Baxi Bermuda boiler
Hi,
We've got a baxi bermuda 552 back boiler. We had a gas engineer visit today to give it a service and he's issued us with an "At Risk" notification on it. He's said the boiler needs replacing - he doesn't supply / install boilers himself so there's no gain in him recommending replacement (and he didn't even charge us for the abandoned service). A new boiler is expensive - even replacing the baxi with a similar model is 600 excluding installation - so I'd like to see if repairing it is feasible. The diagnosis is the burner assembly is rotten caused by combustion chamber leaking. I've removed the boiler covers and confirmed this. In reality the boiler seems to be very simple - Is it feasible to just replace the chamber and the burner, or am being over simplistic? When cold there's no water leaking - what normally causes a chamber to leak. Advice please - It's damned cold! Steve. |
Baxi Bermuda boiler
On Mon, 20 Oct 2003 20:42:50 +0100, Steve no.junk.mail@here wrote:
Hi, We've got a baxi bermuda 552 back boiler. We had a gas engineer visit today to give it a service and he's issued us with an "At Risk" notification on it. He's said the boiler needs replacing - he doesn't supply / install boilers himself so there's no gain in him recommending replacement (and he didn't even charge us for the abandoned service). A new boiler is expensive - even replacing the baxi with a similar model is 600 excluding installation - so I'd like to see if repairing it is feasible. The diagnosis is the burner assembly is rotten caused by combustion chamber leaking. I've removed the boiler covers and confirmed this. In reality the boiler seems to be very simple - Is it feasible to just replace the chamber and the burner, or am being over simplistic? When cold there's no water leaking - what normally causes a chamber to leak. Advice please - It's damned cold! Steve. if the cast iron section is leaking water then it porbably isnt worth the hassle of repairs,i;d just replace it.....but then i am a gas man.. joe |
Baxi Bermuda boiler
"Steve" no.junk.mail@here wrote in message ... Hi, We've got a baxi bermuda 552 back boiler. We had a gas engineer visit today to give it a service and he's issued us with an "At Risk" notification on it. He's said the boiler needs replacing - he doesn't supply / install boilers himself so there's no gain in him recommending replacement (and he didn't even charge us for the abandoned service). A new boiler is expensive - even replacing the baxi with a similar model is 600 excluding installation - so I'd like to see if repairing it is feasible. The diagnosis is the burner assembly is rotten caused by combustion chamber leaking. I've removed the boiler covers and confirmed this. In reality the boiler seems to be very simple - Is it feasible to just replace the chamber and the burner, or am being over simplistic? When cold there's no water leaking - what normally causes a chamber to leak. Advice please - It's damned cold! Steve. I've owned 2 Baxi Bermudas in the past - both 1960's vintage - so I don't whether yours is the same. Mine had cast iron heat exchangers which looked a bit like 2 chunky slabs of chocolate - with the chunks facing each other. Each of these had 4 holes in the corners, and were joined together by 4 manifolds - each of which had an external connection - i.e. 2 flow + 2 return in all. I think there were gaskets of some sort where the manifolds joined these "chocolate blocks". If yours are leaking, it is probably at these joints, rather than as a result of any holes right through the cast iron. If you can get them apart, you may be able to replace the gaskets. However, the bolts holding it all together are probably well and truly rusted in - so it may be difficult. You can probably still get a replacement burner assembly from a Baxi spares stockist. Roger |
Baxi Bermuda boiler
A new boiler is expensive - even replacing the baxi with a similar
model is 600 excluding installation - so I'd like to see if repairing it is feasible. If you want a direct replacement, bear in mind these boilers are effectively banned from next April, unless I have misread it. Christian. |
Baxi Bermuda boiler
Christian McArdle wrote:
A new boiler is expensive - even replacing the baxi with a similar model is 600 excluding installation - so I'd like to see if repairing it is feasible. If you want a direct replacement, bear in mind these boilers are effectively banned from next April, unless I have misread it. Christian. Can you elaborate please - I've got one of these! Tony |
Baxi Bermuda boiler
Can you elaborate please - I've got one of these!
I mean for new installations. You don't have to get rid of existing ones. At the moment, back boilers need a special exemption from the current lower efficiency requirements to be allowed. Soon the efficiency requirement will be made more stringent. However, it seems this might be from April 2005, rather than April 2004. Also, there might also be some sort of exemption for back boilers, but this still isn't clear. In any case, I wouldn't bank on a Baxi Bermuda being legal for new installations beyond 2005, although they might be. Christian. |
Baxi Bermuda boiler
Christian McArdle wrote:
Can you elaborate please - I've got one of these! I mean for new installations. You don't have to get rid of existing ones. At the moment, back boilers need a special exemption from the current lower efficiency requirements to be allowed. Soon the efficiency requirement will be made more stringent. However, it seems this might be from April 2005, rather than April 2004. Also, there might also be some sort of exemption for back boilers, but this still isn't clear. In any case, I wouldn't bank on a Baxi Bermuda being legal for new installations beyond 2005, although they might be. Christian. Thanks for that. Our boiler is about 25 years old but has been extremely reliable. We were thinking about replacing it soon with a more up to date model - apparently spares for ours are becoming more difficult to obtain. May look at other options now though, just in case. Thanks again. Tony |
Baxi Bermuda boiler
tarquinlinbin wrote:
On Mon, 20 Oct 2003 20:42:50 +0100, Steve no.junk.mail@here wrote: Hi, We've got a baxi bermuda 552 back boiler. We had a gas engineer visit today to give it a service and he's issued us with an "At Risk" notification on it. He's said the boiler needs replacing - he doesn't supply / install boilers himself so there's no gain in him recommending replacement (and he didn't even charge us for the abandoned service). A new boiler is expensive - even replacing the baxi with a similar model is 600 excluding installation - so I'd like to see if repairing it is feasible. The diagnosis is the burner assembly is rotten caused by combustion chamber leaking. I've removed the boiler covers and confirmed this. In reality the boiler seems to be very simple - Is it feasible to just replace the chamber and the burner, or am being over simplistic? When cold there's no water leaking - what normally causes a chamber to leak. Advice please - It's damned cold! Steve. if the cast iron section is leaking water then it porbably isnt worth the hassle of repairs,i;d just replace it.....but then i am a gas man.. The boiler is probablyt repairable if you can get the spares (at least possible). The question is that given the realtive inefficiency of the old lump and the cost or repair would it be economic. New back boilers are expensive and still relatively inefficient - so the new boiler should be a modern type unless the arrangement is such that this is nearly impossible. -- Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter. The FAQ for uk.diy is at www.diyfaq.org.uk Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html |
Baxi Bermuda boiler
Roger Mills wrote:
Thanks for everyones replies. I've owned 2 Baxi Bermudas in the past - both 1960's vintage - so I don't whether yours is the same. I think mine is a bit newer - probably early 80s. Mine had cast iron heat exchangers which looked a bit like 2 chunky slabs of chocolate - with the chunks facing each other. Each of these had 4 holes in the corners, and were joined together by 4 manifolds - each of which had an external connection - i.e. 2 flow + 2 return in all. That's exactly the same as ours. I think there were gaskets of some sort where the manifolds joined these "chocolate blocks". If yours are leaking, it is probably at these joints, rather than as a result of any holes right through the cast iron. Sounds reasonable. I can't see the cast iron itself failing unless it's split or somehow become porous. If you can get them apart, you may be able to replace the gaskets. However, the bolts holding it all together are probably well and truly rusted in - so it may be difficult. You can probably still get a replacement burner assembly from a Baxi spares stockist. I've checked and the replacement parts are available. Looking like ~120 quid for the various bits. The reason I want to try and repair it is :- A) I can't really afford 1400+ on a replacement B) We're probably moving house within the next 12 months What's the efficiency of a back boiler compared to a modern unit? I really can't complain at our heating bills up to now (and they're v.cheap at the moment!) - unless it halved the bill I can't see replacing it is a great benefit for us. Are grants available for replacing back boilers with a more efficient model? Cheers, Steve. |
Baxi Bermuda boiler
Steve wrote:
What's the efficiency of a back boiler compared to a modern unit? To answer my own question:- Non-condensing boiler/combi with automatic ignition 73% Condensing do. 83% Non-condensing do. with permanent pilot light 69% Condensing do. 79% Room heater with back boiler 65% |
Baxi Bermuda boiler
"Steve" no.junk.mail@here wrote in message ... What's the efficiency of a back boiler compared to a modern unit? The claimed efficiency (at max output) of the Bermuda which I installed in 1969 was 77% (i.e. 40,000 Btu/h output for 52,000 input). Interestingly, my 10-year-old Baxi Solo 70/4 PF has an almost identical quoted efficiency - but that almost certainly doesn't qualify as "modern". Hopefully others will quote figures for current production boilers. I suppose back boilers do suffer from the additional problem that the waste heat which is not transferred to the water goes straight up the chimney with no benefit. At least the waste heat from the wall-mounted Solo helps to heat an otherwise unheated utility room. Roger |
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