I've settled on an Intergas boiler.

[Stan]

Again I say "all received" and further grateful thanks. He has fitted Glowworm (he put a combi in my neighbour opposite's place). He tends to reckon WB are a tad overrated and not that simple to work on. But, as has been said, every installer has his favourites for whatever reason - be that cashback or freebies or just that they find one manufacturer to be better at backup or more reliable???



I hear your thoughts re IG and would just say that I do feel so confused when so many contributors have such conflicting experiences with ALL of the usual names - but the feedback I seem to see about IG seems pretty universally positive. BUT, comments on the forums don't tell the whole story, as we all know.

All food for thought though - and I remain grateful.

 

[Riley]

Were it me I’d get three quotes from different companies. See what they suggest and ask them why. I bet none of them suggest IG. Worcester are overrated because their boilers are not the quality build they once were and their service dept is now dire

 

[Stan]

Sound advice. ta.

 

[John.g]

I have posted a few times, mainly regarding my indecision to go for either an Ideal or an Intergas open vent boiler.

Having taken note of comments here and having, today, visited [with my installer] a local Plumbase shop to see the area Representative/Contracts Manager displaying an Xclusive combi boiler I (we) have pretty much decided to go for a 30kw Xclusive Combi. The bigger (36kw) is a bit too tall to fit the space).

Initially, and by way of a sort of compromise, I will probably have it fitted as an OPEN VENT boiler which fulfills my desire for retaining an unpressurised system and in keeping the F & E in place - and will upgrade to a full combi heating system at a later stage - i.e. if the hot water cylinder starts to leak or something else forces my hand.

The feeds to the boiler are currently from above and I'm told there isn't a stand off frame currently available and in order to run the pipes behind the boiler the rep. suggested standing the boiler off the wall using two lengths of 2" x 2" and a board made from something like 18mm ply. Both the rep. and the guy in technical confirm there's no need for a heat resistant backboard.

I have a 22mm gas supply to the boiler. I'll fit a Magnaclean Pro 2 and will have the system flushed. I'll change the present manual bypass (in the cylinder cupboard) for an automatic one. I have already run a 3 plus earth cable from the cylinder to the boiler.

What, I wonder, have I missed?

Thanks to all who advised previously and led me towards the Intergas option.

Just in case you have missed this, the CH output of the Xclusive 30 is (100%) factory adjusted to 19.4 kw output, probably no big deal except that you are heating large amounts of hot water at the same time.
https://www.freeboilermanuals.com/assets/pdf/intergas/xclusive.pdf

 

[Riley]

Kind of irrelevant though if he’s contrmplating changing his mind

 

[EvilDrPorkChop]

Seems a daft idea to fit a boiler which is really a combi then decide to use it as an Open Vent boiler (Another gripe of mine about Intergas but that's another thread).

Decide what you want exactly rather than trying to compromise. If you want a combi, do the full conversion now. If you want to keep your cylinder have a system boiler and make it a sealed system.

I convert all systems to sealed, regardless. My view is that if your Open Vent system is prone to leakage, leaking somewhere or other issues, you may as well address them sooner rather than later. One, a leaky system will knacker any new boiler in due to the introduction of fresh water into the system, secondly if a pipe goes the F&E tank will just keep filling. Least on a sealed system it'll only loose the water in the system and cause less damage.

Did a combi conversion last year and theirs was OV. On making it sealed it was evident there was a leak. Turned out the pipes had corroded under the wooden suspended floors downstairs, had been leaking for years and made a right mess under there. If we'd just put an OV back in we wouldn't have been any the wiser.

 

[king of pipes]

You just need to unplug the sensor to make it open vent . Kop

 

[Stan]

Yes, I accept my line of thinking is flawed.

I have no evidence of any leaks in the drops which are behind the plaster board of the downstairs walls but accept I wouldn't be aware due to the open vent currently in place and that a system boiler would tell me if there was.

Everyone's contributions are getting me thinking (a lot).

 

[Stan]

Re. Unplugging the sensor- yes indeed you reminded me the rep. said that today. He said an awful lot and it's true to say I can't recall every word.

 

[John.g]

It would be a bit surprising if this is intergas approved.

 

[Stan]

It would be a bit surprising if this intergas approved.

I'll obviously stand to be corrected, as always, but the Intergas Technical Manager, David Stanley, speaking about the HRE & Eco RF combi tells viewers of a Youtube video how to convert the boilers to an open vent by disconnecting the pressure sensor.

It's at 7 mins 30 secs on this clip

 

[Riley]

Still doesn’t sound a particularly professional step to me. Look Stan if you want Intergas go with Intergas I think you could get a lot better ideas if you get quotes from other companies. Even if you don’t use them. That’s my opinion. I can’t really see the appeal of Intergas myself but there we are. I think a lot of the positive reviews will be down to the fact that they are still a relatively new player to the uk market so common faults will not be appearing yet. Also as said before, in my own limited experience, the one time I’ve worked on one and needed a part it had to come from Holland. I just think you need to think long and hard about what you’re trying to achieve long term as this just doesn’t seem the cost effective way to do it

 

[Stan]

Appreciate your additional thoughts there. Ta.

 

[Drewy]

Separate the boiler from the system with a plate heat exchanger and fit a Viessmann Vitodens 200 that will modulate nice and low.

 

[Rob Foster]

Separate the boiler from the system with a plate heat exchanger and fit a Viessmann Vitodens 200 that will modulate nice and low.

Regardless of which boiler I fully agree that the principle of fitting an intermediate heat exchanger really is the way fwds for the future...when we have had some spare time we have been exploring this area.
In fact once my new workshop is up and running ...is into this area we are heading. Even if it is a sacraficial unit deduct cost of a
magnetic type filter and boiler parts damaged by liquid sandpaper it starts to make sense.
Rob Foster aka centralheatking

 

[Stan]

Just as a point of information - and to correct my mistake :-

We covered the question of the amount of head required to get the Xclusive to operate open vent. I said I had 3.6 bar and pointed to the video clip in #31.

I need to come back to say that I checked with the Technical helpline and whilst the information in that clip is correct - it does NOT apply to the Xclusive. The Xclusive won't run as open vent just by removing the pressure sensor - all the other models do - but not the Xclusive. They plan to correct that situation in time but it's not available now.

I value the suggestions, advice and options given here and thank you all again. I really am listening and taking note.

 

[John.g]

Regardless of which boiler I fully agree that the principle of fitting an intermediate heat exchanger really is the way fwds for the future...when we have had some spare time we have been exploring this area.
In fact once my new workshop is up and running ...is into this area we are heading. Even if it is a sacraficial unit deduct cost of a
magnetic type filter and boiler parts damaged by liquid sandpaper it starts to make sense.
Rob Foster aka centralheatking

Are you suggesting Rob that the intermediate HX should be fitted in the event of retrofitting a gas fired boiler to a open vent system only or in all cases? My own > 40 year old open vent system is very clean but has never leaked or required top up as I have a isolating gate valve fitted in the F&E tank make up which I open every month or so to check for any leaks.

 

[Rob Foster]

Are you suggesting Rob that the intermediate HX should be fitted in the event of retrofitting a gas fired boiler to a open vent system only or in all cases? My own > 40 year old open vent system is very clean but has never leaked or required top up as I have a isolating gate valve fitted in the F&E tank make up which I open every month or so to check for any leaks.

not at all your boiler has water pathways the width of the M6 its the modern small boiler hx
that water pathways less than a *** paper and diverter valves that I mean. centralheatking

 

[king of pipes]

Well John that's what you do I have done the training and it is approved by Intergas . Kop

 

[John.g]

Do what?