# Buderus GB142 Problems



## OldSchool

Here are a few of the problems with these units I have come across.

1. Circulating pump on low loss heater defect not working.

2. Condensation from bottom outlet full of corrosion only after 1 year.

3. Condensate trap plugging up with corrosion.

4. control board will not run on back up generator.....

5. Can not install large pump on boiler control it blows the internal fuse


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## Scott K

Regarding #2 & #3

Well I'm assuming because you're in Ontario that the GB142's that you come accross work a bit harder then the ones I know of out here in Vancouver. These boilers DO need to be cleaned once or twice a year depending on how hard they worked and that involves the mineral oil trick. 
Because they are an aluminum heat exchanger they oxidize overtime due to the corrossive condensate and some of this oxidation & little metal pieces sinks into the condensate trap and obviously plugs it if not taken care of regularly. 

Having said that I'm not a fan of them personally because of the aluminum heat exchanger. I like the stainless steel ones myself personally. But despite this aluminum heat exchanger, I know of a few guys that think the world of these boilers and a friend of mine has one in his house that hasn't given him any problems in 2 1/2 years of operation and we cleaned it once and it wasn't that bad.


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## njoy plumbing

Have never installed buderus before. I agree with Scott K, that alum x chgrs need to be serviced more often. I also install only stainless. That said, I service lots of alum boilers and they work fine.
Trangle Tube or IBC:thumbup:


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## trick1

There are only a few instances where I've run into a clogged condensate line.

1) The unit isn't getting yearly service.

2) sometimes the intake air is full of particulate which creates a problem after combustion, usually scale forming on the exchanger, some of which ends up clogging the condensate line.

I haven't had too many problems with the GB otherwise. I've only installed a couple but I service a few.

I've been sticking with the Utica UB95 lately since I can forgo the primary/secondary in a lot of instances.


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## lighthouseplumb

*Buderus GB142*



OldSchool said:


> Here are a few of the problems with these units I have come across.
> 
> 1. Circulating pump on low loss heater defect not working, this is not a Answer: Buderus issue, it is a installer issue.
> 
> 2. Condensation from bottom outlet full of corrosion only after 1 year,
> Answer: If you follow instructions on installation you will learn that this is another poor installer issue, you are required to perform a water quality check prior to installation..
> 
> 3. Condensate trap plugging up with corrosion,
> Answer: This is another poor installer issue, is there a sediment trap on the gas piping.
> 
> 4. Will not run on back up generator.....Answer: No high tech boiler or computer will run on a cheap Home Depot generators, cheap generators produce a square wave, normal power and whole house generators produce a sine wave, if you have a cheap generator you must install a inverter.
> 
> 5. Can not install large pump on boiler control it blows the internal fuse


Answer: Again this is poor installation, you are not suppose to install a large circulatior on this boiler, you are required to install a relay panel.. Read the boiler manufacturing instructions..get educated.


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## lighthouseplumb

I am a train Buderus installer and Tech. Obviously the person posting these answers is not, If he read the manual he would have realized every one of these post where installer error.


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## ZL700

How do you read when you can barely write? :whistling2:


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## rjbphd

lighthouseplumb said:


> I am a train Buderus installer and Tech. Obviously the person posting these answers is not, If he read the manual he would have realized every one of these post where installer error.


 Who let you in without posting a required intro???


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## OldSchool

lighthouseplumb said:


> Answer: Again this is poor installation, you are not suppose to install a large circulatior on this boiler, you are required to install a relay panel.. Read the boiler manufacturing instructions..get educated.


The cir pump was a s25 Armstrong ... That blew the fuse ... I don't think amp draw on that is to much ....

Change to a direct drive and it was fine ...

We do 3 to 4 gb142 a week ... 

I think I have a hell of a lot more experience on these units


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## OldSchool

lighthouseplumb said:


> Answer: Again this is poor installation, you are not suppose to install a large circulatior on this boiler, you are required to install a relay panel.. Read the boiler manufacturing instructions..get educated.


Generators make sine wave not square wave ... Now go educate yourself ...


The issue was the frequency ... And you though you knew what you were talking about


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## ZL700

Both circ connections are 250 VA, so just a hair over 2 amps allowed. Anything bigger than a 007 or UPS15-58 could cause problems with those high velocity start wet rotor circs. 
I dont understand that myself, should be 5 amps to cover everyone. Boiler circ doesnt need to be bigger, but DHW could. (No building pump allowed to be connected to GB) 

Bad intake air along with water balance will be a alum boilers demise.


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