What Combi do you recommend?

[Whippet]

We have a Worcester 240 Combi, which now needs replacing.

A Worcester Bosch engineer recommended a Worcester 24.

A friend bought a Glow Worm 30cxi after doing an in depth study of combis'.

Another plumber has said that the Baxi is the best one to buy.

We have a house with eight radiators, three of which rarely - or never - get used.

I feel as though we could do with some expert help on this matter.

 

[pierrot]

8) You`d have to pay me to have the glowworm, only then because I know all the faults that go wrong with the thing and I could keep all the neccesary spares in.
I am mainly fitting worcester 28i juniors. They come with a 2 year guarantee.

 

[Whippet]

Thanks, Pierrot.
I have taken a look at the juniors - are they powerful enough to take up to eight radiators if necessary, though?

 

[gazthepottertonengineer]

Thanks, Pierrot.
I have taken a look at the juniors - are they powerful enough to take up to eight radiators if necessary, though?

Are they condensing then Naughty Boy

Potterton Gold 33kw is wot you want 3 year guarantee and superb flow rates what more do you want

 

[weareleeds]

Only consider 2 best one is vaillant ecomax next choice is worcester junior greenstar (both 28kw) not 24kw if you want decent dhw delivery

 

[bripl]

a reliable boiler so that rules pottys out, 28i jnr not a bad little basic boiler for a better quality go for a buderus [company taken over by worc] nice boiler and covered by worc engineers and its a steamer the heat exchanger is a cast ali silicone hybrid

 

[gasgeezer]

I have a glow-worm 38cxi been installed by me for 18months not one problem same stainless heat/exch. as vaillant grundfoss pump etc only difference paid 200 quid less worcester are ok as are ideal dont install potties so wont comment what ever you choose make sure its installed by a pro(not just corgi reg } or you will get probs , with any boiler most probs i encounter say 90 percent down to cowboys proberbly employed on price words peanuts and monkeys spring to mind.

 

[gazthepottertonengineer]

I agree Gasgeezer most problems i cme across are down to system not flushed properly and bad commisioning

Potty Gold also has the same Giononni(or however you spell it ) stainless steel heat exchanger and grundfoss pump etc and the reason we can give 3 years waranty is because it is very reliable

Also make sure the gas pipe thats run to the boiler is at least 22mm

 

[weareleeds]

Agree that glowworm cxi is part vaillant only problem is bottom half which is plastic & renowned for water leaks

 

[Paul Barker]

Stainless steel heat ex is not a benefit, because of the poor transfer characteristics of the material the hydraulic ways in it have to be very small so future sludge poroblems are a certainty.

A correctly designed aluminium heat ex is best for steamers.

All the manufacturers who are now designing their own are going ally.

The stainless ones about are generic and shared across manufacturers caught on the hop by the new rules. They'll eventually realise their mistake.

Only one choice of boiler with 20 years condensing techknowlogy experience in Europe recently introduced into the UK market and now snapped up by Bosch. Boulter Buderus.

BUT if you want a cheap excellent boiler fit a Baxi 105he or the Potterton equivalent which is the same but about £30 cheaper. What's in a name?

 

[Whippet]

Crumbs, I am getting more confused by the minute here.


We had had problems with the pilot light going out.
We got a Corgi reg. plumber out three times. Then I got in touch with Worcester Bosch, who sent one of their own people out. He said it would cost more to repair the boiler, than it was worth for the little life it had left in it.

Thanks very much for your input gents - much appreciated. I shall show this to my husband, and let him decide what to do.

 

[Paul Barker]

Worcester 240 is a great boiler, if you had the right man available locally he might get it fixed for another 5 years and save you a fortune. No good going to Worcester magority of them are not interested in that era of boiler any more, though a few old timers do knoiw it's been all down hill since then.

 

[gazthepottertonengineer]

Stainless steel heat ex is not a benefit, because of the poor transfer characteristics of the material the hydraulic ways in it have to be very small so future sludge poroblems are a certainty.

?

like i said before as long as the system is flushed properly and commisioned properly i.e inhibitor put in you will have no problems so why should sludge be an issue especially on a sealed system

 

[gasgeezer]

A.W.B dutch boiler owned by glow-worm been condensing before worcester they used alulminium h/exch . Glow-worm like many moved away from ali in favour of stainless if syst. ok no problem heat/exch diff. minimal, corrosive values extreme hence the change. In defence of worcester they line ali h/exch. with silicon technology unproved so still open to debate.At the end of the day installers will recommend rightly or wrongly their prefernances.So you decide which boiler and live with it. Suppose the best way is if boiler manufacturers come clean with their failure rates but it aint gonna happen. Happy xmas

 

[Paul Barker]

Oh yes the old, it's not our boilers which are designed badly it's the installer not powerflushing the system argument.

How ofetn do you suggest we return with our powerflushers to ensure the same longevity to your boilers with small hydraulic ways as the Ideal E type?

No that's unfair.

OK I take your point, since combis (except for dual/contra flow main heat ex combis) have a far worse restriction in the plate heat ex the main heat ex might not be the first failure mode due to sludge.

I shoouledn't moan, my powerflusher will earn me loads of money in the future.

Perhaps I should do a British Gas style offer in my locality and then go round saying everyone needs a powerflush at £500 or else I wonm't fix their boiler.?

On a serious note, it's a cosideration that manufactrurers with loads of experience in condensing technology that have special formula alu heat ex 's in their test products stioll working 24hrs aday in the factory since they first began decades ago with no signs of p[roblems. Heat exes which are designed for easy service and exchange with a relatively cheap complete new coil should it become necessary.

Not many boilers you would bother to fit a new heat ex on.

Anyhow I respect your company it's products and your service team, not trying to down any manufcaturer in particular, just pointing out a few things about heat ex materials. 5 and 10 years down the line we'll all know the outcome.