Vailant ECOtec Plus 832/837

[Georgie73]

Hi

We are moving to a smaller house and we currently have the Ecotec 837. Our house is a Victorian 'large 3 bed semi' British Gas have commented a few times about my boiler saying that it is too big for the house and doesn't get used anywhere near it's capacity.

We are now moving to a smaller house - its a 3 bed, detached house (although detached - the house is much smaller than the semi we live in at the moment). All of the rooms are much smaller and the ceiling height is considerably lower. On top of this, the house is in a micro climate area, whereby it is generally 3/4 degrees warmer than where we are now.

Would the smaller Ecotec 832 be suitable for the new house? Looking on MrCentralHeating - the website says it is only suitable for a 2/3 bed semi. I can't help but think this is wrong.

Grateful for opinions please.

 

[muggles]

What's in the house at the moment?
Combi boilers are sized on their hot water capacity rather than their ability to heat the home, and as a result they're often massively oversized for the latter purpose (making them somewhat inefficient). Thus either the 832 or 838 (modern equivalent of the 837) would be more than capable of heating the house, but the 832 will have a lower flow rate on hot water than your current 837

 

[Georgie73]

The boiler at the new house currently has an ideal classic with a storage tank for the hot water. There is only one bathroom and a downstairs cloakroom. The majority of the time there will just be three occupants in the house.

 

[Agile]

So what is your objective in changing anything?

Tony

 

[Georgie73]

So what is your objective in changing anything?

Tony

I don't want the Ideal Classic as I want water on demand - like I have in my current home which has the ECotec plus 837. I just want to know if the ECOtec plus 832 will be sufficient in the new house.

Going by what Muggles says - I will be fine with the 832.

 

[Agile]

But with a storage cylinder you do get water on demand as soon as you turn on the hot tap. Probably at a higher flow rate than with a combi too.

I would always recommend a storage system when its occupied by more than two people.

Tony

 

[Georgie73]

But with a storage cylinder you do get water on demand as soon as you turn on the hot tap. Probably at a higher flow rate than with a combi too.

I would always recommend a storage system when its occupied by more than two people.

Tony

But surely once you've had a bath - there is no more hot water until it has reheated?

I've had a combination boiler for the past 20 years. Before that the water was in an electric emersion heater.

I don't know it the term storage cylinder is correct - it's a copper tank - it looks just like the thing we had years ago which had an electric element to heat the water. I don't want to return to the old days where you are all forever waiting for the water to heat up again.

 

[JohnD]

A bath takes about 100 litres of water. A modern boiler will heat a modern cylinder in about 20 minutes, so by the time you have had your bath and towelled off, it will be ready for the next.

If you have the old bare copper cylinder, it will be slower to heat, and you should put one, or preferably two, insulating jackets on it, and also lag the pipes. This will save energy waste and it will stay hot longer.

Cheap here http://www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/pipe-insulation/cat831554

The electric element is slower and more expensive to run, but a useful standby when your boiler is out of action.

 

[muggles]

Going by what Muggles says - I will be fine with the 832.

There's a little bit more science to it than that - you need to find out the available pressure and flow rate of the cold mains in your new property before you spec a new boiler. You might find it's not sufficient to support the installation of an 832. Personally, I'd keep the Classic and if you've really got money to burn, buy a better hot water cylinder

 

[Georgie73]

Thanks. The water pressure is excellent. The water cylinder has to go to free up much needed space.

 

[Agile]

Its not just the pressure which is important.

Its the dynamic flow rate!

Tony

 

[muggles]

I think that's what he means...seems determined to have a combi, so let him crack on

 

[Georgie73]

I think that's what he means...seems determined to have a combi, so let him crack on

OK - I've googled dynamic flow rate and will get it measured before finalizing decision.