OK, so you’ve got a Potterton Kingfisher and it is still going after 25yrs? Not a big deal. The Kidd was available 5 yrs earlier and would have delivered 90% efficiency, instead of the 60% or so managed by the Potterton. Think of all that fuel you’ve wasted!
That’s why Highgrove has a Kidd, along with other famous users, for example, music luminaires such as Sir Tim Rice, Peter Gabriel, Bjorn Ulvaeus. And some less notable people, such as me.
Grade II listed farmhouse - beautiful!
Here we are in a Kent farmhouse, near Sittingbourne, and they have a 1983 Kidd oil boiler. Now 28 years old, it is showing some signs of wear. Mr Kidd has offered to refurbish it (yes, really) but the owners are remodelling the area once used as the boiler room, and there is insufficient space for the Kidd unit.
They will be sorry to see it go, but have been delighted with the economy and longevity it delivered. And being solely mild steel, it is completely recyclable.
End of the road after 28 years of preventing energy wastage.
Connected to a very old (we reckon 1930s) one pipe heating system, we specified a new Worcester-Bosch oil Camray Greenstar utility. This occupies only around a third of the space of the Kidd unit, but delivers a similar efficiency.
It is not going to last 28 years, but does come with a 6 year warranty due to a promotion Bosch are offering key installers at the moment (installation was Aug 2011).
Another neat job.
The one pipe system is perfectly compatible with a Worcester oil boiler, but it is difficult to remove debris in the pipework, due to the ‘Powerflushing’ systems not being effective. Basically, with a one pipe system, the connection of one of our large Norstrom machines justs sends the high velocity water round a wide bore loop, with little effect*. Instead, we fit a dirt separation device, in this case, a SpiroTECH Magnabooster2. This can be emptied periodically by the homeowner.
*Some Powerflush machine manufacturers claim their machines can clean a one pipe system. Simply not true.
The new boiler was tucked in the corner of the new utility area. Some of the old 3″ pipework was rerouted and simplified to provide extra headroom in the new kitchen.
Finally, we fitted an additional cast iron school radiator in the lounge, and some modern programmable temperature controls by Honeywell.
New space efficient installation completed
We’re in a remote area south of Dorking, Surrey, accessed via a long farm track.
Farmhouse exterior
The property had a Trianco oiler, made around 16 years ago, with a leaking heat exchanger. This is the end of the road for an oil boiler, because the heat exchanger is the whole metal frame of the boiler.
Facing the wrong way
Trianco have always been a budget boiler manufacturer, and have, as a company, seemingly lurched from one collapse to another, most recently last year, when their remnants were bought by an Essex metalworking company. The other cheapy manufacturer, Perrymatics, failed many years ago. But there are still lots of these products out there, because they sold so well.
The Trianco was connected to an old metal flue liner, incompatible with modern high efficiency condensing boilers. For some perverse reason, the boiler had been mounted in an external boiler house sideways, rendering maintenance very difficult and compromising minimum manufacturer clearances. This lack of access probably resulted in the boiler not being cleaned internally and the premature failure of the heat exchanger.
Original oil liner terminal on right, gravity is all that holds the tile cap on!
From measurements, we found that we could site the new Worcester -Bosch Camray unit facing forwards, enabling easy maintenance and compliance with manufacturer stipulations.
The Worcester-Bosch Flexiflue employed is near identical to the one used in the gas boilers, except that it is used for exhaust gas only – it does not provide an air inlet for the burner, this has to be arranged in the boiler room.
Instant access!
We used our preferred means of access to the chimney in the form of a 7.5ton elevating platform truck. This is quicker than scaffolding and less likely to cause damage to the surrounding roof areas.
New liner on the way up
New flue termination completed
The new boiler was complemented by revised heating controls, including a Honeywell CM907 programmable room thermostat with Optimisation.
Finished installation
Weather starting to turn
To leave the maximum room in the kitchen, we’ve suggested an external oil combination boiler. A Worcester-Bosch external heatslave was our recommendation, it comes in an insulated and rather fetching dark green cabinet, noticeably better made than the product sold by their main competitor, with rubber seals round the doors etc.
Ricky connecting new pipework
We fitted all new copper pipework inside the house, together with our preferred Vogel & Noot radiators, which are Austrian built units with rounded corners, very child-friendly.
At one point the roads outside became impassable, so we had to halt work for three days. As soon as the weather allowed, we were back on site, in this case this meant a Sunday. It is pretty miserable installing an external boiler in the snow, it has to be said.
Fire valve, oil filter and oil isolation valve
We haven’t got any pictures of the finshed job, because it got dark very quickly. But what a difference central heating makes to a house!
Like all our Worcester-Bosch installations, this boiler has a manufacturer on site warranty for 5 years, until 2016.
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Near Tunbridge Wells UK
Our customer had an old wall mounted Boulter Camray oil boiler on the rear of his house. The unit was beyond redemption, having had a small internal fire.
Old boiler bites the dust
He quite fancied moving the boiler further away from the house, so we looked into moving it down the garden. Our customer was a builder, so he created a neat pipe trench and raised boiler plinth to our specifications. The property has a river running nearby, which has been known to flood, so the raised platform will protect his investment!
Our pipe trench
We suggested a Worcester-Bosch Camray external condensing high efficiency oil boiler would do the trick.
Worcester-Bosch Camray external
The new boiler was connected to the house using barrier plastic pipe, which has low flow resistance and good resistance to frost. It was insulated with Armaflex external grade insulation. External armoured cable was laid in the duct and an RCD fitted to enable safer maintenance and accordance with BS 7671.
In common with all our Worcester-Bosch oil installations, the boiler is covered for 5 years on a full parts and labour basis by the manufacturer.
We’d like to extend our thanks to our customer, Ernie, who made a fantastic job of all the preparatory building work, in between replacing his lounge floor! Our team was awarded with some rather nice wine at the end, too!
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Somewhere near Canterbury
Our subject of this blog is a 1990 Kidd Oil Model 1 unit in Canterbury, which had been ’serviced’ in recent years by a contractor who was not familiar with the product, or condensers generally.
The condense drains were all completely blocked and full of shale deposits, causing damage to the upper part of the boiler and casing. This had probably gone unchecked for a number of years. As a result, the projected 30 yr lifspan had been cruelly truncated.
Economiser was suffering from not being cleaned
We advised the customer that for the price of a new Grant or Worcester unit – which are well made mass market units – we could refurbish his Kidd boiler. Having seen the build quality of this unit, and having had 20 years reliable service from it, he opted for the rebuild.
A naked Model 1 and a clothed Tim
A new ‘economiser’ was fabricated by Kidd boilers, together with a new flue. Although the old boiler was 20 yrs old, the new upper section fitted perfectly, because the design is fundamentally unchanged from its inception in 1981. To finish the job off, a new Sterling Kidd 40 series oil burner was fitted.
Old flue with blocked condense drain tube
New flue incorporating bends to slow down condensate to prevent splashing in the heat exchanger
We Powerflushed the radiator system, removed some copper based condensate tubing (still in parfect condition after 20 years), and fitted some modern Honeywell programmable thermostat controls in the house.
Our customer was thus equipped with a Kidd boiler virtually the same as a new one, to see him through the next few decades with ‘A’ rated efficiency.
As I often tell our customers, condensing boilers aren’t new technology, that is a myth created by politicians to try to take the credit for energy savings.
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Old Pottterton 1960s unit
Sited in the utility room of this delightful property surrounded by fields,
and with a large concrete asbestos flue running up the rear of the building, we suggested the replacement was sited in the detached garage.
Another boiler subject to the UK Government’s Scrappage Scheme ( which finished in March 2010), we recommended a Worcester-Bosch Camray Greenstar condensing oil boiler to replace it.
Old flue aperture bricked up, mortar drying!
Holes were core drilled in the utility room wall and the facing garage walls, sleeved pipework was then run between the two buildings at high level, insulated with Armaflex water resistant insulation.
Pipework link to garage
Electrical control cables were also run between the two buildings, using a neat matching conduit neext to the pipework. Armoured cables were then run through the garage to the new boiler, where a 3 pole isolator was fitted to allow safe servicing.
The Honeywell frost protection kit was used, comprising a wall mounted frost thermostat, which turns the boiler on if the surrounding area drops below 5°C, together with a pipe thermostat set to 25°C, which turns the boiler off again once the system is warm enough to protect itself.
New Worcester-Bosch Camray 25-32 Oil Condensing boiler
The old flue was taken down and the aperture bricked up in matching bricks.
We upgraded the system to separately selectable heating and hot water, and provided the latest Honeywell timing and temperature control, including their 7 day programmable radio room thermostat, CM927.
Finally, we tested the system and filled out our special Worcester 6 year parts and labour warranty card.
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View from the road
Our customer already has a ‘Hot Water & Central Heating’ installed oil fired cooker range (see our Heritage cooker page above), and was building an outside barn further down the garden.
The central heating boiler was an old oil fired unit, which was located in the hallway and could be heard throughout the property.
Our customer wanted a new boiler and also wished to convert the water system to a new unvented type.
Hot Water & Central Heating suggested that a Grant 3646 outdoor module was fitted, this is an outdoor boiler incorporating a weatherproof housing, designed to operate outside in all weathers.
Grant Vortex condensing high efficiency outdoor boiler module
This freed up the cupboard in the hall, previously home to an oil boiler and a small vented hot water cylinder on braces above. We removed these units and replaced them with a Range Tribune Slimline 210 litre unvented cylinder. This upgraded the hot and cold water to mains pressure at all outlets, and removed the need for a loft mounted storage tank.
Range Tribune unvented installation in cupboard
In common with all unvented systems (and other forms of direct fed hot and cold water systems, like combination boilers and heatstores) the performance is greatly improved with a good water flow rate. We ran a new 32mm water pipe to the road outside, for minimum hydraulic resistance. The local water supply company were engaged to provide a new larger connection to the mains.
New water connection being excavated by Sutton & East Surrey Water
The new oak barn was home to a sun room, together with a utility room and shower room. Hot Water & Central Heating installed underground pipe ducts to the main house to give hot and cold services, and also to feed the new underfloor heating.
New oak barn
Underfloor heating manifolds are quite large units, and it is prudent to site them where inspection and maintenance is easily carried out after the building works are complete. This ruled out fitting the manifold under the sink or behind washing machines. Instead, we installed a 7 zone L&K manifold in the ceiling void area above the utility room, hiding the pipework in a stud wall comprising part of the new shower enclosure.
Underfloor installation waiting for screed
The L&K system used nearly 500 metres of pipe, all laid on Building Regs compliant Quinn insulation board. The Underfloor Heating was laid in a day, and the concrete screeding completed the day after. The flooring will be finished in tiling once the screed has properly dried out.
Another view of the underfloor pipework
Heating manifold hidden in ceiling area
Screed laid, all pipework buried. This area will be tiled soon.
Separate zone controls were fitted for the underfloor area, which were linked by armoured cable buried in a duct to the existing house. Control of the separate heating zones is by Honeywell CM series programmable room thermostats.
Underfloor heating is an invisible but highly effective system*, and uses less energy to heat a space than conventional radiators. This is because the human body feels warm at lower air temperatures when using underfloor heating.
The new boiler works at around 92% efficiency, saving fuel but increasing comfort and reliability. In common with all our Grant boiler installations, our customer received a 3 year on site warranty on the boiler.
*The only type of underfloor heating to be avoided is the electric type, because electricity costs around 12p per Kwh, compared to around 4.5p for gas fired heating and 6p for oil fired (this was written in June 2009).
Don’t be fooled by sales literature claiming electric heating is 100% efficient and green, these are half truths. Electrical heating uses energy generated by (usually) coal or gas in the UK. From the power station to your house meter box, around 55% of the energy in the gas or coal burnt at the power station is lost in generating and transmission losses.
So before even fitting underfloor heating, electricity is only 45% efficient. And that generating efficiency partially accounts for the frightening price. So a sales person could say electric heating is 100% efficient, but it would be a half truth. If they said it was cheaper than gas or oil fired heating, it would be a lie. The only electric heating that is efficient in comparison is using a heat pump, but that is addressed elsewhere on this web site.
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Our customer
The old oil boiler at the rear of the kitchen had developed a catastrophic leak, so a new unit was urgently required.
We suggested locating the new boiler on the rear patio, thus freeing up valuable space in the kitchen.
A new Grant Vortex Eco outdoor oil boiler module was fitted. All the radiator system was dosed with anti freeze inhibitor and the outside pipework was insulated with external Armaflex.
Outside Grant oil boiler being installed by HWCH
Our special extended Grant 3 year parts and labour warranty was given to our customer, they were very happy with the job.
]]>The old boiler had been installed with the flue too close to a window, and in addition some leakage had resulted in damage to the floor.
The old boiler with the casing removed
We suggested relocating the new replacement outside, so more space could be liberated in the house. Also it meant that the boiler flue ‘plume’ would not be immediately under the kitchen view of the garden.
A new Worcester Bosch Greenstar oil combination boiler was fitted on a concrete plinth under an old carport, to the side of the building.
Our professional roofing contractor made the roof weathertight around the flue.
Finished article, (and Tim, our technical manager).
Our customers could now enjoy a larger kitchen, which is now being refitted, and a more efficient boiler.
As a Worcester accredited installer, our customer has a 5 year parts and labour warranty on the boiler.
New boiler being commissioned
Exterior boiler module and roof flue system
The Kidd unit was lowered into the cellar. From the open well we then moved the Kidd unit using steel rollers, to the final position.
