Worst boiler to work on competition

[Nostrum]

As above, whats the worse part/boiler you've had to work on and why? (no detail into gas safety as it's in the wrong forum!)

personally for me, after today i'm voting Worcester CDI expansion vessel. Wasn't much left in it once I got the old one out, fan, heat ex, plate hex, pump, APS etc all removed.... nightmare! Normally fit an external in, but couldn't on this one.

 

[SilentMike]

did one of them the other month took me all day the boiler was above the stairs was a nightmare

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

worcester cdi

 

[Rickster123]

Worcesters for changing parts. Remeha for installing.

 

[Dotty]

The 3 Buderus GB162's in a galvanising factory over here. They're only 3 years old but look 103, each one has been completely rebuilt at least once, 2 heat exchangers, all the connection boards, two wiring harnesses, the combustion fans fail about every other month, one flue has been replaced and so on. My heart sinks every time I'm asked to go to silverwood.

And why are they so much hard work? Because they supply hot water for the acid vats and are in a highly corrosive atmosphere. Tools develop a fine layer of corrosion within an hour. I hate the place because it actually makes you doubt yourself.

And I normally love the GB162! Just a case of the wrong boiler for the environment.

 

[Millsy 82]

Ferroli Modena HE Just look at them and they start to leak from everywhere.


Or any boiler where they dont supply all the O rings that you need so you try to get them all and forget 1 and guess where it will leak from.

 

[neily01]

worc greenstar junior. got sent out by boss to replace hw hex and instructions said just remove two screws and replace hex. on previous page they happen to hide the fact that you have to remove the whole water section first! luck had it i was installing a scale inhibitor and after removing the cold main wiggled the biggest hw hex in the world out and replaced. a hex the size of a bath and it still gets blocked up!!

 

[bigad100]

Has got to be the plate heat exchanger on a high flow!

 

[AWheating]

potterton puma for installation........ about 20% would fail to run and after a week about 50% had a fault. normally one of the pcbs, gas valve or pump failure. ended up with a van full of free spare parts to save time waiting for an engineer.

 

[diamondgas]

Without a doubt anything French!!!

The saunia duval SD620 beats the CDi hands down in my books. Rubber hoses that melted to the copper, telescopic fittings that leaked if you stared at them for to long! And even the thermocouple was a mare to replace!! Thankfully they're all just about gone!

The Myson Midas was a pain too!!

 

[neily01]

anyone installed grant wall hung oil system boiler. great design with no thought at all to the fact you need to connect pipes to it ! what a joke! pity because the floor standers are pretty good.

 

[neily01]

can i just ask what the difference is with the gas safe installer section on the forum? wondering if i need some of this in my life?

 

[diamondgas]

can i just ask what the difference is with the gas safe installer section on the forum? wondering if i need some of this in my life?

As said only gas safe registered engineers allowed in ... you can get a lot more technical and discuss safety related stuff that's a bit dodgy to discuss in an open forum!

 

[Nostrum]

Without a doubt anything French!!!

The saunia duval SD623 beats the CDi hands down in my books. Rubber hoses that melted to the copper, telescopic fittings that leaked if you stared at them for to long! And even the thermocouple was a mare to replace!! Thankfully they're all just about gone!

The Myson Midas was a pain too!!

Diamond are they the old sauniers that had a flap in the flue as an APS?

AWheating I am still repairing pumas now! There are a few estates around here that were fitted up with them, and a few still remain.

Agree with millsy on the O ring subject, why is it some manufacturers give you 90% of the O rings you need to change a part how they suggest, and throw a few others in that are useless along the way? Have to do a diverter on another 28CDI next week, only needs a diaphragm but you have to remove the whole valve completely to get to the diaphragm so just as well chuck a new one in and get the washers/O rings with it as well. I think it almost works out cheaper as well.


You say anything french, personally I love the chaffoteaux britony combis I know them inside out and they are very easy to work on. Just don't touch anything you don't have to!

 

[diamondgas]

Diamond are they the old sauniers that had a flap in the flue as an APS?

I'm trying to remember that boiler I'm pretty sure they had a diaphragm APS? The y had a rubber boot on the back for connecting the flue I remember and the changeover sliding black lever on the front to change from hot water only to water and heating!!!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Diamond are they the old sauniers that had a flap in the flue as an APS?

AWheating I am still repairing pumas now! There are a few estates around here that were fitted up with them, and a few still remain.

Agree with millsy on the O ring subject, why is it some manufacturers give you 90% of the O rings you need to change a part how they suggest, and throw a few others in that are useless along the way? Have to do a diverter on another 28CDI next week, only needs a diaphragm but you have to remove the whole valve completely to get to the diaphragm so just as well chuck a new one in and get the washers/O rings with it as well. I think it almost works out cheaper as well.


You say anything french, personally I love the chaffoteaux britony combis I know them inside out and they are very easy to work on. Just don't touch anything you don't have to!

the cdi it will still leak everywhere

 

[stevetheplumber]

strange i always loved saunier 620s found them easy to work on rebuild one in half hour easy provided they hadnt been left leaking for years when all the screws would be rusted up the one i hated most was the early potterton combi i think it was the lynx came in a nice shade of beige and had to be the most complicated combi ever with hot wire fan detection
almost as bad was the ideal (also beige )think it was the midas which was the size of a cooker hanging on the wall had several pcbs and relays in a drawer at the bottom
worst pcb to change had to be the ELM LEBLANC 27 wires in a casing half the size it needed to be with several swiches that fell out when you tried to get it back together
Actually the worst boiler to repair has been the same for the last 30 years its the one in your inlaws place that you wont get paid to do and invarably is the one you manage to short out the pcb whilst doing something minor

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

one boiler that suffers really bad faults is the Baxi Bahama SIT version,not everythings the flow switch sometimes its 90% of the rest of the boiler

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

and glowsheds past and present are also mares,and that micky mouse one we had a few years ago gem combi i think

 

[stevetheplumber]

one boiler that suffers really bad faults is the Baxi Bahama SIT version,not everythings the flow switch sometimes its 90% of the rest of the boiler

is that the realy early condenser that had the ally hex?

 

[neily01]

always thought the worc cdi hw hex was a stuipid design. how ever well you drain the boiler when you pop off the hex (which is easy enough) you'll get a nice splash all over the pcb! dont worry the rubbish plastic cover will save us! stupid worc's.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

is that the realy early condenser that had the ally hex?

no it was baxis stab at its first combi after dabbling with the genesis it was a SE boiler and a disaster from the word go the SIT control version would melt the boiler if it ran out of water it was so bad baxi had to buy ocean and its 240/280 combi and turn it into the 105

 

[diamondgas]

Remember the short lived Ideal minimiser? 😀 Boy they were shocking!!!

 

[neily01]

Remember the short lived Ideal minimiser? 😀 Boy they were shocking!!!

is that the one where you would attach a hose to the bottom and blow against the aps, always thought that cant be a great idea!

 

[villa_tom]

Remember the short lived Ideal minimiser? 😀 Boy they were shocking!!!

I think I serviced one of those yesterday. Is that the boiler with the silly little copper tube connected to the fan and you have to remove it along with the fan to clean the condense?

 

[stevetheplumber]

there were some realy rough combis made by english companies in the late eighties nineties the reason was the established english companies didnt forsee how fast the combis took over the market
in there rush to compete they made some awfull boilers then once the parts to make a combi became standised we had a spell where a new company would pop up each week it seemed, gems, euro combis, savios etc most fell by the wayside i think savio became biasi

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

there were some realy rough combis made by english companies in the late eighties nineties the reason was the established english companies didnt forsee how fast the combis took over the market
in there rush to compete they made some awfull boilers then once the parts to make a combi became standised we had a spell where a new company would pop up each week it seemed, gems, euro combis, savios etc most fell by the wayside i think savio became biasi

i went on a baxi course years ago with the old man,bermudas were the daddy,combis were a weird new fangled idea,i was just a kid and fancied the bird at reception,LOL we were told they would never take off:24::smilielol5:but as we know combis did baxi was losing market share,the genesis basically a chaff in disguise came first ,then they rushed out the Bahama disaster

 

[CJ87]

Changed a Worcester cdi BF diverter over yesterday!! I've done a few but yesterday's was a nightmare! Remember the first one I ever done I isolated flow and return valves turned them back on and they leaked everywhere learnt that the hard way.

Yesterday changed all the o rings over reassembled and the pig still decided to leak from the cold water inlet! Had to strip the whole thing back out again, soul destroying! eventually got it done, bit of fernox lsx gives you peace of mind 🙂

I'm only in my early twenties so won't have come across much of the older stuff as the experienced guys!
During my apprenticeship when on the servicing the lads used to hate hitting a black ash or an opus fire/bbu, always remember they were a big lump that hogged the dog hair haha.

 

[Gary71]

My first is the Alpha Ocean Style FF, if you went at one O-ring you would have to replace all the O-rings, changing the O-rings could take 30 minutes or 4+ hours depending how lucky you were, it would get so that your tears matched the drips from the O-rings, my second would be the servowarm boiler with the rad on the front because swinging the rad out always felt wrong.

 

[diamondgas]

I think I serviced one of those yesterday. Is that the boiler with the silly little copper tube connected to the fan and you have to remove it along with the fan to clean the condense?

Can't believe there's one still running 🙂

Yep it had a tube attached to the fan and the burners kept rotting, fan seal kept leaking, condensate was a mess and the ignitors too ... they slung the burner under the base of the hex... !!

 

[radswilldo]

For overall bad design, faults, fault diagnosis and being installer unfriendly, I think the Gledhill Gulfstream desrves a mention. Have only worked on the one; four years running, new fault/faults each year.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

For overall bad design, faults, fault diagnosis and being installer unfriendly, I think the Gledhill Gulfstream desrves a mention. Have only worked on the one; four years running, new fault/faults each year.

and the gledhill boilermate should win some sort of award for being useless aS WELL

 

[stevetheplumber]

and the gledhill boilermate should win some sort of award for being useless aS WELL

unless you do what ive done and rip out all the electrics and run your own

 

[stevetheplumber]

I'm trying to remember that boiler I'm pretty sure they had a diaphragm APS? The y had a rubber boot on the back for connecting the flue I remember and the changeover sliding black lever on the front to change from hot water only to water and heating!!!

620 had the paddle type air switch and the later 623 had a normal diaphram type actually the paddle one was pretty near bullet proof

 

[mountainman]

Pretty much anything by Saunier Duval was a pain to repair IMO.

 

[doitmyself]

Remeha for installing.

Why? What problems have you had?

 

[Doodlebug]

As above, whats the worse part/boiler you've had to work on and why? (no detail into gas safety as it's in the wrong forum!)

personally for me, after today i'm voting Worcester CDI expansion vessel. Wasn't much left in it once I got the old one out, fan, heat ex, plate hex, pump, APS etc all removed.... nightmare! Normally fit an external in, but couldn't on this one.

I hate changing the plate heat exchanger or water storage tank on a Worcester Highflow, now that is a nightmare job. Did you know with the Worcester CDI expansion vessel, if you have enough clearance you can pop the side of the case off and re-revit back on? This is what Worcester engineers do. Another nightmare job has to be the condensing unit at the back of a Worcester CDI Extra.
have you noticed, all of the above are Worcester boilers, I fooking hate them pmsl

 

[Nostrum]

Pretty sure you have to angle grind a hole in the chassis to get it out the right hand side, couldn't imagine the customer being to pleased about the mess and noise!

It's that 3/4" union on the plate heat exchanger that winds me up, it always feels like it wants to cross thread, normally flapping around with it for 5 minutes, especially if you've only got 150mm clearances below from the worktop, one hand through the front trying to get it to line up, and the front facia panel swings down in the way..

I'm not a fan of worcesters at all, sometimes I think they do it deliberately so they get more work, couldn't imagine a more stressful job than working for worcester

 

[Dotty]

The 3 Buderus GB162's in a galvanising factory over here. They're only 3 years old but look 103, each one has been completely rebuilt at least once, 2 heat exchangers, all the connection boards, two wiring harnesses, the combustion fans fail about every other month, one flue has been replaced and so on. My heart sinks every time I'm asked to go to silverwood.

And why are they so much hard work? Because they supply hot water for the acid vats and are in a highly corrosive atmosphere. Tools develop a fine layer of corrosion within an hour. I hate the place because it actually makes you doubt yourself.

And I normally love the GB162! Just a case of the wrong boiler for the environment.

Had a phone call yesterday......

"Silverwood's just rung, they've a 3L 214 error message on boiler 1, its not working."

"Sigh...... I'll order a fan up for next week......"

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

I hate changing the plate heat exchanger or water storage tank on a Worcester Highflow, now that is a nightmare job. Did you know with the Worcester CDI expansion vessel, if you have enough clearance you can pop the side of the case off and re-revit back on? This is what Worcester engineers do. Another nightmare job has to be the condensing unit at the back of a Worcester CDI Extra.
have you noticed, all of the above are Worcester boilers, I fooking hate them pmsl

yep riveted many back together,though did once slip with a full of water EV and kill the gasvalve electrical connections

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Pretty sure you have to angle grind a hole in the chassis to get it out the right hand side, couldn't imagine the customer being to pleased about the mess and noise!

It's that 3/4" union on the plate heat exchanger that winds me up, it always feels like it wants to cross thread, normally flapping around with it for 5 minutes, especially if you've only got 150mm clearances below from the worktop, one hand through the front trying to get it to line up, and the front facia panel swings down in the way..

I'm not a fan of worcesters at all, sometimes I think they do it deliberately so they get more work, couldn't imagine a more stressful job than working for worcester

if your talking cdi then nope just drill the rivets out

 

[Nostrum]

Cheers, I'll remember that for next time, I was told you needed a grinder, so the chassis is just pop riveted together?

Sounds a lot easier than the other day, does it work both sides or only the right?

 

[e/bourneplumber]

ideal elan with the brown slide up glass front, a classic. pressure relief valve on a wb junior, find it easier once to undo the flue and unions and lift the boiler off to get at it. why do remeha have an off centre flue so fitting a replacement in a row of cupboards is a nightmare? also condense and pr, why dont they come out at the back in line with all the rest of the pipes instead they come out some where in the middle? still working on ideal minimisers another classic ideal design, along with the newer

 

[e/bourneplumber]

icos and isar

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Cheers, I'll remember that for next time, I was told you needed a grinder, so the chassis is just pop riveted together?

Sounds a lot easier than the other day, does it work both sides or only the right?

both sides just get a drill and big enough hss bit,drill the heads off

 

[arran197]

Before reading the first comment I was going to say Worcester CDI. I had to change the diaphragm on one, absolute nightmare. Took ages. Did one on a Baxi 80e the other day, done in 10 minutes. Worcesters are an absolute pain to change any part. The Greenstar JNRs are just as bad, ever changed a prv on one? Joke, an engineer I was talking to cuts the chassis out the way to get it out that way.

 

[broggo]

Buderus 500 28c water block.
Takes worcester engineers 4hrs apparently.
Took me three and a bit. Right bar steward tho.

 

[Nostrum]

Before reading the first comment I was going to say Worcester CDI. I had to change the diaphragm on one, absolute nightmare. Took ages. Did one on a Baxi 80e the other day, done in 10 minutes. Worcesters are an absolute pain to change any part. The Greenstar JNRs are just as bad, ever changed a prv on one? Joke, an engineer I was talking to cuts the chassis out the way to get it out that way.

I change the complete diverter now rather than remove the diverter anyway, replace diaphragm and re fit diverter. They are not even that expensive as they must sell so many every time the diaphragm splits!

Never changed a PRV on a junior but thinking about the way it fits into the plastic piece I can see what a stupid design it is

 

[Plumbcrazy56]

Did a Baxi 80 he instant divertor valve the other day, of course no washers or o rings supplied. Took me 3 hrs what a pig boiler this is, worst Baxi have ever made IMO.

 

[julesverne]

worcesters plastic bit awful

 

[Rickster123]

Why? What problems have you had?

I hate the plastic case. I hate the stupid display that confuses every customer. Hate the way that when you unpack it and remove the plastic plugs half a pint of jet black water comes out. Always half to free the pump up on start up. Nuts are a nightmare to tighten. Condense fitting is in a stupid spot that always looks pony no matter how you pipe it. So all in all, not keen!

 

[Centralheatking]

Its a bit obvious but can we now do THE EASIEST BOILER to work on

 

[mountainman]

Its a bit obvious but can we now do THE EASIEST BOILER to work on

Potterton Profile.

 

[Rickster123]

Ideal logic :yes:

 

[julesverne]

Ideal logic :yes:

agree logics a doddle to work on and service.

 

[Nostrum]

ideal concord wrs

 

[southcoastboile]

Has got to be the plate heat exchanger on a high flow!

was looking at the threads and I was going to post highflow till I saw you already had

 

[southcoastboile]

Diamond are they the old sauniers that had a flap in the flue as an APS?

AWheating I am still repairing pumas now! There are a few estates around here that were fitted up with them, and a few still remain.

Agree with millsy on the O ring subject, why is it some manufacturers give you 90% of the O rings you need to change a part how they suggest, and throw a few others in that are useless along the way? Have to do a diverter on another 28CDI next week, only needs a diaphragm but you have to remove the whole valve completely to get to the diaphragm so just as well chuck a new one in and get the washers/O rings with it as well. I think it almost works out cheaper as well.


You say anything french, personally I love the chaffoteaux britony combis I know them inside out and they are very easy to work on. Just don't touch anything you don't have to!

I always do diaphrams without removing the diverter valves on CDI's, the screw right at the back to take the head off is really alkward to get to but I use a small ratchett, still a nasty job but prefer it to removing whole thing.

 

[southcoastboile]

easiest: glowworm ultimate

 

[villa_tom]

Easiest. Ideal classic.

 

[broggo]

Easiest. Ideal classic.

???????
They're a doddle!

There's nothing on them!

 

[Nostrum]

Check out post #52 🙂

 

[diamondgas]

Easiest - Open flue thorn M42 🙂 - More modern I've worked on a good few Baxi's and find them relatively easy to get around! The GloWorms are a mare!!!

 

[broggo]

Check out post #52 🙂

Whoops lol

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

went to look at a pig of a thing earlier was just told by the custy its a baxi combi,it was a baxi genesis,sorry mate not touching that

 

[diamondgas]

went to look at a pig of a thing earlier was just told by the custy its a baxi combi,it was a baxi genesis,sorry mate not touching that

Yes the Genisis was baxi's hybrid transition to the combi market! A monstrosity! The guts of a combi lumped on top of an apollo 80 If my memory serves me well?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Yes the Genisis was baxi's hybrid transition to the combi market! A monstrosity! The guts of a combi lumped on top of an apollo 80 If my memory serves me well?

its a chaff in disguise plastic everywhere

 

[diamondgas]

its a chaff in disguise plastic everywhere

Plastic ... hmmmm! So then it's the one with the guts slung underneath? Another horrible piece of kit I wonder what boiler it was with the gutts above? I'm sure it was a baxi???

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Plastic ... hmmmm! So then it's the one with the guts slung underneath? Another horrible piece of kit I wonder what boiler it was with the gutts above? I'm sure it was a baxi???

not sure was it a wall mounted?

 

[Rickster123]

Plastic ... hmmmm! So then it's the one with the guts slung underneath? Another horrible piece of kit I wonder what boiler it was with the gutts above? I'm sure it was a baxi???

Wasnt that an ideal?

http://idealparts.com/docs/classiccombi_NF80.PDF

 

[diamondgas]

not sure was it a wall mounted?

Yeh wall mounted, as said it had the old apollo 80 BF bellow it and an add on pump, diverter and weird little cylinder thing blue i think it was heat-ex 🙂

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Yeh wall mounted, as said it had the old apollo 80 BF bellow it and an add on pump, diverter and weird little cylinder thing blue i think it was heat-ex 🙂

i think i know what your on about it was a right bitsa if its the same heap,nasty shed of a thing

 

[Nostrum]

its a chaff in disguise plastic everywhere

Chaff Britony , look after loads of these still, I like um! Not a great boiler but everything is simples and relatively cheap to fix... Wouldn't have one in my house though!The later SE isn't bad though!Neither are any more plasticy than a green star junior!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Chaff Britony , look after loads of these still, I like um! Not a great boiler but everything is simples and relatively cheap to fix... Wouldn't have one in my house though!The later SE isn't bad though!Neither are any more plasticy than a green star junior!

yes but i dont like greenstars either😀 mind baxis 133 he is far,far worst

 

[Nostrum]

Don't like Worcester full stop!

 

[diamondgas]

i think i know what your on about it was a right bitsa if its the same heap,nasty shed of a thing

I was sure it was named the Genesis but I may be wrong mate! It hems back to the morphing days when the manufacturer's took what they had then added on the 'conversion' kit and labeled them a combi!!! 🙂

 

[WHPES]

For me (oil) it's a toss up between the Grandee and the vintage Trianco Centajet

 

[Roger Welton]

For me (oil) it's a toss up between the Grandee and the vintage Trianco Centajet

Urgh, you just reminded me I have two grandee's to service tomorrow 🙁

 

[swsv1]

my pet hate is glowworm and the long history of nasty plastic parts, which fail..... and my heart sinks when i see an old vailant... not the parts...it's getting the buggers off the wall, they weigh a ton and have to be dismantled..

 

[hammers4spanner]

my pet hate is glowworm and the long history of nasty plastic parts, which fail..... and my heart sinks when i see an old vailant... not the parts...it's getting the buggers off the wall, they weigh a ton and have to be dismantled..

disagree on vailant doddle to get off however ideal espirit !!!

 

[stevetheplumber]

any of the ecotecs are a doddle to work on
there used to be a combi in the early days had all the electrics in a tray underneath about 6 relays for the life o9f me i cant recall what make seem to remember uit being cream and brown

 

[Mickyplumb]

What about a diverter valve on an old Potterton Puma....that bloody nut on the back, facing away from you on the back of that frame !!!!

 

[stevetheplumber]

youve just reminded me how bad the first potterton combis were they realy pushed the boat out to make something simple into a nighhtmare

 

[Shirty]

Glowworm flexicom support bracket manifold . Have to remove most parts and when refitting if you dont get nuts that goes through chassis all the way home will leak like a motha

 

[WHPES]

If you're including oil boilers I would say Grandee

 

[Foodface]

Worst boilers are chaffoteaux and maury, bag of preverbial.

 

[Centralheatking]

I have just taken delivery of a Vaillant Eco-Tec 'dummy' boiler - just the case with nothin inside
it wont work but hey nothing will go wrong ! Centralheatking

As above, whats the worse part/boiler you've had to work on and why? (no detail into gas safety as it's in the wrong forum!)

personally for me, after today i'm voting Worcester CDI expansion vessel. Wasn't much left in it once I got the old one out, fan, heat ex, plate hex, pump, APS etc all removed.... nightmare! Normally fit an external in, but couldn't on this one.

 

[zzzjim]

I have just taken delivery of a Vaillant Eco-Tec 'dummy' boiler - Centralheatking

Does the case "Ouse" Quality , or is it made of Coke cans ?

 

[rbno22]

My first is the Alpha Ocean Style FF, if you went at one O-ring you would have to replace all the O-rings, changing the O-rings could take 30 minutes or 4+ hours depending how lucky you were, it would get so that your tears matched the drips from the O-rings, my second would be the servowarm boiler with the rad on the front because swinging the rad out always felt wrong.

i love em lol what a great idea hidden away wish someone would make a mod version lol

 

[wattsie1987]

ideal isar / ferroli optimax he but the worst are worcester combis for accessing parts