Which Combi??

diywhynot

Leave the gas calcs to someone who has seen the job and knows what combi is going in.

Gorie

Before I moved house I had a valiant and it worked perfectly.

Now I have an Alpha and its weird (I am trying to work out at present why it always trips my RCD in winter). My father has a worcester bosch and whilst it works fine the case is a little rattly after 10 years of use (it needs constant adjustment) - but then its 10 years old.

I'm sure if you look at reviews and ask gas fitters either valiant or worcester bosch will be names you hear again and again.

Ive never heard of Remeha, but I wouldn't call an engineer because I couldn't hear the boiler (unless the radiators or water were cold and I had turned it on) so maybe a certain type of person selects this particular make

I would second all of the comments to go for a more powerful one if you like hot powerful showers, although I have read that "with modern boilers it makes little difference".

Keep Warm!

booty40uk

24kw boiler max on info given. Gas run will be fine on info given. Obviously the fitters who price for you will verify this.

srcandas

booty40uk wrote: »

24kw boiler max on info given. Gas run will be fine on info given. Obviously the fitters who price for you will verify this.

Thanks booty and all for input. If the gas pipe now meets the need the justification to move it is tough. We will still save the same space going combi; it is just where in the house the extra space is.

So that leaves the decision on a softener. Onwards and upwards :beer:

diywhynot I guess your message is to always use professional advise and qualified engineers where needed - very sound:T But not to take responsibility to investigate what is happening, how and why, would equally not be smart. How could you question/decide upon the offerings if you do not understand the basic theory?

C_Mababejive

srcandas wrote: »

And if I thought there was going to be a shortage of gas I might install a coal fire! - which has nothing to do with the question I asked.

Macman do you have a combi mental hang up? :beer:

I'm digressing slightly but in some areas there is in fact gas and water shortages which i attribute to the over installation of combi boilers. Think about it. The gas and water infrastructure might have been installed in your area in the 1930's and up. The demand for gas has risen dramatically since then. No one has funded the installation of bigger and bigger gas and water supplies and yet we have 40Kw plus combis being put in with demands for water and gas at certain pressures and flow rates. In many areas,such appliances are now running in sub ideal conditions because quite simply,the water and gas infrastructures cannot support them.

As in example,in my little row of houses,there is my puny 38,000 gross traditional CHB and nice tank which murmurs along. My neighbour had hers binned. When she takes her morning shower it sounds like a fire breathing dragon has been awakened in her home. There is a loud thrumming as her megawatts combi fires to produce hot water and plumes of effluvia out of her outlet..

I see the day when we start to re-install efficient storage systems.

For low volume usage this would feed a shower nicely in indirect version and take up little space

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-Litre-Electric-Water-Boiler-Heater-Unvented-Hot-Cylinder-Mains-Pressure-07-/190751871397?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Hearing_Cooling_Air&hash=item2c69b291a5

paulmapp8306

Again OT, but I kind of agree.

Think about it - if we all have combis, then the demand for both high water pressure, and gas in the typical showering period before school/work will be huge. With a traditional set-up, the water is heated in a tank, often overnight - and it doesnt matter if there is a ghigh demand at a certain time - the demand is filled from your boiler.

I have done a lot of research recently, as Ive only just become responsible for my own boiler (ie I know own an house rather than renting one), and I wouldnt fit a combi even if it was free. A properly insulated, unvented system is the way forward IMO.

Still, the OP wants what they want - so go with the suggestions

srcandas

C_Mababejive wrote: »

I'm digressing slightly but in some areas there is in fact gas and water shortages ............

C_M I'm almost there with the help given here and other places/people so a bit of digress may be good.

I take your point that Combi's spike demand and that is a serious issue.

However equally inefficient use of water, electricity and gas is just as great a problem - and my combi given my lifestyle will help there.

Of couse I am doing my best. It is 10am and I'm about to go and shower. Some would say I was lazy, I say I am distributing demand

srcandas

paulmapp8306 wrote: »

Still, the OP wants what they want - so go with the suggestions

Paul it is not a case of wanting, it is a case of needing.

Don't want to blow my own trumpet but my wife and I live in a very small well insulated house. I work from home so little travelling and no car. A low foot print indeed.

A combi not only in my case will save the planet energy use but will give me more space so I can continue to be economical.

[OK having a spanish wife and being keen to see the world I infact am as distructive as most but just wanted to make the point that there is not one solution ]

C_Mababejive

Another digression but i would question the efficiency of combis. What efficiency are we talking about? Are we talking about overall efficiency? In general and in the public and market place,the two words efficiency and combi have become synonymous. But in my view when I think efficiency I think combustion efficiency i.e that all modern combis contain a forced draught burner which burns as close to stoichiometric as is possible allowing for a safety margin and that as much latent heat is recovered as possible before the products of combustion are exhausted from the flue.

Now there is a world of difference between saying combustion is efficient and combis are efficient.

I would champion and celebrate the advances in burner and combustion technology which now exist in domestic appliances but i would not extend that to say that combis are efficient.

I would maintain that for most households save for the smallest,the best option is a condensing conventional boiler with a forced draught burner as described above,preferably coupled to a modern efficient unvented storage vessel whos volume is optimized for the typical demand of the household.
All pipework to be insulated and the storage vessel to be sited within the living space so that the minimal heat losses are kept within the system.

diywhynot

srcandas wrote: »

diywhynot I guess your message is to always use professional advise and qualified engineers where needed - very sound:T But not to take responsibility to investigate what is happening, how and why, would equally not be smart. How could you question/decide upon the offerings if you do not understand the basic theory?

By all means, educate yourself, but don't be reliant on receiving advice from anonymous parties on an internet forum and people need to be cautious, especially trades in this forum (or those who purport to be), about giving advice.