Worth Upgrading from a regular condensing boiler to a system condensing boiler?

[psychopomp1]

Hi,
My Ideal Icos 12 condensing boiler (fitted by the builder when my house was built 6 years ago) is giving me problems to no end so decided to get rid of this junk and get a new boiler. I had a Worcester installer around yesterday for a quote and according to him my existing boiler is a standard condensing boiler - i thought it was a system boiler as i have a sealed pressurized system with no header tanks and have 2 expansion vessels next to hot water cylinder in airing cupboard. Anyway he recommended the Worcester Bosch 15RI boiler for £2350 fitted. I was hoping to get the Worcester Bosch 15i System boiler so that i could get Wave fitted as well (its not compatible with Worcester Standard boilers) but the installer said he would have to run mains water pipe to the boiler & alter pipework in order to get this fitted & it would cost more that £2350.


Are their any major advantages to using a system condensing boiler as opposed to a standard condensing boiler? From what the installer was telling me, a system boiler also includes expansion vessels/mechanisms and a pump so i presume they are louder than standard boilers? Are system boilers more efficient? If i got one installed could i get my existing expansion vessels removed from the airing cupboard?


Cheers

 

[Mike Jackson]

You'll only lose one expansion vessel, not worth the bother. System boilers are good as a new install but when you've already got all the components there why bother. Price seems a bit on the high side for a straight boiler swap. Have you had any other quotes?

 

[Mike Jackson]

Oh, and no need to run mains water to boiler to fit a system boiler, existing filling point is fine. Just need to remove pump and external expansion vessel.

 

[psychopomp1]

Thanks Mike. I've only had 1 quote so far but i'll get a few more for comparison. Is there are lot of extra work required to fit an system boiler where a standard boiler is fitted? Realistically, what should it cost extra in installation? (not including difference in costs between standard & system boiler)

Reason why i want the worcester system boiler is so that i can get the wave system fitted as well. Yes i now there are cheaper alternatives (Nest, Hive, Tado etc) but i understand these just switch the boiler on/off automatically whereas the wave thermostat system also offers something called load compensation which fires the boiler at the necessary level making it more efficient.

 

[Harryplumb]

What's your location?

 

[psychopomp1]

Inverness

 

[Frelon]

The Nest will do exactly what you want. AFAIK you input your post code into the app which will fire the boiler dependent on local internet weather information. If you want weather compensation for your boiler you will need a weather compensation kit from WB. My Nest does this well without the weather compensation kit.

 

[southcoastboile]

Oh, and no need to run mains water to boiler to fit a system boiler, existing filling point is fine. Just need to remove pump and external expansion vessel.

Unlikely but Mabey there's not enough pressure in the existing main to pressure the boiler to 1 bar or more.