Baxi Solo 3 50 PF Died Last Night - Repair or Replace...?

[Skyhigh]

Hi everyone,

I'd appreciate your opinions on our current situation - what would you do?

--

House bought 3 years ago (1999 build). Moved in, noted the boiler fan was very loud and had it serviced. Engineer said fan could be on it's way....but could also just carry on and work for a number of years as sometimes "they're a bit noisy".

Boiler is a Baxi Solo 3 50 PF.
Part of an indirect heating system: Hercal G4 indirect tank, Grundfos 15-50 130 pump, Honeywell 3 port valve, water storage tank in loft and CH feed tank in loft.
There's 13 rads, 1 downstairs toilet, 2 en-suites and family bathroom.
(House has been extended by previous owners considerably)

Baxi died last night - appears to be the fan. Unit just buzzes. No fan spin up noise.
(Boiler light = On, Fan light = On, Pilot = Off, Burner = Off)
Local engineer coming out Tues morning to take a look.

Of course, it could be something else - like the PCB, but for now I'm assuming it's the fan.

I'd appreciate your views on what you would do in this scenario.

Bearing in mind, it's a Sunday...then a bank holiday.. so the earliest I could get someone out is Tues and hopefully parts for repair by Weds.

Scenario
2.5yo daughter, pregnant wife due in March.
Luckily I'm off work until 8th..
Immersion can be used for hot water, but no heat in house at all - so decamped to in-laws overnight.

Option 1 - Replace Fan?
Official Baxi fan recommended by engineer - instead of compatible fan. Apparently as the fan is not made any more it's circa £200-£300 plus VAT, with fitting on top.
(Usual plumber has to get the 'GC' code from the existing fan to make sure its the right one and price it up, but this was the range he's quoted if it's "the expensive one").


Option 2 - Replace with Combi & Re-Site Boiler?
With another little one on the way, it's tempting to just sort it all out with a new boiler (with guarantee) - so there's no worries.

The boiler is the original from 1999. So it's knocking on a bit. That said, the fan is the only issue we've had in 3 years on the boiler itself. But 18-19 years seems long in the tooth.

House has been extended a lot, boiler might need upgrading anyhow due to 3x additional rads and 1x ensuite added since original build.

The boiler is under our bedroom, it's really noisy (even, with a fixed fan, I suspect. The sound seems to carry). It can be so loud it wakes you up - and I can (and have) slept through fire alarms..!

Flow in our spare room bathroom is terrible - 4.9 litres in a minute for cold and 1.5 for hot.
A Watermill PRD50 was installed by previous owners to try to improve flow to the spare room shower and the pump is insanely loud. You can hear it from outside sometimes. Even with the Watermill shower pump, flow is still poor.

We'd save about £100 per year in gas bill, as we only pay about £600 per year.
Although planning to sell in 5-8 years time - so it's not about 'saving' more about 'reducing risk of future issues'.

We've been thinking about replacing with a combi and re-locating it anyhow. Although it'll bee expensive.
Why? Better boiler efficiency, less noise, hopefully far better water pressure....

The only issue with this is that most heating engineers are flat-out in Winter which means
- Harder to get quotes ?
- Longer to get the work done ?
- More expensive ?

Although I'm also not sure if our flow rate is good enough for a combi. Measured from the mains (kitchen tap), I only measure 10.4 litres flow over a minute.

Option 3 - Both?
Get the fan fixed Weds. Wait until Spring/Summer to get boiler replaced.
But will have to pay for fan and then new boiler also.

Option 4 - Something else?
Maybe I've missed another option?


(So far this month: £350 roof repairs bill, £260 car repairs, plus puncture, and now this. Come on 2018!)

 

[hertsboilers]

Might just need a fan bearing cleaning and lubrication.

 

[stem]

I have a 2000 installed Solo 3 and I intend to hang on to it as long as possible. It has only completely broken down once, which was the fan, like yours it had been a bit noisy for some time first, before failing. Parts are still readily available and it is relatively simple and robust will probably outlast any new combi installed today. When I had the fan changed I also had a new pressure switch fitted at the same time as they can fail, and are cheap and easy to replace at the same time as the fan. I have also had a new PCB, as the pump stayed on 24/7, but didn't stop it working.

The added advantage is that with the Solo, is that some components such as the pump and motorised valves etc., are mounted externally and can be replaced DIY with parts from any plumbers merchant, or DIY shed. Combi's have boiler specific parts that carry out these functions and are mounted internally so need a gas safe engineer and manufacturers parts to fix.

Whilst the old Solo may not be the most efficient boiler available, it's one of the best 'non condensing' boilers and has a robust heat exchanger, unlike the modern super thin heat exchangers which don't seem to last very long and are used in the name of efficiency.

Anyway that's my thoughts, no doubt others will see it differently.

 

[FiremanT]

Stem is not wrong
Solo fan need not be £200/300 + VAT
You have too many bathrooms for a combi

EDIT:
I could be wrong, but I do not recall alternative fans for that boiler. AFAIA they are still being made, but about £240 inc vat retail. Compatible ones tend to be cheaper. I have sprayed before, to get them going, but,IMO & experience, it is a short term fix.
Have you asked the RGI how he charges? A lot of guys here claim they charge approaching £100 to diagnose,then fitting charges on top. (Personally, I don't. I only charge the DF if the punter declines my quote for repair).

Re a new boiler: You need to workout why the flow rate is so low. Do your neighbours have the same cold rate? Your HW rate can be slowed by lack of "head", and by the design if your brassware. Is the HW rate very slow downstairs, as well as up? Is the gate valve between the CWS an cylinder fully open?

 

[ReganAndCarter]

If it was me and I was planning to move in 5 years or so, I would be fixing the boiler and keeping the system. You'll never get a payback and I doubt a new system will make a difference to prospective buyers when you come to sell.

 

[Skyhigh]

All really good points. Thank you for your comments!

'Use it till it dies (or costs too much to repair)' seems to be the best way forward for now. Especially as it's unlikely a combi is an option for the house size & flow rate. Plus I hadn't realised all the valves, etc, were inside a combi - which is a big downside as I'm happy to repair/replace simple parts of the CH system (motorised valves, pump, etc) when required.
(Of course, I never touch any gas appliances as I'm not qualified! So moving all the 'parts' into a gas-safe environment removes the opportunity of me fixing small issues)

RGI is decent and fair I believe, usually only charges for parts plus labour. Not had a callout charge before - but that said, we've never called him out and then not had him do work!
He also lives in the street over from us, which is handy.


Flow Rate
I'm going to check with the neighbours what their rates are.
I'll check all our taps and will come back.
I'll also check all the gate valve(s) as there's 8 in the airing cupboard and 1 in the loft. That said, last year I'm sure I checked they all worked and opened them up as much as possible (with half a turn back to help avoid it sticking at the end).

 

[FiremanT]

last year I'm sure I checked they all worked and opened them up as much as possible

Careful,.... One maybe a bypass, which should be little more than cracked open. Post a pic?

 

[FiremanT]

doubled

 

[Hot&Cold]

Option 3 - Both?
Get the fan fixed Weds. Wait until Spring/Summer to get boiler replaced.
But will have to pay for fan and then new boiler also.

Have you considered a reconditioned fan ? around £50 (exchange service) cant advertise the merchant on this public forum