Buderus vs Weil McLain Questions

JBurr

Hi All, Thanks in advance for your help.

I am in the process of replacing my oil boiler and am torn between a Buderus G115WS with logamatic and riello burner and Weil McLain WGO-3 with a carlin elite EZ1 burner, both with outdoor temp sensors. My first question is I read a lot about problems with the Buderus Logamatic with response if the system if you increase your thermostat and taking hours to increase room temps. Is this a common problem with adjusting how you learn to "live with" a buderus?



In terms of comparing the two systems, does the buderus save a lot more money/oil in the long term over a Weil McLain? My buderus installer uses the local buderus guy who comes during install to set the system up which I feel is good, although he has told me never to touch the logamatic as it can only cause problems which I am hesitant about as the reviews are about having to adjust the curves to get it right. My WM installer likes the WM as it is a good boiler and saves money upfront. Thank you.

STEVEusaPA

Buderus

or Burnham.....Don't go with the WM.

As far as controls, I've never heard about the problems you describe.  With any boiler, hydronic system, if you try to use a very large set back it will take hours to recover, unless it's ridiculously oversized.

Just make sure someone did a heat loss and you are properly sizing your equipment

icesailor

Choices:

Every installer has their favorites. Go with what ever boiler the installer likes the best. They're the ones that are going to service and install it.

Steve doesn't like Weil McLain but must like Burnham. I like Weil-McLain because it was what I could buy that worked the best for over 40 years. I don't like Burnham because of all the cracked ones I saw. Personal preference.

If a Buderus Logamatic Control came up with way to temporary over-ride the set up, after being off, it would solve the complaint I have with ODR and/or thermostat setback.

But that's my opinion.

JBurr2

ODR

I don't quite understand the "after being off", do you mean after power failure.  And what complaints have you had with ODR and thermostat setback, do you mean with night setback when it lowers the temp?  Thanks.

JimmyF

Buderus

I have noticed some people complain that the buderus does not reach the temp set at the thermostat at night because the nightset is lower and if want heat cannot get it.  Is that true or a common problem?  Are you supposed to keep your thermostat at 68 instead of 64 all day 24 hours even though sometimes you only need 64?

icesailor

ODR & Setback:

If the outside temperature requires a boiler temperature of 130 degrees to equal the heat lost through the structure, the circulator would run 24 hours a day and never stop. If you raise the system temperature, the emitters theoretically become bigger, the structure gains heat, the inside temperature rises, so the thermostat stops the circulator. If you lower the temperature by 10 degrees, the inside temperature drops and the pump never stops. ODR(Outdoor Reset) will automatically raise the system temperature if the outside temperature drops.

Turning the thermostat down is the same as manipulating the outside temperature. Lowering the thermostat is the same as raising the outside temperature. Raising the thermostat is the same as lowering the outside temperature. I've never used a Logamatic control but the theory is the same. But if you raise the thermostat while being controlled by an ODR control, if the differential swing is too great, the space won't heat up. Or will take too long. If you raise the system temperature, it is like raising the outside temperature.

All of the houses I built and lived in had clock thermostats. With a 10 degree night time setback, it never took an hour to recover the temperature. If the controls had a temporary over ride, they would be a can of nuts. They over ride for DWH/Indirect's, why not for thermostats?

Personal resistance by some.

SWEI

Newer mod/con ODR controls do just that

typically with a 'boost' feature of some sort.



I'm not intimate with the Logamatic, but it might well have something similar.

Steamhead

If you go with Weil-McLain

get the Ultra Oil (UO series) rather than the Gold (WGO). The Gold is a pin-type boiler which is harder to clean. Yes, a modern oil burner should run all year without creating smoke or soot, so little if any cleaning should be needed, but a 3-pass like the Ultra Oil or Buderus is much, much easier to work on.