Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Munchkin

Mark Hunt
Mark Hunt Member Posts: 4,909
Maybe 2002.

Mark H

<A HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=238&Step=30">To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"</A>

Comments

  • JPStanley
    JPStanley Member Posts: 2
    Oldest Munchkin Boiler

    How long have Munchkins been manufactured? Whatis the oldest install anyone have or seen?
  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,691
    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
  • tim smith
    tim smith Member Posts: 2,752
    December 03 for me, right when they arrived west coast

  • bordy
    bordy Member Posts: 17


    Any other munchkin instalers?
  • Chris_82
    Chris_82 Member Posts: 321
    2001

    And they all have failed... boston Gas energy savings rebate program in 2000-2001 season, only Gas boiler avalable, in any quantity, was the munchkin, out of 20 or so roughly 14-16 that I know about have all had fan failures, and the company won't let me take care of any that haven't failed as of yet...they have this warped wait and see what happens policy!
  • Bob Bona_4
    Bob Bona_4 Member Posts: 2,083
    have

    a coupla 80M's out there on LP. had a couple of lockouts from back draft, adjusted the pressure switch, never came back in. This was late 2002.
  • bordy
    bordy Member Posts: 17
    WOW

    Chris,
    After all those failures do you still install Munchkins? Are the new Munchkins any better? Did they work out all the bugs? I guess you had alot of pissed off customers.
  • Terry Larsell
    Terry Larsell Member Posts: 54
    2001

    I remember it was my first boiler, not a waterheater like I had been doing till then. I go back and see it from time to time. The work is not pretty but hey you gotta start somewhere. The home owner was one of the most cost conscious people I have ever worked for. It still works perfect and it has never been touched.

    I guess I better talk him into letting me clean it out and tune. Some time's it's just hard to go back.

    Terry

  • Troy_3
    Troy_3 Member Posts: 479
    munchkins

    My first was in may 01. It seems like yesterday. And yes we still install them. I'd like to only put in Vitodens but there are no bentley dealers in my whole county. I can replace a whole lotta failed fans for the difference in cost.
  • Chris_82
    Chris_82 Member Posts: 321
    Jules...

    See my other posts on the wall about warranty and other issues. And the customers depending upon your perspective: 1. They are sheep with deep pockets, and why do I care because it means money in my pocket fixing these things, 2. They are deserving of the best I can deliver considering I installed these units, and somehow by association my reputation is on the line, as well as my customers safety! No, I don't install much of anything these days, but I do recomend other brands of "water heaters" and if price is not a concern, cast iron to those who want trouble free lifetime instalations. And to my welfare past customers and the many agencys sueing my past employers i just give out HTP's phone number.
  • nathan_5
    nathan_5 Member Posts: 2
    fan

    whose fault was the failed fans?

    ebm

    is there a single other modcon that uses other than ebm??????????????
  • Ted_5
    Ted_5 Member Posts: 272
    Blower motors

    Vitodens 200 does not use the same blower motor then the others, nor the same gas valve or heat-X. The Viessmanns replacement blower motor costs almost half of the Munchkins. I am not sure of the gas valves costs.

    Ted
  • Ken_40
    Ken_40 Member Posts: 1,320
    2001

    We installed roughly 100 of them so far. Little or no problems. We also service (annually) what we install.

    HUD was so impressed with a design/build project we did for a local Senior Citizen's Housing Authority in NJ, we were invited to write a formal design specification document for inclusion in all HUD buildings in that territory.

    I still hold the Munchkin as the best bang for the buck in the biz. I suspect the fan "issues" were a few months before our purchases began. Having installed everything from the 50 to the 320, we have yet to see a warranty issue on any of the 100 or so units installed.

    I especialy like the fact that the plant is in the U.S., and the workers who asemble them speak American/English.
  • I held out

    for quite a while before I was brave enough to try one (October 2001); I didn't like the Voyager's they made and had yet to see a successful American condensing boiler; too many GlowCore failures.

    Many frustrations later, from not enough pipe sealant on the relief valves, to circuit board screws piercing the air switch diaphragm, to blower and outdoor thermostat failures, I have made friends with the Munchkin. Many of the problems were my fault; not piping primary-secondary and also not adjusting the CO levels.

    But I've worked through the problems with the help of HTP (Chuck Shaw, et al) and can tell that this company has a conscience. The last one I installed was in my new house in Berkeley coupled with a Vitocell indirect.
  • Mark_46
    Mark_46 Member Posts: 312
    Primary Secondary?

    Alan,

    Can I ask what problems you experienced with the Munchkins that were not piped pri/sec?
  • Chris_82
    Chris_82 Member Posts: 321


    You should also know that the manufacturer and his reps maintain a heavy presence on this webb site, it has pros and cons, if you have a ligit munchkin problem you get a quick response...on the other hand they are not going to mention much negitive issues such as the opressive warranty program and the fact that core refunds are taking a long time...this is a factory problem that they frequently gloss over!
  • nathan_5
    nathan_5 Member Posts: 2


    your right you also forgot mz

    but beyond that they all use the same fan
  • If you don't

    pipe primary-secondary on a multi-zoned system, the Munchkin does not like low flow through the HX when only 1 zone calls for heat. Even on low fire, there is not enough flow to pull the heat out and the Munchkin will rumble and growl like a tortured dog.

    Piping primary-secondary removes the choke hold from the HX.
This discussion has been closed.