Any experience with Vissmann?

[Jadnashua]

Any experience with Viessmann?

I'd been looking at the Weil-McLain Ultra boiler and someone here suggested the similar designed one by Viessmann. It does technically look nice. It has a stainless steel heat exchanger vs the aluminum one from Weil-McLain. I have no experience with this company. Has anyone here dealt with them? They have a regional office maybe 100 miles or so from where I live, but that may not matter much.

 

[Kristi]

Jim, I know I don't have the many decades of experience (lol) that some of the others here have, but I've installed about 50 Viessman's or so (about 12 years ago), so not too many really. My experience with them is that they were compact in size, very easy to install, and I've never had a call back regarding them in these years of their operation. The company was easy to get in touch with, and when we had a deficient one, Viessman delivered a new one with no questions asked and took the other one away to assess the problem on their own. I think they are a great boiler. The only reason I don't have recent experience with them is due to the fact that I haven't been engaging in new construction in my recent years, otherwise I'd probably be putting them in!

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Oliver]

Do you have any idea about the prices of those boilers? I am considering one for my house.

 

[Jadnashua]

I called the local plumber listed as a dealer for the Viessman boiler and tank I was comtemplating...he did some figuring and called me back the next day - said about $10K for parts, he would work out a full quote if I was still interested. I was talking about the Vitodens 200 6-24 boiler, the low loss manifold, and the Vitocell 300 in a 53 gallon size. I also assume he included a new pump(s), but I didn't get any details. Anyone familiar with these products and rough pricing?

I have also considered the Weil-McLain Ultra 80 boiler, but haven't priced it. The Viessman uses a stainless steel heat exchanger, while the Weil-McLain uses an aluminum one. The Viessman is slightly (about 1% - negligable) more efficient. While it shouldn't happen, the ss heat exchanger is less likely to get damaged if there were a problem by thermal shock. The layout of the Viessman appears better thought out, but this is just from pictures, I've not personally seen either one.

If I do this myself, rather than having someone else do it, I'd probably wait until spring when I could live without heat if something delayed the install. Hassle is, retail parts and my labor would probably cost about the same as having it done - then I've got someone to call if there are problems, so that is the more logical way to go. While the existing boiler works, a new, more efficient one with better DHW than the anemic tankless system that's there now would be nice this winter while fuel prices are expected to get nasty, especially later in the winter when the ground water gets cold again and the dwh gets tepid. I could install the indirect hot water tank now, and wait on the boiler until later I guess, but would rather tear things out and do it all at once.

Thoughts?

 

[Bob NH]

Aluminum Weil-McLain Boiler??!!

I doubt that anyone is making an aluminum boiler.

You get galvanic corrosion between aluminum and many metals such as copper, brass, and bronze, and with graphite.

You can get pitting corrosion if the water contains copper ions, which you will have a lot of in a modern water system. In one really bad case, I saw graphited gaskets eat through 1/8" of aluminum in a few weeks.

 

[Jadnashua]

http://www.weil-mclain.com/ultra/modelultra.htm

The heat exchanger is aluminum.

 

[Toolaholic]

viessmann, years ahead

my daughter and soninlaw have a heating buss. in wash state. He,s an old boiler guy from the East coast, he constantaly goes to factory schools, to keep up with the industry. he installed a vmn. on one of my jobs in S.F.

his comments-- vsmn. is light years ahead of any other competion.

he does so much geoexchange radiant HE's about to pass on any conventional systems. i,m guessing Terry knows their co.
if you want to talk to Him ,give me an e mail

 

[Jadnashua]

Toolaholic, I left you a private message; you have your e-mail blocked.

 

[Toolaholic]

thank,s ,will deal with it tonight

i,ll try again, this time talking with son in law directly. daughter can be tough! maybe that,s why there so sucessful HA