Replace old Modena 102 combi with.........

[Zarch]

Thanks for the responses, appreciated. Point noted about the pipework to loft rad, bloody builders.

Had a local fitter come round today and was recommended either:

Vaillant Ecotec plus 832 32kw with 10 year warranty
Gloworm Energy Combi 30kw with 7 year warranty (but could buy further years)

Not much in the price between the two quotes, virtually just the cost difference between the boilers.

Turns out the space under the stairs/in coalshed where the Modena currently sits is quite limited and installer recommended the gloworm as it was a tad smaller to help with space to put the magna clean unit back in etc. Give him some working room I think.

Hard to find any actual reviews out there on either boiler. The Gloworm has a Grundfos pump which seems a recommendation. Is there much difference internally between the two boilers as being owned by the same company?

Both models seem relatively new (in last year). Do you get what you pay for? ie the extra £250 between units?

Its all pretty confusing tbh when you don't know much about these things.

The Energy is new on the market, and has made the switch to a cast aluminium downward-firing heat exchanger, which may or may not be a good thing. When Ideal did this with the Logic, early ones had a habit of splitting. Bit too early to comment on reliability as it's new out. Quite plasticky inside. Apparently the manual is the worst one ever written in the history of the world.

The EcoTEC has been around for years with minor tweaks; previously known as the 831, it now contains an energy-saving pump and a better laid-out interior but other than that is ostensibly the same boiler it always has been. A few known issues with the older model but haven't heard anything particularly worrying about the new one, which has been out for a few years now (they changed the model number from 831 to 832 when the energy saving pump regulations came in, to differentiate between the standard and A-rated pump models)

Thanks Andrew,

The underlying message then is to be wary of something new to market and stick to tried and tested?

To be honest, I was been leaning in my mind towards the Valliant for that very reason.

I have very little knowledge on boilers, but 'plastic' doesn't seem go down well on these forums, so another reason to swerve the Glow Worm and go EcoTEC?

Bottom line? Pay the extra, get the better unit(and parts), get the longer warranty.

 

[muggles]

Of the two, I'd definitely go for the EcoTEC

 

[srhawksy]

Thanks for the responses, appreciated. Point noted about the pipework to loft rad, bloody builders.

Had a local fitter come round today and was recommended either:

Vaillant Ecotec plus 832 32kw with 10 year warranty
Gloworm Energy Combi 30kw with 7 year warranty (but could buy further years)

Not much in the price between the two quotes, virtually just the cost difference between the boilers.

Turns out the space under the stairs/in coalshed where the Modena currently sits is quite limited and installer recommended the gloworm as it was a tad smaller to help with space to put the magna clean unit back in etc. Give him some working room I think.

Hard to find any actual reviews out there on either boiler. The Gloworm has a Grundfos pump which seems a recommendation. Is there much difference internally between the two boilers as being owned by the same company?

Both models seem relatively new (in last year). Do you get what you pay for? ie the extra £250 between units?

Its all pretty confusing tbh when you don't know much about these things.

The Energy is new on the market, and has made the switch to a cast aluminium downward-firing heat exchanger, which may or may not be a good thing. When Ideal did this with the Logic, early ones had a habit of splitting. Bit too early to comment on reliability as it's new out. Quite plasticky inside. Apparently the manual is the worst one ever written in the history of the world.

The EcoTEC has been around for years with minor tweaks; previously known as the 831, it now contains an energy-saving pump and a better laid-out interior but other than that is ostensibly the same boiler it always has been. A few known issues with the older model but haven't heard anything particularly worrying about the new one, which has been out for a few years now (they changed the model number from 831 to 832 when the energy saving pump regulations came in, to differentiate between the standard and A-rated pump models)

Thanks Andrew,

The underlying message then is to be wary of something new to market and stick to tried and tested?

To be honest, I was been leaning in my mind towards the Valliant for that very reason.

I have very little knowledge on boilers, but 'plastic' doesn't seem go down well on these forums, so another reason to swerve the Glow Worm and go EcoTEC?

Bottom line? Pay the extra, get the better unit(and parts), get the longer warranty.

Vaillant are the most expensive on the market, I don't think they worth the extra cost personally.

 

[BigSnoopy01]

Vaillant can be noisy and the customer service is bad generally but good solid build quality. Wb has the best customer service and 7-8 year warranty if your engineers approved. The best advise is go with what your chosen installer likes after all its the quality of the installation that's going to effect the life of the appliance. If an installer does not measure your water supplys pressure, flow and hardness and check the gas pipe sizing is correct when they quote then move onto the next one.

 

[muggles]

Vaillant can be noisy and the customer service is bad generally but good solid build quality. Wb has the best customer service and 7-8 year warranty if your engineers approved. The best advise is go with what your chosen installer likes after all its the quality of the installation that's going to effect the life of the appliance. If an installer does not measure your water supplys pressure, flow and hardness and check the gas pipe sizing is correct when they quote then move onto the next one.

Vaillant, noisy? They're Quiet Mark Approved as being very quiet...the 832 is rated at 46dB, against 55dB for a Worcester CDi. I know which I'd rather have...

 

[BigSnoopy01]

The 437 I serviced today was very, very loud and that's a heat only. I guess it depends which model it is then. I'd chose WB over Vail just for the fact they won't sell my customer to a large contractor but we all have personal opinions.