Combi Advice

[marvin]

Hi,

We are in the process of some building work and I'm looking at replacing the really old boiler system to a new gas combi. The main reason is to save space.
There are so many to choose from so I'd be grateful if you could recommend some to me or good makes at least, I want to get a good one and don't mind paying extra if its worth it.
I have an extended 3 bed semi with 10 radiators, there are 2 of us ( at the moment ) and we are really shower people.
In my last house we had an Ariston Microgenus and to be honest I was less than impressed.

I'd be grateful for any advice you can give.

Cheers.

Marvin.

 

[DP]

To go the combi route, smallest combi at 80,000 BTU will deliver 9+l of hot water at 35 degrees temperature rise. 100,000 delivery increases to 10+ and 135,000 BTU to around 15.

Gas line will have to be 22 or even 28mm as these boilers are gas hungry.

Shower will always be better even with smallest combi when compared to electric shower.

Combi has more bits to go wrong. Combi is a sealed system. Fit a combi to an old system only if you can confirm that the system is sound.

I would fit a Baxi 105e, Vokera Linea or similar plus an UV hot water cylinder.

Alternatively, fit a Vokera Linea Max. Have fitted a few. Good design. I would say build quality is superior. Parts are very reasonable (when these are required). Boiler is a storage combi that will fill a bath in three minutes. You can have a bath every 10 minute (times approximate)

Installation MUST be chemically cleansed and the work carried out as per the manufacturer's handbook. ENSURE logbook is completed- no blank spaces.

 

[marvin]

Hi,

Thanks for the advice, I very much like the idea of the Vokera Linea Max.
You mention the other boilers with a UV hot water cylinder, what exactly is this. Is the cylinder part of the boiler or is it in addition to it ?

Thanks.

Marvin.

 

[DP]

Combination boiler provides the heat. It also provides hot water. Since hot water delivery is poor- tricle when two taps are running, fitting a hot water unvented cylinder powered by the combi will give you a top knotch installation.

Not everyone can fit above. Ask for visual of CORGI card, turn the card over and see if 'central heating' is ticked. Also ask for visual of UV card

 

[marvin]

hi,

Both solutions sound good, is there anywhere I can have a look at these things on the web ? I'd like to get an idea which of these will take most space and also to compare.

Thanks again.

Marvin

 

[diymaniac]

Hi Marvin, have just finished "trawling" the net and have come up with what i think is the ideal combi. Have a look at the Halstead boiler site, the Ace High combi has a great spec, its British built,comes complete with a standard flue, 2yrs warranty and i picked one up for £499 inc vat from our local plumbers
Hope this is of some help,
Diymaniac

 

[marvin]

Hi,

Thanks for the post diymaniac but I think i'm definitely looking at one with a large store.

DP, I've been looking through previous posts and one in particular compared Vokera and Valliant as like comparing Fiat to a Ferrari. I dont know much about boilers but this comment does worry me slightly. Should I be ?
Also do you know anything about the Baxi Maxflow Combi FS in comparison to the Vokera linea max ?

Many Thanks.

Marvin.

 

[goodtohelp]

Hi I spend all day every week repairing baxi combi boilers, the Halstead is ok but parts can be expensive' you can normally get 4 years before anything go's wrong with this. Wickes do their version of this boiler for £475 including flu. The best is Valliant and next to that is worcester 230
Hope this helps you.

 

[marvin]

Hi,

Do Vaillant do a similar model to the Vokera Linea Max ?
It was suggested earlier in the post to have a combi and an UV cylinder tank, would this give the same performance ?
Can't seem to find any info about these sort of combinations.

Cheers.

Marvin.

 

[IanDB]

There's a description of unvented systems here

I find I have to recharge the air gap every six months but the advantage is loads of hot water at pressure.

 

[marvin]

Hi,

Thanks for the info, one of these tanks and a combi is going to take quite a bit of space unless I'm not understanding correctly.

I think I'll have to go for the Vokera Linea Max in this case.

Cheers.

Marvin.

 

[IanDB]

No, you understand perfectly. The tank is quite large. I lost a complete cupboard in the kitchen to one of these which was a pain.

 

[ttodd]

Hi,


compared Vokera and Valliant as like comparing Fiat to a Ferrari.

So the Vokera is the Fiat [Fix It Again Tony] and the Vaillant is the Ferrari??

Geez, IMHO a bl**dy Ferrari has unreliabity problems of biblical proportions, or have I misunderstood??

tt.

 

[weargas]

the new range of vaillants (turbomax plus onwards) have had stacks of reliability problems (straight from the lips of a vaillant engineer)
i've just bought a house that i'm gonna do up and i'm gonna fit a vokera condensing system boiler and an uv cylinder (not sure what type yet).
it's still a very continental system but far better than combis (if you have the space/money to install). It's a far more reliable system than a combi with a better dhw flow rate (if you have the incoming flow on the rising main of course)

 

[DP]

Look at the Vokera website.

Linea spec knocks the pants off the Worcester. It is better built than a lot of boilers. ALL boilers (especially combis and more complex condensing) will break down now and again. As far as I am concerned, Vokera make boilers that are easier to fit (Linea max has a tray that is bolted to the floor, all pipes are connected to the tray, then wheel the boiler (yes it has wheels) onto the tray and couple up), easier to service and repair, and the parts are very reasonable as well.

Have fitted several Linea Max- no problems so far.