Anyone running a gas Rayburn?

Newbird

I'm considering getting one, to run CH hot water as well as cooking.

Have looked at oil and been put off by the cost of running and set up, we don't have an oil tank.

We would need to get the gas to the house from the main in the street, as its not done yet, so have the choice of solid fuel/wood, but I know the disadvantages of SFW and I'd like a warm house in the morning, so the convenience of gas and a timer is beckoning.

I'm wondering if anyone can give me some idea of what a gas one is costing to run these days, or last winter?

I'd be running 6 rads, towel warmer, hot water and cooking.

Wagearner

One word from my experience on costs of the old Rayburns - horrendous!

We had a Rayburn GD80, built c 1992 which looked beautiful in an old chimney breast, dark green enamel, shiny towel rail... It ran the hot water and 14 rads, as well as putting in occasional service as a winter cooker.

Unfortunately it lead to a gas and electricity monthly direct debit of £180 (not helped admittedly by heating a Victorian House with Victorian insulation standards. Ouch!

we didn't even have it on properly in the kitchen because of the cost and lack of use (Mrs Wagearner and I both work full time) so with no other rads the kitchen was perpetually cold.

Much as it looked perfect I'm afraid it had to go and as of June we have a new gas condensing boiler. The plumber estimates the old Rayburn at 50-60% efficiency - it certainly had a very hot chimney flue even when just ticking over - against the 90%+ of the new version. Factor in a new hot water tank, insulation work done last year and I'm hoping to reduce the gas bill by £100 per month and reduce £250 annual servicing costs to nil for a while (which will still take a while to pay for the boiler, but I at least feel better about myself!)

I say "old" Rayburns because they now do what looks like a fantastic Gas condensing versions, which (in theory at least) are every bit as efficient as wall mounted modern boilers. Of course they cost £7k+ to supply alone (against £3k to supply and fit our new Worcester boiler and hot water tank)

Personally I would probably avoid a reconditioned Rayburn for my only heat and water heating, but would have loved to have been able to replace with a new one.

My next plan is to get an AGA rangemaster cas cooker to fill the gap where the rayburn sat. Any tips on where to get one cheap?!

RSJE

Hi, I'm about to move into a house with an oldish Rayburn. Its stand alone for cooking only though. The prev owners had the boiler disconnected and had a condensing combi boiler put in - they couldn't sell the house with the Rayburn/boiler combo. Not sure how much it would be to run the heating off the Rayburn, but the EPC for the house, done at the time of the Rayburn boiler was not that good. HTH in some way.

Wagearner

RSJE - can I suggest you get the Rayburn checked, or a certificate of compliance of some sort on the works? (Or get your solicitor to ask the question!)

I wanted to do exactly this (new hot water/central heating boiler and keep the Rayburn to cook) but was told by an accredited Rayburn engineer that it was simply not possible as the boiler/cooker needed to run with water in. The implication was that it could be dangerous?

It's probably model specific and may not be relevant to yours, but if work is required I'm sure it's not a cost you want to land yourself with!

Newbird

Thanks both...hmmm, Wagearner, I should have said I won't be getting a new one! Can't afford that, and not sure its money well spent really, in terms of what else that amount could be spent on.

Looking at a 2nd hand 1993 model, will run upto 20 rads, so possibly the same one you mentioned. I know the gas one won't keep the kitchen warm, would need a rad in there.

Have compared the oil cost with a guess at the gas cost, and the oil is still more expensive. It scares me that oil and gas prices will continue to rise, and it scares me trying to keep a SFW Rayburn fed all day and in overnight, as well as the cold mornings while you wait for it to heat up again after its breakfast.

I've had a woodburner for 25 years, so I know it would need more work than that to keep in.

RSJE

Wagearner wrote: »

RSJE - can I suggest you get the Rayburn checked, or a certificate of compliance of some sort on the works? (Or get your solicitor to ask the question!)

I wanted to do exactly this (new hot water/central heating boiler and keep the Rayburn to cook) but was told by an accredited Rayburn engineer that it was simply not possible as the boiler/cooker needed to run with water in. The implication was that it could be dangerous?

It's probably model specific and may not be relevant to yours, but if work is required I'm sure it's not a cost you want to land yourself with!

Thanks for this, will do - the sellers have said it works, but will get it checked out now!

Newbird

RSJE - Think you should be OK if it has been converted properly to 'dry' as they call it, i.e. cooking only. The danger is that if it is still heating the boiler and the hot water has nowhere to go, yep could explode.

Do you know what they have done to convert it?
Best get it checked by a Rayburn expert.

RSJE

The boiler that was attached to the Rayburn has gone completely - the cupboard that this was housed in is now empty... The new boiler is a worcester condensing boiler - so as far as I am aware - totally separate to the Rayburn. think we best get it checked though! thanks very much..

mehefin

We have a coal fired rayburn which used to heat water and is still used to cook with. When our aged gas boiler went phut and we had no alternative to having one of the latest jobbies. Our plumber inadvertently severed the feed to the water tank, the Rayburn went nuts and eventually boiled out the water in its internal tank.
The solution 'eventually' was to put a large radiator where the hot water tank used to be, an expansion tank in the loft and replace the seal on the boiler tank in the Rayburn which had disintegrated under the over hot conditions. Cost of seal about £5.
Cost ofnew gas boiler and associated plumbing £2k+ :eek:

Incidentally the internal boiler in the Rayburn is a serious piece of metal..it would take a lotof punishment before failure - mine ran for some weeks befoe we realised what had happened.. it was in the spring so wasnt obvious immediately
It now keeps the airing cupboard nice and warm .

Ziggymole

Newbird wrote: »

Have compared the oil cost with a guess at the gas cost, and the oil is still more expensive. It scares me that oil and gas prices will continue to rise, and it scares me trying to keep a SFW Rayburn fed all day and in overnight, as well as the cold mornings while you wait for it to heat up again after its breakfast.

I've had a woodburner for 25 years, so I know it would need more work than that to keep in.

We live a fair way off the beaten track - no mains drainage and no gas either. When we moved here 18 years ago we looked at the options for heating our 4 bed stone built house and decided against a Rayburn (looks good but does not perform) and went for a Wamsler multifuel boiler/oven. It does everything, hot water, cooking and heating - we have no backups! - and we wouldn't be without it. We don't even try to keep it in overnight during the winter - we don't need to - that's what duvets are for and it gets lit first thing each winter morning 10 minutes work and the house is toasty warm within an hour. In the summer we light it in the evening to cook and let it go out straight after, leaving us with a tank of hot water for the following day. The kids - now 14, 18, 28 & 30 all learnt how to light it and cook on it they didn't freeze or starve. (shiftworking parents meant they were often fending for themselves)

The initial outlay may seem expensive but apart from the cost of a new grate (£50) every two years and the occasional chimney sweep the only outlay is fuel - free wood when we can get it or large boiler coal when we can't - a maximum of 1/2 ton (£117) per month in winter much much less in summer.

I hope this has given you something to consider.

Ziggy

Newbird

Thanks for that Ziggy - Just wondering what your opinion of Rayburns not performing is based on? Direct experience?

There are different ones according to requirements, people often make the mistake of being disappointed with the wrong one for the wrong job and desired output.

I will have a look at the Wamsler, have looked at Stanleys and not too keen, compared to Rayburns.

[Update - Oooh...Have looked, bit too modern looking for me, and their trad version does not appeal...no mention of prices on the website either...or they are well hidden perhaps....getting the feeling they are expensive!]

I have lived in a house with no central heating except dreaded storage heaters - boooooo.... for more years than I care to tell and I am ready for that flick the switch, or set the timer!

Yes I know 10mins will revitalise the fire, (I've had woodburners for many years) its the getting up to do that in the cold after having warmed my frozen t-shirt under the duvet first and then waiting for an hour after, to get into a bathroom thats not approaching arctic conditions that I've had enough of. :eek:

I intend to run a woodburner as well, but there is a limit to how much free wood we can get hold of, not to mention the time required to collect, chop and store it.

I do want the cooking facilities a range offers.

I want an efficient system at a reasonable cost....am I being unreasonable?
:money:

Electric Aga anyone?