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Re: Condensing boilers & microbore pipe



We've had a Baxi Barcelona (100SE now) condensing boiler for nearly 3
years and my observations are:

1 Yes you must service - annually is the recomendation for our one.
Do this to ensure the anti-corrosion stuff is up to date otherwise
they will rot (aluminium heat exchangers are the potential problem)
very fast.
2 They tend to be 'computerised' and there were reputed probs with
the early control boards - plumbers do not understand this bit so
seem to write them all off on this basis as 'troublesome'.  But as
with most things electronic (hard drives apart!), if its works out of
the box, its likely to go on and on.
3 Ours does run in condensing mode allmost all of the time but we use
underfloor and therefore water temps are lower than with rads so
condensing works very well.  UF is recognised as good coupling to
condensing systems.
4 Ours is neat (wall mount in the Utility room) but there is a slight
fan noise (not bad but I wouldn't want it in a small kitchen).
5 Don't think it was particularly expensive (especially when compared
with the hugh German super thingys) compared with standard units.
6 Worked without a problem except for an original micro leak in a
connection which was repaired under warrenty (actually I think it was
a faulty/heavy handed installation on our plumber's part).
7 The Baxi would be big enough for your needs.

Regards

Richard

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, simonr@f... wrote:
> I would personally stay well clear of condensing boilers.
> 1 They need servicing  twice yearly
> 2 They go wrong more often than a microsoft OS (prior to its first
service pack)
> 3 They rarely go into condensing mode (hence you get very little
benfit from
> them)
> 4 They rot faster than a Datsun Cherry
> 5 Even if you take advantage of the grants available they are still
expensive
> 6 They have a maximum life expectancy of 10 years
> ...need I go on ???
>
> Personally I am still a big fan of traditional lightweight cast
iron boilers.
> They are simple, they rarely go wrong and they dont cost much more
to run than
> a combi / condensing boiler. Plus if you use a BEMS with an
external frost
> stat, they are probably more efficient.
>
> Alternatively you could go for a combi boiler. They are much more
reliable
> these days (I would personally steer clear of the french ones).
>
> Simon
>
>
> Quoting Stuart Grimshaw <stuart@s...>:
>
> > <html><body>
> >
> >
> > <tt>
> > I've just been talking to our plumber and he was saying that all
boilers must
> > <BR>
> > be condensing from Jan 2005, is this true?<BR>
> > <BR>
> > Also he was saying that microbore pipe is no longer used and that
it's been
> > <BR>
> > &quot;condemned&quot;, is that true?<BR>
> > <BR>
> > Our boiler does need replacing, so does anyone have any
recommendations for a
> > <BR>
> > boiler to go in a standard 3 bed detached family house (4 rads
upstairs 4
> > <BR>
> > down)<BR>
> > <BR>
> > Cheers,<BR>
> > <BR>
> > Stu.<BR>
> > <BR>
> > </tt>
> >
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