tl;dr: Why install RF36 instead of HRE36 or Ideal Logic+ 35? How does weather comp/new thermostat differ to boiler's internal modulation? Is a non-pumped gravity shower acceptable (better than an 8kw electric) upstairs even with very old slow recovery HWC, or just go combi at 13lpm in small property? Why do people install RF with UV and not a system boiler if combis are less reliable? Why does my quote say condensate going outside to soakway and not under floorboards to nearby waste?
Any now for the long version!
I've moved in to a small terrace house and want to replace the broken (fully pumped) open vent boiler. Although I prefer OV, I am considering the Intergas Combi Compact RF 36 or the Combi Compact HRE 36/30 or an Ideal Logic+ 35kw so I can install a shower upstairs.
I'm confused by the RF module and how it all integrates with weather compensation, etc. and whether combi is the right approach.
I've had a couple of reputable people in to quote, but some have had "interesting" ideas such as plumbing condensate in to the water butt or quoting a 25kw (far too borderline spec for showers IMO). I guess "20 years experience" means they've hired 20 people with 1 year experience each!
The property is a small two storey house and will have three/four people during the expected boiler lifetime.
So I believe the 13lpm combi will give a better mixer shower upstairs than either an electric or gravity fed shower. There is no shower there at the moment.
My copper HWC is small and probably old since it only has inches not mm on a sticker on it at 36"x18" which I believe is 27 gallons/120 litres. So I think a gravity/pumped shower would empty it with consecutive showers (minimum 10lpm @ 10 minute shower at 60:40 hot:cold), and I gather it would be slow to reheat since a thread on here said effectively 4kw recovery rate for old cylinders even when fed from an 18/24kw boiler.
So I think the cost to install a new HWC and a potentially noisy shower pump to get enough shower flow upstairs means a combi may be adequate. Or are those 0.1 bar shower heads really usable and HWC recovery ok on old tanks? (Water coffin tank is in loft).
I currently have an old programmer with separate DHW and CH controls, and a rotary dial wired thermostat.
So these Honeywell RF controllers replace the timer and the thermostat? Are they part of evohome? Or is that something different and incompatible with the Intergas RF thermostats?
Do these RF controllers go in the same place as my existing wired thermostat, or need new wiring? (I don't know what wires are in my thermostat).
What benefit do these RF thermostats have over some thermostat like Nest or the T6?
What is weather comp/new thermostats doing that the boiler's self-modulating isn't already doing since I thought these new boilers drop down the heat automatically if the radiators don't take any more heat.
Are there any modern controllers that don't require complicated controls and apps and phone gps? And where the thermostat programmer doesn't tell burglars "this person is on holiday for another week/phone gps is nowhere near the property, so take your time."
I guess if I'm going "smart home" then eventually I'd quite like the bedroom radiators to be low during the day and only on before bed, but I'm not convinced I'd ever make back the cost of a smart radiator TRV. I can see they'd be good in large houses.
If I'm not using the RF module, is there any benefit to the RF boiler compared to the Compact? The only difference in the user specs is that the RF says high efficiency motor, but I don't understand if that makes any difference.
I also don't understand why people buy the combi but then use it as a system boiler instead of installing the system boiler? Is it because of the RF module?
The prices I've seen online suggests the RF is actually cheaper than the Intergas 36. But, I've read in the forum that the Vogue is (something like) "finally a decent Ideal boiler". Given that seems similar cost but higher DHW flow, is that a better idea than Intergas? Or stick with OV?
And, is there any complication with condensate going in to kitchen waste (6' away under floorboards) since my quotes want to take it outside to a soakaway (no drain there), whereas I thought it would go to the sink or downstairs toilet (maybe 9' away).
Far too many questions! So thanks in advance.
Any now for the long version!
I've moved in to a small terrace house and want to replace the broken (fully pumped) open vent boiler. Although I prefer OV, I am considering the Intergas Combi Compact RF 36 or the Combi Compact HRE 36/30 or an Ideal Logic+ 35kw so I can install a shower upstairs.
I'm confused by the RF module and how it all integrates with weather compensation, etc. and whether combi is the right approach.
I've had a couple of reputable people in to quote, but some have had "interesting" ideas such as plumbing condensate in to the water butt or quoting a 25kw (far too borderline spec for showers IMO). I guess "20 years experience" means they've hired 20 people with 1 year experience each!
The property is a small two storey house and will have three/four people during the expected boiler lifetime.
So I believe the 13lpm combi will give a better mixer shower upstairs than either an electric or gravity fed shower. There is no shower there at the moment.
My copper HWC is small and probably old since it only has inches not mm on a sticker on it at 36"x18" which I believe is 27 gallons/120 litres. So I think a gravity/pumped shower would empty it with consecutive showers (minimum 10lpm @ 10 minute shower at 60:40 hot:cold), and I gather it would be slow to reheat since a thread on here said effectively 4kw recovery rate for old cylinders even when fed from an 18/24kw boiler.
So I think the cost to install a new HWC and a potentially noisy shower pump to get enough shower flow upstairs means a combi may be adequate. Or are those 0.1 bar shower heads really usable and HWC recovery ok on old tanks? (Water coffin tank is in loft).
I currently have an old programmer with separate DHW and CH controls, and a rotary dial wired thermostat.
So these Honeywell RF controllers replace the timer and the thermostat? Are they part of evohome? Or is that something different and incompatible with the Intergas RF thermostats?
Do these RF controllers go in the same place as my existing wired thermostat, or need new wiring? (I don't know what wires are in my thermostat).
What benefit do these RF thermostats have over some thermostat like Nest or the T6?
What is weather comp/new thermostats doing that the boiler's self-modulating isn't already doing since I thought these new boilers drop down the heat automatically if the radiators don't take any more heat.
Are there any modern controllers that don't require complicated controls and apps and phone gps? And where the thermostat programmer doesn't tell burglars "this person is on holiday for another week/phone gps is nowhere near the property, so take your time."
I guess if I'm going "smart home" then eventually I'd quite like the bedroom radiators to be low during the day and only on before bed, but I'm not convinced I'd ever make back the cost of a smart radiator TRV. I can see they'd be good in large houses.
If I'm not using the RF module, is there any benefit to the RF boiler compared to the Compact? The only difference in the user specs is that the RF says high efficiency motor, but I don't understand if that makes any difference.
I also don't understand why people buy the combi but then use it as a system boiler instead of installing the system boiler? Is it because of the RF module?
The prices I've seen online suggests the RF is actually cheaper than the Intergas 36. But, I've read in the forum that the Vogue is (something like) "finally a decent Ideal boiler". Given that seems similar cost but higher DHW flow, is that a better idea than Intergas? Or stick with OV?
And, is there any complication with condensate going in to kitchen waste (6' away under floorboards) since my quotes want to take it outside to a soakaway (no drain there), whereas I thought it would go to the sink or downstairs toilet (maybe 9' away).
Far too many questions! So thanks in advance.
