Replacement for a Baxi 105e with hot water pre-heat

[Steve2381]

Our Baxi 105e boiler is picking random pressures these days - one day nothing (therefore failing to work), the next day 3.5 bar.
It is the version with the hot water pre-heat function and expansion vessel mounted behind.

Local plumber popped around (he came recommended) and pressed the air valve on the expansion vessel and water came out.
That apparently means its knackered. Is that correct? The boiler is over 10 years old, so its likely to have failed. I assume its not a case of simply pumping it back up.

So... options. Separate expansion vessel and disable the above dodgy one. No thanks.

Replace the expansion vessel. Boiler needs to be taken off. Around £300. No guarantee the boiler won't fail on some other issue later on.

Replacement boiler. Middle ground was an Ideal combi with pre-heat. £1500 all fitted. Worcester boiler was nearer £1700 (I know they are good ... but times are hard)

Does they sound like reasonable charges?
Ideal do have a bit of a dodgy name by all accounts (reading various Google sources), but he said they were not all that bad.

Any advice welcome!

 

[Roger Welton]

The new Ideals are quite well regarded now, the Logic Plus has a 5 year warenty, and I would choose it over a Worcester with out even considering price.

Regarding cost, It sounds possibly a little on the cheap side but prices do vary depending on where you live.

 

[Steve2381]

Well cheap is fine by me!
He is a 'mate of my mate' kind of thing... and I am in the building trade, so perhaps he quoted thinking I knew the going rate.
Yes, I read the new range if Ideals are far better than the old range. They have a 5 year warranty I believe, so that is something I suppose.

 

[Plumb Ugly]

The Ideal has all brass water components unlike the plastic tat you get in a supposedly 'premium' worcester. I'd pick the ideal or a vaillant ecotec plus

 

[lame plumber]

.

So... options. Separate expansion vessel and disable the above dodgy one. No thanks.

why not, cheapest option for £80-100 and rest of boilers still ok, just turn off the instant mode which is a waste of gas imho

 

[Lee]

Or even an easy swap......Main 30HE. Tried and tested and award winning for the lowest failure rate on a new boiler.

 

[Steve2381]

The pre-heat is pretty handy. The boiler is in the garage and we don't hear it. Just means we don't wait for hot water quite so long.
Now we are used to it, I think we would miss it.

 

[scorps]

You don't need to disable the old expansion vessel,when you fit an external one

 

[lame plumber]

especially if your keeping the instantaneous part of the system going!!

 

[Steve2381]

But surely if the old vessel is knackered (hence the varied pressures), its better to get it out of the system?
Plus, it means a pressure vessel put somewhere - and we don't really have anywhere. The boiler is in the kitchen, no airing cupboard.

 

[lame plumber]

cupboard under boiler, simples, if the original vessel doesnt leak out of filling valve it only contains water rather than water and air.

 

[Sid Viscous]

Sorry Steve, confused! Post #7 you say the boiler's in the garage, post #10 you say it's in the kitchen? If it were in the garage you should have acres of room for an expansion vessel

 

[Steve2381]

Well its in the Utility (ha - another room)... its across the end of the garage. We put a row of wall and base units across the end of the garage to make a utility area, which is accessed by a door off the kitchen.
We don't use the garage as a garage.
The boiler is at the far right of the unit 'run', with the flue going up and out right through the wall. Worktop runs across the base units underneath the wall cabinets and the boiler.
The rest of the garage wall on the boiler side is mirrored, as its my girlfriends gym (running machine etc in there).
The only place to put an expansion vessel would be in the pitched roof area if I cut a hole in the plasterboard ceiling (there is no access). But that is not ideal.

 

[scorps]

But surely if the old vessel is knackered (hence the varied pressures), its better to get it out of the system?
Plus, it means a pressure vessel put somewhere - and we don't really have anywhere. The boiler is in the kitchen, no airing cupboard.

There's no need to get it out the system unless it's leaking from the valve which it is'nt,otherwise you'd have a constant leak under your boiler,but if you think it's necessary, do it it's your money