Need help choosing a replacement for Weil Mclain Ultra 80 series 2

aj2024 · October 16

I have a 19 year old hydronic system with the above mentioned Ultra 80 at the heart of it. It finally died. I have no interest in resurrecting it. It would need a new board and a new heat exchanger. This boiler has been a problem since I bought the house 11 years ago. I put a new gas valve/venturi on it a couple years ago. So recently I shut the system off and hacked the indirect DHW tank out and put in a heat pump water heater. The boiler only ran 3 circuits: DHW, 1200SF of garage radiant floor and a hydronic hanging register fan in another garage (I have stacked garages). I just want to heat the garages. Looking for a straight forward-ish swap. All the zone valves are the same. The red zone pumps are the same. I deleted the DHW because it couldn't keep the temp consistent and always seemed to circulate through the heating loop, weather the the DHW was asking for priority or not. I talked to a local contractor. We were going to add a valve to the DHW zone for better control—then I got his bid. Everyone that has come to look at this system stands there and scratches their head. Initially when I was trying to get contractors to fix it, I would come down and check on them and they would be on the phone with the supply house asking questions about what to do next.

I had considered replacing it with another ultra 80—it's twice the cost and 1-2 months back ordered. We have a menards close by and I was considering a hydro smart boiler.

First night below freezing last night—somehow the summer got away and now it's crunch time. Any help/recommendations are greatly appreciated.