Vokera Vibe Max & Opentherm

[SteveFCO]

I have a 12 year old Ideal Logic Combi 30, which is far too large for the house heating requirements but despite its age, it's running Opentherm combined with a zoned Evohome system.

The Ideal still gives me control of DHW and DCH from the front panel whilst connected OT, which is great, but it has poor modulation and can't be range rated, hence I am looking to replace it. Another issue is it keeps randomly running the pump for around 4 minutes, day and night, whilst the heating is off, sometimes multiple times an hour, which I'm sure it didn't do before it was hooked up to OT.

I am looking at replacements and my first choice is the Vokera Vibe Max due to it ticking pretty much every box, especially modulation and range rating. My one concern is not being able to adjust DCH or DHW from the boiler when connected to Evohome via OT as Evohome unfortunately does not provide these controls.

Can anyone confirm if the Vibe Max maintains user control over DHW/DCH when connected to OT? My brother replaced his boiler with an OT ready Main combi a couple of years ago, only to find he then had no control over DHW/DCH when connected to Evohome via OT, resulting in scalding hot water from the taps. Main blamed Honeywell and they in turn blamed Main, so he had to scrap OT and replace it with weather comp, which I would rather avoid as I am happy with how OT works, even on an elderly Ideal boiler.

Any advice regarding the Vibe Max would be much appreciated.

 

[vulcancontinental]

I have a 12 year old Ideal Logic Combi 30, which is far too large for the house heating requirements but despite its age, it's running Opentherm combined with a zoned Evohome system.

The Ideal still gives me control of DHW and DCH from the front panel whilst connected OT, which is great, but it has poor modulation and can't be range rated, hence I am looking to replace it. Another issue is it keeps randomly running the pump for around 4 minutes, day and night, whilst the heating is off, sometimes multiple times an hour, which I'm sure it didn't do before it was hooked up to OT.

I am looking at replacements and my first choice is the Vokera Vibe Max due to it ticking pretty much every box, especially modulation and range rating. My one concern is not being able to adjust DCH or DHW from the boiler when connected to Evohome via OT as Evohome unfortunately does not provide these controls.

Can anyone confirm if the Vibe Max maintains user control over DHW/DCH when connected to OT? My brother replaced his boiler with an OT ready Main combi a couple of years ago, only to find he then had no control over DHW/DCH when connected to Evohome via OT, resulting in scalding hot water from the taps. Main blamed Honeywell and they in turn blamed Main, so he had to scrap OT and replace it with weather comp, which I would rather avoid as I am happy with how OT works, even on an elderly Ideal boiler.

Any advice regarding the Vibe Max would be much appreciated.

I'm afraid all Vokera boilers follow the original specification for OpenTherm which read the control must have complete control of the boiler which was interpreted to include DHW too in the case of a combi i.e. no adjustment on the front fascia. It has changed since.

A workaround is to connect an Open Therm control which can adjust DHW setpoint then once set reconnect the Evohome. There are some reletively cheap OT controls, around £50 that can be used to do this.

I've found the delivery setpoint when connected Evohome OT can be arbitrary, it might too hot, too cool or just right but the likelyhood is it'll need some adjustment, a change of control or WC.

Although more money the Synergy boilers modulate to 2.3kW and the Pinnacle 25 to 1.77kW if very low outputs are what you require. 7 and 10 year warranty respectively.

 

[SteveFCO]

Vulcan,

Thank you so much for your detailed reply, which is much appreciated.

Do you envisage Vokera making software changes to the combi boiler range, so that they no longer lock the front panel when connected to OT, which I believe is the current specification?

I don't suppose you could name a couple of those compatible OT controls you mention as for me it really is just about the DHW setpoint, so this would definitely be an option with the Vibe Max 26c? I only take shower, which has a thermostatic mixer valve, so DHW setpoint is very much a set and forget affair for me, with the main requirement being able to wash your hands without a visit to the burns unit.

Thank you also for the other boiler suggestions, which I will look into.

 

[SteveFCO]

A workaround is to connect an Open Therm control which can adjust DHW setpoint then once set reconnect the Evohome. There are some reletively cheap OT controls, around £50 that can be used to do this.

Would you be able to give me details of one or two of the circa £50 OT controls you mention?

Thanks

 

[muggles]

Would you be able to give me details of one or two of the circa £50 OT controls you mention?

Thanks

EPH CP4