Kerosene Combi Boiler advice pls

[Wellsybird]

Hello - I've just bought a leasehold property in a village with no gas - it currently has elec storage heaters - so I am exploring central heating options. Unfortunately there is no insurance for gas in the property, so I am looking at housing a kerosene combi boiler and would be grateful for any infos about the modern ones on the market - are they any good, do they smell, are they noisy, any trouble. All comments welcome, I am new to all of this. Thank you in advance!

 

[Terrywookfit]

Grant boilers are the pick of the bunch.
Unless there is a problem they do not smell and are very quiet.

 

[PullerGas]

Grant boilers are the pick of the bunch.
Unless there is a problem they do not smell and are very quiet.

Yeah Grant boilers are great if you want one that'll leak all over the place!!

Oil combi boilers are by their very nature not very good for giving you instant & plentiful hot water.
Most have a very limited flow rate. If it's a fairly big family home I'd always recommend an oil boiler & unvented hot water cylinder, the cylinder on the proviso that there's enough dynamic water pressure & flow rate.

 

[Terrywookfit]

I have not had one leak up to now.
15 litres per min is far better than your average 30Kw gas combi.
I agree that a boiler and stored water is a better option.
As they now have a sensible sized EV fitted 24 litre. I think there will be far fewer with annoying drips. Most plumbers are clueless at Ev sizing.

 

[oilboffin]

Yes indeed a grant combi is the way to go but the new Worcester isn't a bad boiler and with a combi no tanks to give you grief

 

[muggles]

I much prefer Grant, and the new VortexBlue range has a ten year warranty

 

[PullerGas]

I much prefer Grant, and the new VortexBlue range has a ten year warranty

Does that include their pizz poor water jackets M??

 

[muggles]

I much prefer Grant, and the new VortexBlue range has a ten year warranty

Does that include their pizz poor water jackets M??

It's the whole boiler

 

[simond]

Last time I was on their Vortex Blue familiarisation the 10yr warranty excluded the blast tube and the flame cell, which is v expensive. I don't think it is the 'whole boiler'.

Grant combis have had a poor rep; the reference to the expansion vessel is because the shell was only just strong enough and when the small, very hot previous expansion vessel failed the extra pressure often cracked open the jacket, resulting in a complete write off. Normally just out of warranty. Got one to do now, coincidentally.

Worcester use Winkelmann (Reflex) expansion vessels which are superior, and seem to have a stronger metal jacket. Not perfect, though, in other respects.

Because of the problems we've had with Grant combis I'm not going to rush to recommend their new one, especially the Vortex Blue which is £300 more for no benefit.

We usually specify Worcester Heatslave 2.

And I can't understand the poor flow rate comment, oil combis have better flow rates than most gas combis. Sure, an unvented would be better still, but I'm sensing the customer doesn't want that level of sophistication.

 

[PullerGas]

Last time I was on their Vortex Blue familiarisation the 10yr warranty excluded the blast tube and the flame cell, which is v expensive. I don't think it is the 'whole boiler'.

Grant combis have had a poor rep; the reference to the expansion vessel is because the shell was only just strong enough and when the small, very hot previous expansion vessel failed the extra pressure often cracked open the jacket, resulting in a complete write off. Normally just out of warranty. Got one to do now, coincidentally.

Worcester use Winkelmann (Reflex) expansion vessels which are superior, and seem to have a stronger metal jacket. Not perfect, though, in other respects.

Because of the problems we've had with Grant combis I'm not going to rush to recommend their new one, especially the Vortex Blue which is £300 more for no benefit.

We usually specify Worcester Heatslave 2.

And I can't understand the poor flow rate comment, oil combis have better flow rates than most gas combis. Sure, an unvented would be better still, but I'm sensing the customer doesn't want that level of sophistication.

Sophistication???!!!........An unvented cylinder & oil boiler sophisticated, seriously??? FFS done day in day out in the real world!! An unvented cylinder will give the OP >20ltr/min @ 3Bar, dynamic flow rate & pressure permitting. Pleased you concur on the cr.p Grant boilers though Simple Simond.

Very, very inefficient all that boiler cycling for the heat bank on an oil combi boiler!! I swear this P&H forum has got to be the worst on-line forum for DaftyDIYers advice.

 

[simond]

I used the word 'sophistication' with sarcasm.

With the Worcester the heat bank is well insulated. It is smaller than any normally specified unvented cylinder - so I'm not sure why you think the losses from a small store would be greater than a large one; you must explain that one day. Unlike an unvented cylinder some of the heat losses from the boiler contribute to the water store. And finally the Heatslave can be equipped with a timer, just like an unvented, where you can decide when the heatstore is active to reduce standing losses.

But then, I don't claim to have 40 yrs experience. But I do own my own heating firm and don't have to jump to anyone else's tune.

 

[PullerGas]

I used the word 'sophistication' with sarcasm.

With the Worcester the heat bank is well insulated. It is smaller than any normally specified unvented cylinder - so I'm not sure why you think the losses from a small store would be greater than a large one; you must explain that one day. Unlike an unvented cylinder some of the heat losses from the boiler contribute to the water store. And finally the Heatslave can be equipped with a timer, just like an unvented, where you can decide when the heatstore is active to reduce standing losses.

But then, I don't claim to have 40 yrs experience. But I do own my own heating firm and don't have to jump to anyone else's tune.

Apart from your customers!!!........ They say jump, you say how high??!!!

An unvented cylinder can have a solar panel connected, a back-up immersion heater - even another boiler!!
C'mon mate oil Combis are shyte!!