Intergas must be doing really well ...

[ianmcd]

I am led to believe that Intergas boilers have the ability to phone and report themselves as being in need of attention if there is a fault in the boiler.

This would be for boilers in social housing and similar projects where the residents may not be interested in maintaining the boiler in good condition and a central monitoring station can be set up.

If this a true then it would be a very good reason for specifying Intergas boilers for that sort of housing development projects but maybe that bubble ( of sales ) has burst.

That technology has been around for many years, we were using it with Vaillant in 2006, good for secure housing and the like where the boiler reports faults before they become a real problem , EG low pressure get the warden or whatever to re-pressurise before boiler shuts down then an engineer can visit if it is recurring, we can even see the usage patterns and set alarm settings if someone has not used their heatin or HW for a bit unexpectedly , good systems, a bit of big brother watching but you cant have it both ways

 

[boolie]

I am led to believe that Intergas boilers have the ability to phone and report themselves as being in need of attention if there is a fault in the boiler.

This would be for boilers in social housing and similar projects where the residents may not be interested in maintaining the boiler in good condition and a central monitoring station can be set up.

If this a true then it would be a very good reason for specifying Intergas boilers for that sort of housing development projects but maybe that bubble ( of sales ) has burst.

I thought you were having a laugh until I read @ianmcd's post!

 

[ianmcd]

I thought you were having a laugh until I read @ianmcd's post!

No seriously many boilers have this onboard now, same with internet controls, the installer can put in a mobile phone number or e-mail address and you can see everything without visiting, some very clever stuff around , but some far too complicated for older people to operate, some controls you can pay extra and they will streamline your usage to save energy, a good thing which I like in some controls , if you have an elderly parent or a volonourable relative,The installer can add your phone number to the account, you can either control their heating from a smart phone , or you can monitor it to see if they are up and around, some even know if you have left the house , lots of settings can be made on them,all need the premises to have internet though, but I have installed two and piggy backed them onto net doors internet with their permission of course

 

[bernardgreen]

I am not sure that monitoring a vulnerable person via the usage of their boiler is a reliable method. Definitely not to be relied on as the only "automatic" system.

a bit of big brother watching

Given that many vulnerable people would object to Big Brother surveillance then they may turn OFF their boiler's electrical supply if they knew it was "watching " them.

Does the boiler have the ability ( battery backed ) to send an alarm message when the vulnerable person turns OFF the boiler's electrical supply. Or would critical boilers be routinely polled in order to identify those that were unable to communicate ?.

 

[ianmcd]

I am not sure that monitoring a vulnerable person via the usage of their boiler is a reliable method. Definitely not to be relied on as the only "automatic" system.



Given that many vulnerable people would object to Big Brother surveillance then they may turn OFF their boiler's electrical supply if they knew it was "watching " them.

Does the boiler have the ability ( battery backed ) to send an alarm message when the vulnerable person turns OFF the boiler's electrical supply. Or would critical boilers be routinely polled in order to identify those that were unable to communicate ?.

No the boiler supply being switched off would send out a notification if set up to do so, not from the boiler from the Internet control to say that communication has been lost

 

[Mr.B]

Returning to the main topic for a moment ..... having now leaned towards Baxi for a heat only option may I double check the recommendations made earlier for possible controls for the boiler if I was going to consider upgrading the current Honeywell CM901 and Siemens RWB9 programmer.

It's now my understanding that a heat only Baxi (for example the 616, which would be of similar output to my present boiler) doesn't have Opentherm capability therefore there wouldn't be much point in spending a couiple hundred pounds a Honeywell T6R-HW as was recommended earlier.

Given that we get on perfectly well with the current controls I'm thinking we might as well simply keep them. And, naturally, also keep the existing cylinder stat and three way valve too.

I confess to (prematurely) running a three core + earth cable from the airing cupboard to the garage (where the boiler is sited). I thought it would be needed for pump over-run purposes, but now know the Baxi doesn't need one.

I'll further admit I was probably also jumping the gun by providing a 28mm gas supply adjacent to the proposed boiler position thinking that I was gonna go for a combi. But we all make mistakes ... and if anyone ever does want to convert to a combi in the future there's a supply there for it - and if it does transpire that the existing gas run to the boiler isn't up to spec. then there's a solution to that on hand. I did have it tested by a Gas Safe fella a while ago and it was right on the limit so it might not have been a waste.

Enough.

 

[sxturbo]

Sorry my bad for the confusion.

The Baxi system 800 series boiler is the one that has opentherm compatibility.

I'm in agreement with you, you are probably best keeping your existing controls, there working and there is no gain to be had by swapping them out.

 

[Gasguru]

You might want to give the Baxi 616 a wide berth. Over on the closed gas forum there's a constant stream of reported failures of the combustion unit and it's becoming the new Barcelona dog.
These models are really Remeha's rebadged for the UK market.
The combustion unit comprises multiple parts that don't appear to be available separately and it's a huge price when the warranty runs out or is voided.

Baxi 800...a very different boiler and a far better bet.

 

[Mr.B]

Ta for that - but I'm confused when their website shows them as being the same and when the bloke at Baxi says that the 800 and 600 are identical apart from the warranty and filter?

From their website :-

Baxi 800 Heat
Our Baxi 800 Heat Only boiler comes with a 10 year warranty and filter in the box.

 

[Mr.B]

Is it a 600 with a longer warranty - or is it not? Somebody tell me.

The fella in the Youtube clip says there's "module" that contains the fan, gas valve and the PCB

A previous mention of the 800 does say :- Baxi 800...a very different boiler and a far better bet. So I'd be daft not to go for it, but is it actually a different boiler? If it is please, please advise me.

 

[Mr.B]

Am hoping to get a yes or a no on the the question of whether the 800 is the same as a 600 except for the warranty and filter.

To hark back to the origins of this thread I rang Baxi to be make a couple of queries direct with the manufacturer and the fella there in Technical ( a very pleasant and helpful bloke) did say the 600 and 800 were the same boiler ... so, having now sorted out the question of Opentherm and controls, I'm now confused to hear about this different 800 boiler.

As mentioned above, when I check the specs on the Baxi website it shows, as far as I could see, the 600 and 800 Heat to be identical (apart from the warraty and filter) yet within the preceding posts there's a recommendation to go with the 600 (or the 800 if I want a longer warranty) ... but then I'm told the 600 is nothing but trouble and to go for 800 which is much better. But the Baxi website makes it appear they're both the same boiler.

You must admit it's confusing Please come back and put me straight.

 

[muggles]

As far as I'm aware they're the same boiler, and yes they do have the issue described. The Combustion Control Unit is basically the gas valve, fan, PCB, and burner, all bundled together as one part. If any one of those components breaks, you have to have the whole lot replaced. Fine under warranty, but around £4-500 a go once the warranty is up.

The OpenTherm doesn't work properly on them either.

 

[dilalio]

Am hoping to get a yes or a no on the the question of whether the 800 is the same as a 600 except for the warranty and filter.

To hark back to the origins of this thread I rang Baxi to be make a couple of queries direct with the manufacturer and the fella there in Technical ( a very pleasant and helpful bloke) did say the 600 and 800 were the same boiler ... so, having now sorted out the question of Opentherm and controls, I'm now confused to hear about this different 800 boiler.

As mentioned above, when I check the specs on the Baxi website it shows, as far as I could see, the 600 and 800 Heat to be identical (apart from the warraty and filter) yet within the preceding posts there's a recommendation to go with the 600 (or the 800 if I want a longer warranty) ... but then I'm told the 600 is nothing but trouble and to go for 800 which is much better. But the Baxi website makes it appear they're both the same boiler.

You must admit it's confusing Please come back and put me straight.

Who do you listen to? The salesman or the users? It's a familiar dilemma with most products and/or services.
Make your choice and live with it

 

[bernardgreen]

Who do you listen to? The salesman or the users?

How can you listen to the users ? You have to find some users first.

A manufacturer could supply a list of people who are using their product.

But would it be all users or just happy users ?

 

[sxturbo]

The Baxi will be fine, you have at least 7 years the parts are plenty, and no one will shy away from repairing it.

For what you want it is ideal.

The 600and 800 appear to be the same on heat only boiler.

The system boiler is different and is likely what has been referred to as more reliable.