Valiant Boiler Heat exchanger blocked

[Miller4]

Heat Exchanger blocked again Valiant EcoTec !!!

I'm keen to get Ideas/Advice on what to do next New Boiler etc,

I have Valiant system boiler EcoTec 618 I think, 2 years ago we had rattling right through the house unbearable noise when heating was running flat out if we turned settings down to half way it would be fine. We have Cover with British Gas Homecare they diagnosed heat exchanger blocked so they changed heat exchanger and I had Magnaclean Filter fitted and additives put in system all was great nice and quiet now just over 2 years later same problems occurred and have to lower controls to balance the noise been told you cannot power flush the exchanger on these boilers don't know if B Gas would change it again expensive part, so been thinking of changing Boiler to a worcester 18i or Baxi EcoBlue 18 ERP we had a Baxi originally before Valiant my neighbours still have some of the originals 20 years old now and we never had a dam problem with them been told better if you need to power flush these ones out

 

[oldbuffer]

Blocked with what? For the heat exchanger to block there must be something in the system water which is blocking it. I'd suggest that needs to be investigated and sorted out before changing boilers. If the Magnaclean is regularly checked and cleaned, and is not filling up with a lot of magnetite, it could be limescale in the water.

 

[Miller4]

Thanks for your reply,

We originally had problems with central heating pumps on hot water storage tank so had the whole system power flushed a couple years back British Gas said we needed it done it cured that problem, We live in South Wales soft water area I cleaned magna filter out and water was black in there so don't know what to do next get it power flushed again and then change the Boiler ?

 

[ianmcd]

I thought that BG gave a lifetime warranty with all powerflushes as long as you remain a maintenance customer, I am in Scotland but theywere advertising that here

 

[Miller4]

Thanks for replying,

We didn't have it flushed with BG they just advised us to get it done because the pumps were getting noisy and blocking up

 

[fezster]

I was reading up today on Vaillant hex's and softened water. Apparently, only some models have a Stainless Steel hex (eg. 438). The others have Aluminium.

The recommendation is that an Alu hex should not be filled with softened water. I'm not sure if that applies to areas where you only have soft water.

Just a random thought, when I saw this thread...

 

[muggles]

Sounds like it wasn't flushed properly in that case, but yes you're correct that a Vaillant hex can't be properly flushed. The Worshitter 18i is also very dirt-sensitive, so if you have dirt in your system (which it would appear that you do) then that's not a good choice. The Baxi heat exchanger is a very similar (read near-identical) design to the Vaillant. You should have your system properly cleaned whichever boiler you go for, but Intergas is far and away the best option if there is a risk of dirt in the system, as it has much larger waterways which don't block as easily, and if it does block up it is very very easy to flush out again.

 

[vulcancontinental]

Get the system cleaned properly then it doesn't matter what boiler is installed. Give the boiler a chance and it will work correctly with a clean system. First things first, cure the problem don't just stick a plaster on the wound.

 

[Miller4]

Sounds like it wasn't flushed properly in that case, but yes you're correct that a Vaillant hex can't be properly flushed. The Worshitter 18i is also very dirt-sensitive, so if you have dirt in your system (which it would appear that you do) then that's not a good choice. The Baxi heat exchanger is a very similar (read near-identical) design to the Vaillant. You should have your system properly cleaned whichever boiler you go for, but Intergas is far and away the best option if there is a risk of dirt in the system, as it has much larger waterways which don't block as easily, and if it does block up it is very very easy to flush out again.

 

[Miller4]

Hi and thanks for advice,

Intergas I haven't heard of that make before are they a reliable quality make of Boiler.

 

[Miller4]

Get the system cleaned properly then it doesn't matter what boiler is installed. Give the boiler a chance and it will work correctly with a clean system. First things first, cure the problem don't just stick a plaster on the wound.

 

[Miller4]

Hi,

Thats what I paid to have done last time ? Professionally cleaned and for the Boiler to work correctley, I have added inhibitor to System annually but still this problem has occurred !!!

 

[muggles]

Hi and thanks for advice,

Intergas I haven't heard of that make before are they a reliable quality make of Boiler.

Best boiler on the market

 

[muggles]

Hi,

Thats what I paid to have done last time ? Professionally cleaned and for the Boiler to work correctley, I have added inhibitor to System annually but still this problem has occurred !!!

Sadly it sounds like you didn't get what you paid for. A properly flushed system will never need doing again, assuming inhibitor levels are correctly maintained afterwards

 

[vulcancontinental]

Sadly it sounds like you didn't get what you paid for. A properly flushed system will never need doing again, assuming inhibitor levels are correctly maintained afterwards

Seconded.

Powerflushing is a tedious and time consuming job where many rely on equipment, chemicals and eyesight to ensure effectiveness not testing post flush.

Take a sample of system water, look up Fernox on the internet and pay for them to test a sample, it's not expensive, I think about £25. Start from there. If you need it flushed again do it before the new boiler is fitted not during or after. Test again afterwards, ask the company how they confirm success or submit another sample.