five weeks without hot water and counting
 

new poster in need of advice, and probably therapy.

We've been in our flat five years and last year we upgraded our lennox
warm air unit with a new boiler at a cost of =A32400. (Happy to do this
as we appreciated the system and don't like rads.) However at that
time we'd also spent =A3400 plus on repairs for a gas multipoint
(Britony flexiflue)

This year the hot water went off again and our plumbers ordered a pcb
and thermocouple - said they'd have to be ordered from france as no-one
stocks them anymore. Three weeks later, still no parts. Got another
plumber, he changed a fuse, water working. One week later, off again.
He says don't need the other parts but need a new gas system. Cost is
prohibitive.

So, obviously we've decided on a new multipoint. This plumber says
don't touch anything British, they're the most unreliable. But I'm
concerned about getting parts for a european one. Also, why are the
parts so expensive? Finally, is a =A3300 installation cost for new
boiler reasonable? Any advice, is there anything to add to the lennox
which would give us hot water?

On 25 Apr 2005 11:25:03 -0700, wrote:

new poster in need of advice, and probably therapy.

We've been in our flat five years and last year we upgraded our lennox
warm air unit with a new boiler at a cost of £2400. (Happy to do this
as we appreciated the system and don't like rads.) However at that
time we'd also spent £400 plus on repairs for a gas multipoint
(Britony flexiflue)

This year the hot water went off again and our plumbers ordered a pcb
and thermocouple - said they'd have to be ordered from france as no-one
stocks them anymore. Three weeks later, still no parts. Got another
plumber, he changed a fuse, water working. One week later, off again.
He says don't need the other parts but need a new gas system. Cost is
prohibitive.

So, obviously we've decided on a new multipoint. This plumber says
don't touch anything British, they're the most unreliable. But I'm
concerned about getting parts for a european one. Also, why are the
parts so expensive? Finally, is a £300 installation cost for new
boiler reasonable? Any advice, is there anything to add to the lennox
which would give us hot water?

Surley this new boiler has to work for a year, or have you passed the
one year mark ?

I'd get a British Gas coverplan, and let it break down in 2weeks time
- but then I hate British Gas.

Rick

New boiler is fine, tbut he multipoint is an old chaffoteaux. Would
coverplan include repairs to two boilers? do British gas service and
repair warm air units?

In message .com,
writes
new poster in need of advice, and probably therapy.

We've been in our flat five years and last year we upgraded our lennox
warm air unit with a new boiler at a cost of £2400. (Happy to do this
as we appreciated the system and don't like rads.) However at that
time we'd also spent £400 plus on repairs for a gas multipoint
(Britony flexiflue)

This year the hot water went off again and our plumbers ordered a pcb
and thermocouple - said they'd have to be ordered from france as no-one
stocks them anymore.

Rubbish, HRPC sell new ones as will most CH merchants



Three weeks later, still no parts. Got another
plumber, he changed a fuse, water working. One week later, off again.
He says don't need the other parts but need a new gas system. Cost is
prohibitive.

Look at my website for the pcb

www.cetltd.com

--
geoff

Geoff, should i really be buying more parts. should i just get a new
multipoint? I don't think this one has been well maintained and I've
spent loads on it already. Also confidence is pretty low in the corgi
lads as regards to what is actually wrong with it.
Pump for this cost =A3300 to supply and fit last year. Looks like a
waste of money now but I don't want to throw any more money at it.

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 19:09:58 GMT, Rick wrote:



I'd get a British Gas coverplan, and let it break down in 2weeks time
- but then I hate British Gas.

Doesn't everyone?

:-)

--
Frank Erskine

Frank Erskine wrote:
On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 19:09:58 GMT, Rick wrote:



I'd get a British Gas coverplan, and let it break down in 2weeks
time
- but then I hate British Gas.

Doesn't everyone?

:-)

--
Frank Erskine

As we've been so long without water I'm past getting the gas folks
involved. I've phoned a couple of suppliers here in glasgow. Both only
have Main multipoint in stock. Should i go for this or put an oder in
for vokera or Ferroli. (Boilers in basement so no size or noise
issues.) Reliability is my main concern.

In message .com,
writes
Geoff, should i really be buying more parts. should i just get a new
multipoint?

That's not something I can answer for you

I don't think this one has been well maintained and I've
spent loads on it already. Also confidence is pretty low in the corgi
lads as regards to what is actually wrong with it.

There's not really that much to go wrong with them

Pump for this cost 0 waste of money now but I don't want to throw any more money at it.

I think it might be a matter of finding a good fitter who knows what
he's doing

--
geoff

Geoff, this latest guy seems to know his stuff. He cancelled the pcb,
thermocouple and ignition as they weren't the problem. But the gas
part he's showed me off the Chaffoteaux site is =A3160. I would have
loved to have fixed this boiler but the cost of parts and fitting are
scary.

Is he right about vokera or ferroli. Are these multipoints or combis
which he's recommending for the hot water.

In message . com,
writes
Geoff, this latest guy seems to know his stuff. He cancelled the pcb,
thermocouple and ignition as they weren't the problem. But the gas
part he's showed me off the Chaffoteaux site is 0 loved to have fixed this boiler but the cost of parts and fitting are
scary.

Is he right about vokera or ferroli.

I'm not the best person to ask on that - I repair pcbs and fans, I'm not
a coal face fitter

Are these multipoints or combis
which he's recommending for the hot water.

You need to find out what model, it's like asking whether a ford is
better than a vauxhall without mentioning the model

--
geoff

wrote in message
oups.com...
Frank Erskine wrote:
On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 19:09:58 GMT, Rick wrote:



I'd get a British Gas coverplan, and let it break down in 2weeks
time
- but then I hate British Gas.

Doesn't everyone?

:-)

--
Frank Erskine

As we've been so long without water I'm past getting the gas folks
involved. I've phoned a couple of suppliers here in glasgow. Both only
have Main multipoint in stock. Should i go for this or put an oder in
for vokera or Ferroli. (Boilers in basement so no size or noise
issues.) Reliability is my main concern.

A lot depends on the hardness of your local water. If the unit is scaled/ing
up then replacing certain parts on the gas side will likely be a waste of
investment in a reasonably short while when water side troubles show up.
I would suggest you take a ride down to your local plumbing merchants or
heating spares suppliers (look in yellow pages for a range of them) Price up
a suitable unit yourself and consider a like for like replacement.
Chaffateaux have shown very little in their ranges for years so you could
find the same or an identical (physically) model is still available,
possibly on offer to clear stocks following 1st April.
All you need then is an installer willing to work for sensible money

In message .com,
writes
Geoff i'm a mad recycler and would normally repair but i do think
replacement is the best option. The Baxis which were in stock were I
think called Main, retailing at 0 difference in reliability. Does it matter how many sinks etc we use?
I want to buy one that will last 20 years and not have difficulty
getting parts. (wish I'd known about your site before, could have saved
a fair bit.)

Sorry I don't know, again, I'm not a hands dirty fitter, you're better
off asking the fitters in uk-diy who actually have experience of such
things

--
geoff

In article .com,
writes:

As we've been so long without water I'm past getting the gas folks
involved. I've phoned a couple of suppliers here in glasgow. Both only
have Main multipoint in stock. Should i go for this or put an oder in
for vokera or Ferroli. (Boilers in basement so no size or noise
issues.) Reliability is my main concern.

There are two Main versions, a very simple one which doesn't even
require an electricity supply and has to back on to an outside wall
for the flue, and a fanned flue version which can drive a longer
concentric flue but requires an electricity supply. Both are room
sealed.

I have a slightly earlier version of the one with no electricity
supply. Mine has thermostatic control and modulating burner, but
there was also a version without this at the time (just had a flow
valve). Off-hand, I don't know if their current replacement model
for this has thermostatic control or not.

The whole thing is very simple -- I think the previous one lasted
about 20 years (not sure exactly when it was installed), and the
replacement when I needed it was quite an easy switch over, as the
new ones were designed to bolt on to the flues of very much older
ones (the whole thing hangs from the flue).

--
Andrew Gabriel