Baxi or Vokera

[griffta1]

Hi,

Just got two quotes to have central heating for a standard semi. The first was from a sole trader for £2500 who will fit Vokera boiler and the other was from a small company who will fit a Baxi 105HE boiler, which boiler is the best?

Also, the more expensive quote said that they would replace the main gas pipe from there meter as it is an old steel pipe (although it looks cast iron to me, but i'm probably wrong). They said that this was to prevent any burrs that may be sitting in the steel pipe from clogging the burner, is this correct?

Cheers,

Matt

 

[Agile]

You need to know the boiler models to make a proper comparisom.

Sometimes the gas pipe needs to be upgraded to supply enough gas.

A boiler has a filter at the gas input.

A gas pipeline should be blown through before use to remove any mobile debris.

Tony

 

[griffta1]

thanks, i know it's difficult to compare boilers without model numbers but going on brands which is going to be better vokera or baxi?

There is a vokera at my parents house and they have had many problems with heat exchangers, but i don't know if this is the boiler or the old pipework they have.

Also the vokera my parents has seems to take about 30sec to heat the DHW to temp whereas my friend has a baxi and it's more or less instant? Is this a indicative of the boiler design/quality?

Matt.

 

[namsag]

Baxi by a long way far more reliable easier to work on and cheaper to repair. As for hot water your friend will have the instant version which stores an amount of hot water for fast HW delivery. As for replacing steel pipe if its of big enough diameter to supply correct amount and pressure of gas to the appliance there is no need to change it. There will be some debri in pipe but this can be blown out.

 

[weareleeds]

Both boilers are middle of the road you would be better stumping up another £200 or so & get a vaillant or worcester (CONDENSING ONLY)

 

[gazthepottertonengineer]

Rubbish get a Baxi Platinum boiler 5 year Guarantee cant go wrong

 

[kevplumb]

you sure your not on commission gaz

 

[Agile]

I was not impressed by seeing the Baxi Platinum at a show, lots of plastic parts, certainly not the "quality" construction I had expected to warrant a five year guaranty.

I came to the conclusion that its a £400 boiler with an extra £200 added to the price to pay for the five years guaranty.

Most of these Baxi boilers seem to be typical Italian boilers made by Alpha !

Tony

 

[compheat]

Your right Agile. The Platinum is the same has the Potterton gold (3 year Warranty ) and £200 dearer. The heat exchanger is the same has the Vaillant and Veissman

 

[stulew]

I have found the Platinum range quite tricky to fit. I have found the Jig is a pile of c**p. I pulled the Baxi rep aside at the PHEX at Chelsea and explained my grievances to him, after a bit of arm twisting and a game of "slaps" he confessed that the reasons for these problems was because they used a modified BAXI 105E jig.
Still maybe I can forgive anybody that gives me a 5 yr gaurantee..

 

[Agile]

Are you quite sure the heat exchanger is the same as the Viessmann???

I thought theirs was unique to them?

Tony

 

[Paul Barker]

Not much between the makes. That particular Baxi is very popular around the country. I fit it under the Potterton brand name, same boiler different colour same guarantee less money.

Not a lot wrong with the 105he jig, which is the deliberately the same Jig for the Platinum so that future combi swaps will take a matter of minutes.