to wonder if they're one and the same.

 

[gas112]

An apollo is a older than 25 years and it isnt cast iron its a low water content copper heat exchanger.
Look at baxi eco blue if changing it like for like

 

[rules&rulers]

Leave it until it breaks down but start saving up the £££ now.

 

[Dan Robinson]

An apollo is a older than 25 years and it isnt cast iron its a low water content copper heat exchanger.
Look at baxi eco blue if changing it like for like

Can you imagine what Berny would say if he ever saw a Midas?

 

[gas112]

Fekin hated them with a passion one of worst boilers ever made

 

[ianmcd]

Can you imagine what Berny would say if he ever saw a Midas?

Dan was it the Midas that had the three stats CW Inlet, HW outlet and CH stat and you always changed them in 3 s ?

 

[Agile]

An apollo is a older than 25 years and it isnt cast iron its a low water content copper heat exchanger.

That's just what I was thinking!

That boiler is almost as efficient as any other modern boiler apart from not having the 4-12% extra efficiency which a condensing boiler can achieve in some settings and having a permanent pilot light.

In fact they are so good that I would never recommend replacing one unless there was a good reason to do so.

The Worcester Ri series make very small and quiet replacements for them.

Tony

 

[rules&rulers]

one midas thermostat,they dont make them like that now days.

 

[Agile]

Several years since I had to repair a Midas.

But I thought that two pumps was quite an interesting solution to a boiler design problem.

Does not seem to have greatly caught on though.