Help on chosing best option for new heating/hot water setup

[SteveyG]

Hi all, I have read a load of posts on here but though I would write my own to get a bit more help to my specific scenario.

I currently have a Potterton Suprima 50 boiler with a Glendhill Boilermate II 120l Thermal storage unit.

I had a problem with the boiler a year ago which needed a new PCB, a few months ago I started getting a buzzing sound quite often from the Boilermate which has not been to bad of late. I came back from holiday last week and I came back to a house where the boiler kept going in to lockout all the time. My option was to get out Potterton or a local plumber to sort the problem out but I thought balls to it so I have decided to change the system and put new in a new system.

I have done a load of reseach on the net on regular boilers, un-vented and combi's and basically I feel my three options are:

1. Combi boiler and take out the Boilermate TS, I was looking at something like the Worcester-Bosch 42cdi which gives up to 17l/m of hot water (at the usual 35 degrees etc)
2. Go for a viallant or WS system boiler (something like the Greenstar 18i) and then a pressurized cylinder in the airing cupboard.
3. Go for a regular boiler like the WS Greenstar 18Ri and upgrade the Boilermate II to the newer Boilermate BP.

Now I get good mains pressure at my property (or at least what I believe to be good pressure), I measured the pressure at the outside tap and it was 3.2bar, after turning on the tap in the kitchen it did not make a huge difference but when I turned on the tap in the bath upstairs the pressure on the gauge dropped to about 1.9-2.0 bar.

I filled a bucket to the brim from my hot water tap in the bath which was about 17 litres and it took 48 seconds.

Basically my house is a 4 bedroom house (extended from 3) and has one bathroom with a bath and a shower and an en-suite with a shower.

Whilst it is only myself and the misses who live here and it is only her that has baths we do have family and friends coming to stay at various times so basically I want the to be able to have the possibility of two showers going at the same time if need be.

I was also thinking of going for a combi as there is no need to constantly keep a store of hot water which should save a few quid each year but I am used to getting good tap pressure from both hot and cold at the moment so do not want to go down he combi route and then be disappointed with the flow of hot water coming out of the tap. Also which is the most inefficient way of getting hot water in your home, would it be the boilermate or the un-vented cylinder?

I appreciate that you guys will all have your own opinions on what you would do or what would be best and you may even think that my boiler choice(s) are not correct but please use what I have put as a guide, these are only ones that I have picked from my research so I am happy for other valid options.

Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Steve

 

[picasso]

for me it would be vaillant ecotec system boiler and vaillant unvented cylinder(cos I like vaillant) and you got good water pressure.

 

[muggles]

System boiler and unvented cylinder would be my vote too, I personally prefer the OSO Super S cylinders although the complete Vaillant setup does have some advantages

 

[SteveyG]

Thanks for your input, a lot of people on here seem to have the Viallant equipment as their preferred choice.

It would also be interesting to get people's opinions on the boilermate II / BP thermal stores and the way in which they work.

From reading past threads it seems that plumbers on here do not think to much of the Boilermate?

 

[dreadnoughtheating]

From reading past threads it seems that plumbers on here do not think to much of the Boilermate?

Well spotted........

Of course you could change the noisy circuit board on your Gledhill sludgebucket if you really wanted to throw good money after bad

DH

 

[Happyplumber]

I am fitting one on monday a santon premier with glow worm HXI boiler,an excellent well priced cylinder made by the heatrae sadia group .

Boliermates and pulsa coils i repair quite a few and horrible pieces of kit ,thrown in by developers just to get the job done .These things are not the first choice of any plumber or heating engineer

 

[The Baker]

[quote="SteveyG";p="1695898

Now I get good mains pressure at my property (or at least what I believe to be good pressure), I measured the pressure at the outside tap and it was 3.2bar, after turning on the tap in the kitchen it did not make a huge difference but when I turned on the tap in the bath upstairs the pressure on the gauge dropped to about 1.9-2.0 bar.

I filled a bucket to the brim from my hot water tap in the bath which was about 17 litres and it took 48 seconds.

Thanks, Steve[/quote]

looking at the above figures, and if you are happy enough with your Potterton for your Central Heating, you could contact Rinnai and ask about the Infinity 26i continious water heater.

The Rinnai people are very helpful.

Tim

http://www.rinnaiuk.com/2_Products/2_Gas_Water_Heaters/1_Internal/2_26i/1_26i.html

 

[SteveyG]

Thanks for all the replies so far, any other suggestions?

I am leaning towards the Vaillant EcoTec Plus 618/624 and the Vaillant uniSTOR 150/180

My only concern is with most peoples opinions of the Vaillant after sales care (or lack of it), it is nice to have the comfort that the manufacturer gives good after sales care.

The option to above will be the Worcester-Bosch Greenstar 18i/24i and a OSO Super S unvented cylinder 150/180

 

[SteveyG]

Any other suggestions guys?

 

[The Baker]

http://www.rinnaiuk.com/2_Products/1_Twin_Flow/1_Twin_Flow.html

 

[bengasman]

Thanks for your input, a lot of people on here seem to have the Viallant equipment as their preferred choice.

Vaillant are not bad boilers, although they seem to go to great lengths to cut costs, and nobody knows how well their current products will last.

Equally, if not more important, there after sales service is the worst of all boiler companies in the U.K; I would not install them if I got them for half price.

You should seriously consider getting a Viessmann or a Worcester CDI.