Oil Combi Boilers - whats worth looking at?

[Jerry]

I might need a new oil boiler at some point soon.

Floor mounted, combi.

5 beds, two baths.

Current one is a Potterton and in excess of 20 years old.

 

[Bob]

Worcester green star heatslave

 

[robs1]

We have a grant its 16 years old, haf a couple of minor repairs but only a few quid for parts, most use the same burner now anyway.
Iirc there us a firm down your way who make boilers hand for getting parts.

 

[flowerpot]

Which? did an in depth article on central heating boilers a couple of issues ago. "Normally" you can go into the local library and they have a subscription so you can look at Which? They used to have the actual magazine but it is all on-line now which isn't as easy, but I don;t know when we will be allowed back into the libraries again.

The Worcester Bosch seem to come out top in the surveys.

 

[yellowbelly]

I might need a new oil boiler at some point soon.

Floor mounted, combi.

5 beds, two baths.

Current one is a Potterton and in excess of 20 years old.

Watching with interest

Current one is a Potterton and in excess of 40 years

 

[herman]

Brother has a Worcester bosch and it hasn't been trouble free.
Had it in 2014 and that replaced another brand from 2003.

 

[br jones]

If you have a boiler at 20 and 40 years old ,get rid of it ,whatever you change it to ,it will pay for itself in oil savings

 

[Steevo]

I might need a new oil boiler at some point soon.

Floor mounted, combi.

5 beds, two baths.

Current one is a Potterton and in excess of 20 years old.

Surprising it’s not an unvented system boiler with a hot water cylinder for that size of property rather than a combi.

Lack of suitable location for a hot water cylinder?

 

[jondear]

Had a Grant 20 years .Had another now condensing Much more efficient apparently . Engineer says grant much easier to service than Worcester.

 

[Jerry]

Surprising it’s not an unvented system boiler with a hot water cylinder for that size of property rather than a combi.

Lack of suitable location for a hot water cylinder?

It’s an option. Current system was installed by previous owners. Plenty of loft space.

Our water pressure is bloody dire as well. If some one is in shower and some one else runs a tap downstairs the shower is a dribble.

3 years ago it was fine and then water company dialled pressure back to bare minimum to reduce leakage

 

[Boydvalley]

If your water pressure is that low no accredited engineer should fit a Combi. They are not suitable.

 

[Steevo]

It’s an option. Current system was installed by previous owners. Plenty of loft space.

Our water pressure is bloody dire as well. If some one is in shower and some one else runs a tap downstairs the shower is a dribble.

3 years ago it was fine and then water company dialled pressure back to bare minimum to reduce leakage

I have an invented system boiler here which is brilliant because the hot water and cold water are both supplied at mains pressure. Far better than the gravity fed hot water I was used to before. Only downside is a slightly low mains water pressure does restrict flow a bit.

New water supply needed for other reasons, so now installing 32mm each house. Can’t see that lacking the required flow in the future regardless of pressure!

As said on here many times before, you never regret a job that you’ve done too well!

 

[Steevo]

Had a Grant 20 years .Had another now condensing Much more efficient apparently . Engineer says grant much easier to service than Worcester.

I have a “toaster” Worcester and it’s a stupid design. Not sure they make them like that now.

 

[Land Rover]

Grant .

 

[Northdowns Martin]

I have a Grant combi 90 for 16 years now servicing a 5 bed house. Boiler part has been brilliant, filter and nozzle change only. However heat exchanger and hot water demand trigger have had regular issues. Conclusion is they need to be fed with soft water. Another mistake was not finding space for a hot water storage tank

 

[Andy26]

Grant Vortex External Combi, has been excellent so far.

 

[livestock 1]

We have a house with a combi and it’s been nothing but trouble. I had a Camray 5 combi and it needed parts from the start. Pumps, control boxes motors valves the lot. We’ve renewed it to a Worcester Bosch and had no problems yet. Worst part about these boilers is that they are just parts made by other companies put together so different makes use the same parts in many cases.
I would consider going back to a hot water tank and a normal boiler if it’s not too much rive up otherwise Worcester Bosch. Bits aren’t too dear for them you will be able to fit most parts easily yourself.

 

[Andy26]

We have a house with a combi and it’s been nothing but trouble. I had a Camray 5 combi and it needed parts from the start. Pumps, control boxes motors valves the lot. We’ve renewed it to a Worcester Bosch and had no problems yet. Worst part about these boilers is that they are just parts made by other companies put together so different makes use the same parts in many cases.
I would consider going back to a hot water tank and a normal boiler if it’s not too much rive up otherwise Worcester Bosch. Bits aren’t too dear for them you will be able to fit most parts easily yourself.

I wouldn't go back, no need for a hot water cylinder, hot water on demand, so only paying to heat water as you use it.

Five year warranties on most oil boilers.

 

[PSQ]

I've got a Worcester Greenstar Camry 25/32 condensing boiler from 2008, and while it has been pretty reliable it furs up with some weird sulphurous compound leaking out of the heat exchanger (any ideas @Adeptandy ?).
I used to clean it out and dissolve the yellow gunk in a baking powder solution, but it was a ball ache to get the 'waffle plates' out of the boiler.
Watching this thread with interest.

 

[Steevo]

I've got a Worcester Greenstar Camry 25/32 condensing boiler from 2008, and while it has been pretty reliable it furs up with some weird sulphurous compound leaking out of the heat exchanger. I used to clean it out and dissolve the yellow gunk in a baking powder solution, but it was a ball ache to get the 'waffle plates' out of the boiler.
Watching this thread with interest.

This is the “toaster” type boiler I have. Silly design.