Switch to combi - or just replace boiler

owned_by_2_Siamese

Hi-
Have a 1 bed flat with conventional HW cylinder, power shower, 4 rads and desperately dying 'Potterton Ultra 2DV' boiler. This boiler is a system boiler with pump and DV all built in (basically all the gubbins that would otherwise be in airing cupboard) This means all the pipes HW/CH/etc run into the Boiler which is in the kitchen - and all concealed behind a cupboard. As the tank is on the same level as the bathroom I have a Powershower (2 yrs old) with a built in pump (excellent!) and a small electric pump at the kitchen tap that comes on automatically when the taps turns on - so all in all reasonable flow - if not over engineered (installed when flat was built 17 years ago) Boiler is beyond repair and needs replacement. Have had a quote all in for a Vaillant ecoplus 831 at £2300 including decommisiioning/removing powershower and pump, and installing ordinary shower mixer, changing loo cistern valve to run off mins (currently bathroom fittings all come off cold tank, removal of tanks etc.) - Oh and I have to sort out the hole in the bathroom where the Power shower usd to be!
After research have discovered that worcester do a system boiler that has pump and as an option can have a built in Diverter valve, meaning all the current pipework to the boiler woul not need to be changed, I keep tanks power shower and pump, and (of great importance!) consequently cheaper to just have boiler replced (£1400) Question - given all the above should I just swap boiler and keep existing HW system - or switch to combi? I guess I'm concerned all pumps/tanks have limited life? (BTW all quotes include system clean !) Thoughts really appreciated - have to decide this soon as time is not waiting for the old Potterton!

country_sport

I would be inclined to keep you present set up. Just change the boiler.

ixwood

I'd be tempted by a combi. mains fed, on demand hot water means you can do away with all the pumps etc.

roddydogs

Filling a bath especially in winter will take ages with a combi.......keep the old set up if its already in place, a normal boiler will be cheaper and more reliable.

Canucklehead

owned_by_2_Siamese wrote: »

Hi-
Have a 1 bed flat with conventional HW cylinder, power shower, 4 rads and desperately dying 'Potterton Ultra 2DV' boiler. This boiler is a system boiler with pump and DV all built in (basically all the gubbins that would otherwise be in airing cupboard) This means all the pipes HW/CH/etc run into the Boiler which is in the kitchen - and all concealed behind a cupboard. As the tank is on the same level as the bathroom I have a Powershower (2 yrs old) with a built in pump (excellent!) and a small electric pump at the kitchen tap that comes on automatically when the taps turns on - so all in all reasonable flow - if not over engineered (installed when flat was built 17 years ago) Boiler is beyond repair and needs replacement. Have had a quote all in for a Vaillant ecoplus 831 at £2300 including decommisiioning/removing powershower and pump, and installing ordinary shower mixer, changing loo cistern valve to run off mins (currently bathroom fittings all come off cold tank, removal of tanks etc.) - Oh and I have to sort out the hole in the bathroom where the Power shower usd to be!
After research have discovered that worcester do a system boiler that has pump and as an option can have a built in Diverter valve, meaning all the current pipework to the boiler woul not need to be changed, I keep tanks power shower and pump, and (of great importance!) consequently cheaper to just have boiler replced (£1400) Question - given all the above should I just swap boiler and keep existing HW system - or switch to combi? I guess I'm concerned all pumps/tanks have limited life? (BTW all quotes include system clean !) Thoughts really appreciated - have to decide this soon as time is not waiting for the old Potterton!

Good morning: If you're happy with the performance of your current setup then stick with a system boiler: less disruption and cheaper to boot though you should consider replacing your HW cylinder if it is the same age as the boiler.

HTH

Canucklehead

Waterways_2

Go for a good flow combi, if the cold mains is up to it. Ditch the cylinders, power shower pumps and tanks. Avoid the Worcester-Bosch. They are 5 years out of date with poor control systems. Vaillant are not far behind and are expensive.

Look at a the Dutch Broag Avantaplus 35C or 39C combi.
http://www.avantaplus.co.uk

The 39C is £917 inc VAT, that is very well priced for a 40kW boiler.
http://www.tradingdepot.co.uk/DEF/catalogue/D003001007/Plumbing/Central%20Heating/Central%20Heating%20Boilers/Broag%20Remeha%20Boilers

http://www.centurionhbs.co.uk/shop/productdetail.asp?ID=2457&sectID=401&catID=403&parentID=&sort=

Look at the combi options pages 17 to 21. The outside senors etc, are extra.
http://www.avantaplus.com/docs/Issue%205%20-Avanta%20Schematics%20Booklet.pdf

Have a Magnaclean filter on the return to the boiler. That will prevent any blocking up of the tubes in the heat exchanger. The same for all boilers.

The Broag, has a 5 year guarantee. They use primarily industry standard components and little plastic with Gianonni stainless steel heat exchangers, Honeywell brass hydroblocks, Grundfos pumps, etc. The Broags are better quality than Vaillant and much cheaper. They are a well priced quality boilers having a superb control system with integrated outside weather compensation and OpenTherm protocol control. Buy the outside weather temperature sensor and use weather compensation - great comfort conditions and economy. You will not look back.


The best price/performance around.

Waterways_2

roddydogs wrote: »

Filling a bath especially in winter will take ages with a combi......

Do not go on old wives tales. A modern quality decent flow combi will fill a bath no problem, even in winter. The Broag 39C will fill it in no time at all. To notice any difference you will need a stop watch.

Don't judge everything by cheap 24kW B&Q specials, or those fitted by cowboys. Some combis can easily do two bathrooms.