New boiler choice

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RickH

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I have had a lot of issues with Explosive ignition on my boiler ... relayed here ... https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/baxi-barcelona-explosive-ignition.470102/page-6#post-3784907

After another load of parts - flue, fan, gas valve, more boards, new burner(again), burner door (again) ... and boiler still has very loud explosions on startup, and frequent lock-out. SSE have suggested changing boiler .... they offer £500 discount.
Their price is still not good .... so may get it done elsewhere.

If I did this I need a 30kW standard boiler, a Worcester 30Ri or 8000 Life seem good boilers, but are they worth 25% the price premium over a Baxi 430 or 630 ?
 
No, definitely not, of that selection I'd go for a Back 630 every time, although in reality I wouldn't actually choose any of them
 
I know In local S.Wales merchants they shift more Baxi than any other (Duo-Tech), as it’s British Gas standard boiler.

What would you consider in 30kW size ?
When I asked in merchants they said Baxi was best value, Worcester best quality, Valiant about mid-way.
 
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Find a decent installer first, then fit what they recommend and stick with them for the servicing.

Most boilers come with decent warranty these days however... The installers for each brand vary quite a bit.

Worcester, ideal all let any tom dick and Harry install their boilers, as long as the installer shifts enough of them they don't care about the quality of workmanship.

Most heating engineers have a couple of boiler brands they like to fit each suit different applications due to space etc.

It is absolutely imperative you find a decent installer more so than what boiler you go for.

You also need to think about what sort of budget you have in mind.

It would be worth looking at Atag and intergas also, (I've just had an intergas installed)

Atag are knocking there boilers out pretty cheap at the moment trying to build their installer base and come with a 10 year warranty.

I went with the intergas mostly from the recommendation on this site but also because the installers I spoke to (4-5) each of them knew what they were on about and put me at ease, the installer from other brands certainly did not do this. I then settled on an installer that I was adamant I was going to use and I'm glad I did, not the cheapest but certainly the best.
 
RickH said:
I know In local merchants they shift more Baxi than any other (Duo-Tech), as it’s British Gas standards boiler.

What would you consider in 30kW size ?
When I asked in merchants they said Baxi was best value, Worcester best quality, Valiant about mid-way.
Click to expand...
Merchants very rarely know any more about the products they are selling than the rest of the general public, and are taken in by the same expensive marketing. One exception is Richard Burrows, owner of Mid Wales Plumbing & Heating Supplies, also known as The Intergas Shop. Richard has done more extensive testing on Intergas boilers than anyone else in the UK, and even has one of them heating his warehouse.

So, it's Intergas I'd recommend, not just because if the above but because I truly believe they are the best boiler available. All-metal construction (unlike Woofter who use plastic and rubber components in their water and gas sections), only four moving parts so inherently more reliable, OpenTherm controls compatibility for unrivalled efficiency, the list goes on.

Take a look at the Intergas Xclusive 30, I think you'll like it
 
Talking of Intergas, where is the Messiah these days? There was a time when he was never off here - he responded before you could finish spelling the word Intergas!
 
durhamplumber said:
Not in the North east..BG always fit WB.
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Maybe it's regional .... my Mate does pallet packs of complete systems for British gas .... all Duo-Tech ...... this is in South & West Wales.
There has been a new housing development of hundreds of houses in one location (former docks) everyone had a Duo-Tech fitted.

Agree this could be about ease of fit & price point.

My need is a one-off ...... what I want to get this time is efficiency, reliability, and diagnostics .... the amber & red flashing LED has never helped diagnose the problem on my Baxi Barcelona.
 
durhamplumber said:
Hogsht
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I have never owned a Worcester - but that is what you find on-line, Most reliable boiler 10 years running according to WHICH
I'm not fixed on a Worcester - I'm looking to get the right 30kW boiler for my needs.

My son has a Ravenheat boiler - certainly would never have one of them ... seems rubbish.
 
RickH said:
I have never owned a Worcester - but that is what you find on-line, Most reliable boiler 10 years running according to WHICH
I'm not fixed on a Worcester - I'm looking to get the right 30kW boiler for my needs.

My son has a Ravenheat boiler - certainly would never have one of them ... seems rubbish.
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If they were that reliable, they wouldn't need 350 engineers running around the country 7 days a week, 364 days of the year, keeping them going. Reasonable to assume those engineers are doing 4-5 jobs a day each. You do the maths...

I'd take a Ravenheat over a Worcester to be honest - the new HE98S is actually quite a good boiler.
 
There is some excellent advice above, the best bit is get the installer right and let him look after you and the boiler. If he's good he will not be the cheapest or dearest for obvious reasons.

Installers I know and respect recommend Intergas, I've never fitted one but don't like certain aspects of the boiler but if you choose an installer who does understand the boiler I'm sure you'd be OK as with any of the major brands.

Atag is a franchise, quite new and retention of the franchise I believe is them selling enough boilers. If they don't who knows? Plus there are 184 joints in their heat exchanger and a lot of thin gaskets hence the lifetime warranty on it, to give confidence. Their marketing thrust is 'we don't publicise the cost so the customer can't price check.' e.g. charge what you like with the emphasis that it's high quality which it may well be.
 
Intergas have a good rep. It'll be my choice when the time comes for mine to be replaced.

I'd be wary of anything 'Which' recommend, there subscriber base isn't a snapshot of the average 'Joe Public', so the info isn't entirely accurate. Boilers are not something they can reasonably test in their Labs so they rely on data from subscribers.
 
Hugh Jaleak said:
Intergas have a good rep. It'll be my choice when the time comes for mine to be replaced.

I'd be wary of anything 'Which' recommend, there subscriber base isn't a snapshot of the average 'Joe Public', so the info isn't entirely accurate. Boilers are not something they can reasonably test in their Labs so they rely on data from subscribers.
Click to expand...

Annoyingly they can test the boilers, it's just too expensive for them.
 
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