Valiant 831 Ecotec - Similar other boilers?

[Covbaldy]

Hi,
I'm wondering what other boilers are similar in specifications to the Valiant 831 EcoTec?

I'm thinking in terms of size, flow rate and output.

Not necessarily in terms of price.

Cheers Alan

 

[Blackcatgas]

Any 30kw combi boiler, eg Viessman 100 vitodens 30kw , Worcester Greenstar 30 CDI, etc

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

baxi duotec 33 potterton performa 30 none of these have a tendency to catch on fire

 

[GQuigley67]

baxi duotec 33 potterton performa 30 none of these have a tendency to catch on fire

and which one does ?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

and which one does ?

the vailant

 

[GQuigley67]

does it ? was thinking of fitting the 831 in my house so tell me more 😛

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

are you having a laugh?

 

[GQuigley67]

I thought they were good boilers ? seem like good boilers

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

there are major issues with the combustion gaskets failing its a matter of time before a fatality occurs see this months corgi (not gassafe) mag

 

[GQuigley67]

will a be better with worcester 30cdi then ?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

yes but bear in mind lots to strip out of it when things like prvs and plate heats play up

 

[GQuigley67]

well to be honest i'd rather a boiler with little or no problems as i'd rather be getting payed for working on boilers 🙂 what would you recommend then as I would like a decent one for about £900 anyway

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

look at the potterton gold or if you can get it baxi duotec(same boilers) 40kw beast of a combi performance wise but like any machine they can play up,out of 40 installs 2 fans failed in warranty but bear in mind some of them are 5 year old and no new fan failures but unlike the vailent they dont catch on fire and unlike the worcester they are well designed,everything is easy to change and parts are very reasonable price wise,like you i work on loads of boilers theres a performa he in my house which reminds me .........well over due a service,weakest parts on this though are aps and recuperater mine i changed the aps last year recuperater 6 year old ......fingers crossed

 

[GQuigley67]

ok thanks for the info gasman, im going on vaillant course on the 23rd think i'll raise these issues with the sales rep see what kind of answers i get and i'll let you know

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

ok thanks for the info gasman, im going on vaillant course on the 23rd think i'll raise these issues with the sales rep see what kind of answers i get and i'll let you know

they will probably say know it has a graphite gasket end of issues,time will tell,we have just had a service engineer from vailant come to baxi he was with them 18 years he is not impressed with vailants any more

 

[Dannypipe]

Scary, I repaired an 831 today. Dog of an install.....intermittent fault. Think it was a loose connection on fan, kinked hose or dodgy aps. Anyway is had a fault code to ckeck the fan. Checked it all, wiggled the terminals, and ckecked APS hoses, reset and away she went.

I immediatley thought, I'd rather not touch this boiler....the PRV's discharge onto the kitchen floor, in the compartment.

There is another plumber on the job and though he doesnt fault find, he is going to sort this....or so I'm told.

There is another plumber there, of that I'm sure, as the place is a building site (big extension) and there's alterations to the heating system occuring. I put a big mark by it in my paper work, don't think its an AR.

 

[Dannypipe]

Just checked an old thread where Kirkgas gives advise on this situation, he suggests to do as I have done. Advise customer verbally and in writing.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Just checked an old thread where Kirkgas gives advise on this situation, he suggests to do as I have done. Advise customer verbally and in writing.

and then put a axe trough it? dam confused again thought it was a ideal LOL

 

[Dannypipe]

Job creation scheme...like it.

 

[Blackcatgas]

Ive got an 831 in my own home,Ive been aware of the possible issue with the gaskets as vaillant released a technical bullitin. I swapped the gasket after seeing a thread on here only to find that the existing gasket was already graphite, but Iam glad that I checked, better safe than sorry. Ive fitted a handful of them but only have the service contract for another one, new seal every service from now on wether it looks like it needs one or not, otherwise I quite like them.

 

[smillsey]

Yea I thought every 2 years or everytime they are disturbed, whichever is sooner?

 

[bert large]

Vaillant contacted all the registered boilers owners & replaced all the suspect gaskets on the early ecotecs FOC some years ago. Not heard of any problems since with the graphite ones. The one in the recent gas magazine must have been an un-notified install that could not be traced.

According to the chap on the vaillant course said as long as the FGA readings are ok the gasket / heat ex. cover shouldn't need to be disturbed for ten years.
Any boiler can be installed badly & become a dog, even a Baxi 😉

 

[Covbaldy]

Blimey looks like one to avoid!

I have raed about the Halsted Glen Dimplex range?

What do you think of these?

Whats the easiest boilers to service then?

Cheers.

 

[Blackcatgas]

Vaillant contacted all the registered boilers owners & replaced all the suspect gaskets on the early ecotecs FOC some years ago. Not heard of any problems since with the graphite ones. The one in the recent gas magazine must have been an un-notified install that could not be traced.

According to the chap on the vaillant course said as long as the FGA readings are ok the gasket / heat ex. cover shouldn't need to be disturbed for ten years.
Any boiler can be installed badly & become a dog, even a Baxi 😉

The thing is though i dont suppose theres anyway of telling wether its a graphite or choclate seal without removing the cover on a boiler that is an "unknown quantity" and might not of been subject to the recall.

 

[stevetheplumber]

there is a way to tell if the gasket has been replaced new ones come with differnt colored lock nuts trouble is i cant recall if it new blue or new black