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kasser

Gas Engineer
Messages
235
A little survey of what feature you guys think makes a gas boiler stand out from the rest.
Is it:
  • brand (WB anyone?)
  • flow rate
  • hex material
  • no Plate hex (intergas, Ferroli)
  • efficiency (93.47% better than 93.43%)
  • price
  • anything else
To me it's the modulation factor. No point having a 100% efficient boiler if you need 5kW of heat and it's stuck at 30kW.


I also think efficiency is well overrated. Most manufacturers boast how efficient their boiler is. All condensing boilers should be efficient anyway but this is wasted if the house is not well-insulated or the boiler doesn't go into condensing mode because return temp is too high.
 
The main thing is reliability and the second main thing is the after service. I'm not going to fit a boiler if when they have a problem they are without heat for a week before someone turns up.
 
The main thing is reliability and the second main thing is the after service. I'm not going to fit a boiler if when they have a problem they are without heat for a week before someone turns up.
A trusted reliable GSR engineer who knows his boilers, but never WB they were good but no more. I would have an
Archie Kidd Boiler even second hand. centralheatking
 
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It’d be great if boilers could modulate do to under 1 kw to be really efficient. Capability to not be affected by sludge :D
 
Reliability is quite subjective isn't it? It's shaped by your experience mostly.
For e.g. some swear by Ideal, others not at all...
Can we have a few names of reliable boilers?
 
Reliability is quite subjective isn't it? It's shaped by your experience mostly.
For e.g. some swear by Ideal, others not at all...
Can we have a few names of reliable boilers?

Not ideal

I like baxi dont think you can beat a duotec/ platinum for a combi even though slightly noisier than most. I look after a few viessman which seem fairly reliable but the cost puts a lot of people off and the parts are not cheap.
 
Quite like Baxi too. They pay a lot of attention to the small details. No silly thing like changing the seal every time you open the hex. Plenty of space to work, easy access.
Biasi is underrated as well. You get a stainless steel hex for this price.
 
What makes a great Boiler.

Posts like this are great, we all have our opinion. By definition most posts
on UKPF are from
individual highly experienced Gsr Engineers who tell it straight because they want to put something back into this great industry. The figures are often mis leading. Sales are a test...Ideal sell more than any other according to Bisria stats
WB are very media savvy. I tend to use the Car analogy
Audi...Vaillant
Ford...WB maybe
Ideal...Dacia
but that is MY opinion

Its also a good way to sell these boilers to customers IMHO

centralheatking
 
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WB = Ford?
HA HA.
I don't think they'll be too happy to hear that!
Who Ford or WB ?

I drive now Honda and transits and LandRover Defender but would
always spec a Vaillant against other new Boilers , even tho Audis
are now are drug dealers cars and all on rental , nuvo rich stuff .

centralheatking
 
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They’ve all got their quirks, but after sales counts for a lot in my book. I kinda like the newer ravenheat, I had a leak on one straight out of the box, phoned them and they came out the same day!! Fairly local to me but still, same day is pretty good, turns out it was a badly machined part so they came back next day with a replacement,,
Whereas Vokera with a sticky gas valve issue, they took nearly 2 weeks to come out, boiler was only 6 months old too, they’re off the list for sure.
 
Audi...Vaillant
Ford...WB maybe
Ideal...Dacia

I used to like vaillant in the days of the turbomax 242 and 828 but the ecomax wasn't great then the ecotec wasn't great either with dodgy pumps, leaking diverters, exploding hoses and vibrating heat exchangers put me off them.

I would never say Worcester were fords as I have never had a bad Ford I'd say more like a petrol Peugeot great until they leak then the head gasket goes and game over.

I think that's a bit unfair on dacia.
 
I think it's good to hear the smaller companies are getting better or is it the bigger companies are steadily getting worse.
 
I used to like vaillant in the days of the turbomax 242 and 828 but the ecomax wasn't great then the ecotec wasn't great either with dodgy pumps, leaking diverters, exploding hoses and vibrating heat exchangers put me off them.

I would never say Worcester were fords as I have never had a bad Ford I'd say more like a petrol Peugeot great until they leak then the head gasket goes and game over.

I think that's a bit unfair on dacia.
Ok agree Peugeot are really bad cars so it goes
Audi...Vailant
Ford ...?
Peugeot. Ferolli
Ideal ...Lada
Wb ....British Leyland Morris Marina ..were good now poor

centralheatking
 
Have to agree Vaillant are at the top of my list, the design of the EcoTec Pro, Plus and GreenIQ range I think are well thought out for servicing and repairs down the line as well as installing them. The cheaper EcoFit pures are still decent too, however not sold 100% on the HEX in those and more plastic inside so only time will tell. Useful when you need to get in a tight space or need a rear flue though. After service is good too usually next day and reliability is top notch so far on our installs.

Hate Ideal, only fitted 7 Logic+s about 6/7 years ago, think nearly all have needed a new HEX due to the poor quality they've made them from. Ideal engineer in our area is rubbish too.

Fitted a few Ferroli Modenas as a budget/cheaper option after Logic disasters. Not a bad little boiler, only 4 moving parts, round burner, no plate HEX, 7 year warranty and for the price point what can you expect. After service is great in our area, we have two fantastic engineers. However they do seem to have the Ferroli curse and start leaking at some point.

Worcester, our company fitted lots about 5 to 10 years ago, mostly when the Greenstar range came in. Very disappointed, nearly all of them have leaked from plastic parts. Got one customer who's basically had a new CDI from all the parts we've replaced over years. Fans seem to go, gas valves pass, expansions failing (Mainly the ones in the back) and you're forever putting new electrodes in the dam things. Also it really annoys me that they carry on running when there's no pressure in the system! PRVs, who was thinking at Worcester when they put it where it is?! The most reliable out the ones we've fitted seem to be the Si. As others have said Worcester, was good and now bad.

Viessman, now only ever installed one. A heat only. Serviced a few combis. Don't like the upside down expansion, fills with water then you can't pump it out. Not sold on the designs from a point of servicing and replacement of parts but they seem like they're built to last and are pretty reliable. Not keen on the push fit flues either.

Baxi/Potterton, again not keen. They seem to all get to 6 years old round us and then start to fail. Diverter being the favourite, leaking then blowing the fuse as the diverter motor is full of water. Along with the HW sensor failing, HW temp sensor failing, pumps going and expansions again. PRVs seem to go on these too as if there's any airlock in the system boiler keeps plowing along till it reaches 95 then pressure is bouncing up and down.

Interesting fact though, family member at the time needed a new boiler but didn't want to spend the cash so had a Biasi. At the same time parents had a new Worcester top of range at time. Biasi out lasted it by 5 years.

The issue is there's problems/design flaws with all of them. I think if manufactures asked the installers more before designing they could come up with better designs.
 
What’s folks views on Alpha ? I’ve put a few in recently and quite impressed with the build quality, time will tell though with reliability.

I usually put logics in as mid range and the exclusive cheaper logics as bottom/ contract range, but I’m effing sick of changing main hex’s on breakdowns on other customers boilers.
 
What’s folks views on Alpha ? I’ve put a few in recently and quite impressed with the build quality, time will tell though with reliability

Won't even look at them with their stupid pipe layouts. Why would you even consider fitting one for a combi swap? Can understand a new install a bit more.
 
Won't even look at them with their stupid pipe layouts. Why would you even consider fitting one for a combi swap? Can understand a new install a bit more.
Yep, don't like Alphas too just for this reason. Also plastic hydraulic block but otherwise nice stainless steel hex.
 
90% of the time I've fitted baxi but now after being at a baxi training college a few weeks ago it's baxi all the way. Heat exchangers on the heat only is the same metals used for baxi commercial boilers and stripping the insides for serving seriously can be done in 20 seconds that includes gas valve fan and heat exchanger opened up. Fitted a duo Tec after two months despite flushing and filter fitted the plate heat exchanger blocked up I called under the warranty and it was replaced no problem at all so back up service is spot on compared to ideal etc who with the slightest issue won't repair unless you pay.
 
I like Baxi also, the Heat Team are ok and if it’s out of warranty there’s still a profit margin to be made on parts. Not like most of them...PCB £220 plus vat WTF? God forbid you fit it and oops...sure we’ve all done trick!
 
What about intergas? I know there used to be a few people who rated those on here a few years ago.

I've never seen one but heard their aftercare can be very hit and miss.
 
Interesting how not ONE person has mentioned so called efficiency :)

My personal opinion is I dont believe the rubbish of how efficient they all are. So many times I've been moaned at because the likes of bg promised huge savings on gas and it just hasn't happened.

I also think that the lack of reliability cancels out any efficiency savings.

Honestly give me a ideal Mexico or classic over any new boiler any day.

Yes we have got to think about our environment but shipping poor quality items (I'm not just talking about boilers but everything) from around the globe and brand them as efficient or green is extremely hypocritical. I believe the windmills around me all the parts are made in different parts of the world shipped to this country built hundreds of miles away then transported by diesel truck with diesel convoys then put up using diesel cranes by companies that are hundreds of miles away and they have a life span of 25 years then they have the cheek to say its green energy! I'm not buying into that at all.
 
Might be a little un PC, but I don’t give a sh**t about efficiency because I’m not paying the gas bill, long as it says A rated. (Efficient) Like folk said...back boiler 30 years, 3 thermocouples...Combi a problematic money pit! But I love boilers breaking down if I’m honest, so any manufacturers listening? Nice easy common faults are always welcome ;)
 
Hey Chris I am trying to,build up,a history of Archie Kidd
so any info is good to have.

maybe paper work , user info etc

I have met the Family when we were trading in Wiltshire , ace
boilers designed by an absolute
expert

Rob Foster aka centralheatking
 

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