Time to replace the Baxi Bermuda 551? What with though?

[corkgasket]

I have a 22yr old Baxi that is kettling and I reckon the heat exchangers need replacing. It still chucks out great heat and it could probably do with a powerflush too. These could end up being costly plus after installation of a new system the boiler would be cheaper to run.

I have been looking at the new Baxi Bermuda BBU HE but now see people condeming them in favour of ATAG and Viessmann IMO's. I would like to utilise the fireplace as gas and piping is already there.

Please offer your advice on what I should replace the sytem with - or keep the old one and shell out to refurbish it. If possible please justify your answers, I note some people are free to make a statement like "Don't buy a BBU" but they fail to justify why.

Thanks v. much. James

 

[mickyg]

I looked into installing the new BBU HEs, even went to baxi to take a look as where i live there's a large stock of old bbu's. However the main problem for me was cost. The price of a new bbu, firefront and then add in the flue. Your getting close to 2k just for your boiler and fire, and what you end up with, is an electric fire a very average quality boiler and a noisy condense pump. Also finding somewhere to route the condense pipe without looking rubbish is tricky, so I've ditched the idea. If your not completely unhappy with the current system you could try flushing it out with some chemicals.

 

[DP]

If the system is gravity hot water/ pumped CH, convert to fully pumped and zoned, replace cylinder, and as mentioned above, clean out the system. You will then have better fuel useage and brick outhouse quality. Do fit an immersion heater for when the thermocouple fails.

 

[corkgasket]

Thank you for the suggestions.

My main concern about the powerflush is that the exchangers as well as being fairly scaled and gunged up with iron debris sludge may also be pitted inside. I believe that the problem with mine is that there is localised boiling, which after a flush may still be present without a complete replacement of the heat exchangers - I bet that is a job and a half!

I estimate costs could reach £500+ easily to have these basic modifications made, I wonder whether on balance a new boiler would be better. I don't trust the new condenser boiler technology however but with efficiency in the equation they are contenders and the lesser of two evils?

Can anyone suggest a more suitable replacement instead of a BBU? I have heard that boilermen will often admit that these old boilers should be kept as they are so easily serviced and reliable and durable beyond any modern expectation.

Thank you.

 

[xr4x4]

when is it kettling? when its on or when its just cycled off?

are you sure the pump is working correctly and not stopping and starting.

 

[boabcelt]

I would follow DPs' suggestion of converting to fully pumped and if necessary a powerflush. When the system is refilled and inhibited, a bottle of fernox silencer can work wonders. The reliability of the baxi bbu is beyond reproach and even with a top notch installation, I don't believe there is anything new on the market which could compete on this front. They may not be the most efficient, but the capital expenditure on a new install and any possible future faults have to be considered.

 

[corkgasket]

Hello and thanks everyone.

The Baxi Bermuda starts bubbling after a minute or two from initial heat up from cold and continues to gurgle quite rapidly occassionally resulting in a kettling clatter, which resonates throughout the CH pipes. Does the fact that I only have four of the rads in the house on instead of 7 effect things?

I would rather keep the old Baxi and I am so delighted that an option has arisen for me to do so but there is always the niggling doubt whether these remedies would work on such an old system and whether the cost would be wasteful. Am I setting a precident in make do an mend? I think not. Is it worth replacing the heat exchangers? Fernox silencer has been suggested to me before and I would be happy to try it.

Thanks.

 

[xr4x4]

try turning all the rads on and see if it still does it.