Gas boilers Navien: review, reviews, faults

In those places where there is a gas distribution line, gas equipment is used to create autonomous heating systems. Recently, the popularity of boilers of this type has increased significantly. As consumer reviews show, in apartments located in multi-storey buildings, it is best to install navien gas equipment. This is the most suitable option. The products of this company appeared on the market of our country relatively recently. However, she quickly gained popularity.

Navien is a company that is considered one of the largest enterprises in South Korea. The organization has established the production of energy equipment intended for use in domestic conditions. Judging by the reviews, gas boilers from this company are in no way inferior to heating equipment from other manufacturers known all over the world. The range of Navien equipment is quite large. However, a special niche is occupied by double-circuit boilers, which have a fairly long service life and are quite convenient to use.

About company

Korea has long been famous for its high-quality electronics and household appliances, and heating equipment is no exception. NAVIEN is a giant enterprise specializing in the production of boilers running on gas and diesel fuel. The components are made in Korea and Japan. Assembly - only in Korean factories. Previously, the company supplied its products to the US and Pacific markets. Since 2007, promotion to European markets began. Today, Navien actively supplies its goods to Russia.

The most common problems

Often the causes of problems are low quality coolant or gas. Error codes help you solve problems. Here are the most common malfunctions that can occur with Korean gas equipment:

• Overheating.
• No flame signal.
• The fan is faulty.
• Damage to the control board.
• Short circuit in the flow sensor circuit.

Error codes

Despite the saturation of electronics, Korean heaters are functional, like any equipment, they can break down. Startup and operation do not always go smoothly - problems may occur during the process, and numbers appear on the display - error codes. The decoding of the codes can be read in the instruction manual. Common problems:

• Error "01". May occur due to a clogged system or pump malfunction.

• Error "02". The heating system flow sensor has tripped. There are several reasons:

— air has entered the system;

— the coolant filter at the inlet is clogged;

- there is a leak;

- sensor is broken.

With error “02”, hot water disappears. The water temperature rises sharply and then drops. It is likely that there is an air lock in the hot water system. It appears due to low pressure, poor operation of the circulation pump, or breakdown of the flow controller. In this case, you need to adjust the pressure and bleed air from the system.

• "03". The flame sensor worked - it “did not see” the fire. Causes:

— low gas pressure;

— the ignition electrodes are dirty;

— poor gas quality;

— the sensor is broken or there is a break in the electrical circuit conducting its signal.

• "10". Incorrect combustion products are removed. Causes:

— the turbine is broken;

— the pressure sensor is incorrectly connected;

— the chimney is clogged;

— excessive length of the pipe.

It happens that there are no problems with the chimney - perhaps the signal is caused by gusts of wind. Then the reason is in the chimney - it needs to be redone. To temporarily correct the situation, you can remove the air supply hose. But this is done only as a temporary measure.

Important! It is recommended that when installing boilers, the chimney should be located on the leeward side.

All Navien modifications are reliable, but the duration of their operation largely depends on how the installation was carried out, how the maintenance is carried out and whether the settings are set correctly.

Boiler design

The cost of heating equipment depends on several indicators. Thus, single-circuit boilers cost much less than double-circuit boilers. However, it is worth considering that the latter provide not only heating of individual rooms, but also allow you to save on hot water . After all, one of the circuits supplies hot water.

In general, Navien wall-mounted gas boilers consist of:

1. Cases.
2. Heat exchanger.
3. Burners.
4. Circulation pump.

Installation of Navien gas boilers is quite simple. As reviews show, it is enough to connect all the pipes to the mounted mixers. After this, they should be connected to the input to the heating system. That's all.

Differences between Navien and analogues

The Korean manufacturer is among the few that use their own designs. The brand does not produce modified or slightly improved versions - each new modification is worked out to the finest detail. Among the design advantages it is worth noting:

• Remote control via iOS and Android systems. This is for the SMART TOK series.
• Modulating burners. Quiet operation depends on them; they are responsible for maintaining a comfortable temperature for humans.
• Thanks to voice prompts, the operation and configuration of the devices is simplified. If the user is not well informed about how the device works, voice prompts and error codes will help him.
• Meets our conditions - possible decrease in pressure, voltage surges in electrical networks, pressure drops in gas pipes.
• Self-diagnosis. The device itself determines its “diseases” and notifies the user about them by displaying an error code on the display.

The Korean manufacturer, taking into account possible risks, created safe and easy-to-use equipment. If you take an interest in the statistics of reviews, it becomes clear that consumers have managed to evaluate the quality of heat exchangers and burners, as well as the uninterrupted operation of Korean heaters. Only 2% of buyers contact service centers, and even then, the problems are usually caused by incorrect connection or operating errors. To prevent the boiler from creating problems, you need to connect it correctly and configure it correctly. It is also important to know how to use gas equipment - for this purpose, instructions are attached to each piece of equipment. The kit also includes a passport and connection diagram.

Advantages

The brand positions its heating equipment as optimal according to the price-quality formula. Navien boilers can be used for heating a private house, apartment, or industrial premises. Their advantages:

• Resistant to voltage surges. Its surges often lead to equipment failure. The Koreans have provided reliable protection - they have installed a Switched-Mode Power Supply control chip - it expands the voltage range to 165-300 V.
• Resistant to low gas pressure. Many modifications refuse to work because of this, but not Navien - they continue to work at the lowest values.
• Pleasant, ergonomic design.
• Any Navien boiler is double-circuit. This means that, in addition to heating, its owner receives an addition in the form of hot water supply.
• A wide range of powers is offered - you can choose an option for any room.
• Equipment owners can always get professional help at the service center. Contact details can be found in the attached documentation.

Navien gas boilers: advantages

Consumer reviews show that Navien heating equipment has clear advantages and minor disadvantages. Among the advantages of gas boilers are:

1. Each model is energetically justified. In reviews, many consumers write that gas is an efficient and cheap energy source.
2. Navien wall-mounted double-circuit boilers are environmentally friendly devices. After all, such equipment only emits carbon dioxide, which is absorbed by various green spaces.
3. In addition, gas boilers of this brand are automated equipment. It is capable of working for a long time according to a predetermined program without failures.
4. In the production of Navien gas boilers, only modern technologies are used, which ensure sufficiently long service life without service checks.

Are there any disadvantages?

• The cost is higher compared to Russian analogues.
• In the event of a breakdown, you have to look for imported components.
• Need regular maintenance.

But these shortcomings can be disputed. By paying more, you get a reliable device, forgetting about unstable operation and other shortcomings inherent in many domestic boilers. The issue with spare parts is also resolved simply - they can be ordered from authorized ones. And finally, regular maintenance - without it, no equipment will last long.

How to turn it on?

You can turn on the device in two ways:

• Remote control.
• Using the buttons on the control panel - you just need to press "Power".

After startup, the device begins to operate in the specified mode - which was previously set. To change the settings, you need to use the manual and set the modes correctly. Before starting the device, it is installed, connected to utility networks, and the heating system is filled with coolant - keeping an eye on the pressure gauge.

Connection instructions

Installing the boiler is not difficult - you just need to install anchor bolts and hang the unit on the wall.

It is recommended to install elastic gaskets between the housing and the wall to dampen noise. Do not install the equipment on fragile or weak structures - plasterboard partitions or other similar surfaces.

You need a solid brick or concrete wall that can support the weight of the boiler (about 30 kg).

Communications should be connected to the appropriate pipes. It is necessary to carefully monitor the compliance and tightness of connections.

The main attention should be paid to connecting gas pipes. Check all connections for leaks using a soap solution

If there is a common chimney, separate pipeline connections are used - the air channel is led out into the street through the wall, and the smoke channel is connected to the common chimney of the house.

Coaxial chimneys are led outside through the wall, which is much simpler and more convenient for installation.

Model overview

Many users initially gave negative reviews about Korean boilers. Reasons: leaks in connections. They had to be eliminated by replacing the gaskets - you need to buy a rather expensive kit. The second flaw was associated with the belated start of the burner - the coolant had time to cool down more than necessary. But the company corrected the shortcomings; today there are practically no such accusations against Navien. The brand produces three types of mounted heaters:

• atmospheric;
• condensation;
• turbocharged.

The consumer can purchase a gas boiler:

• Single-circuit or double-circuit.
• Wall or floor. The latter are more bulky and require a separate room.
• With open or closed combustion chamber.

The widest range is in the line of mounted models. It is these devices that are in the highest demand among Russian consumers.

Navien Atmo 24AN and others

The atmospheric wall-mounted device Navien Atmo replaced the less successful modification of Ace. It can operate at extremely low fuel pressure - 8 mBar, and water - 0.6 Bar. There are 4 models of different power in the series - 13, 16, 20, 24 kW. The heat exchanger for heating is made of copper. For DHW – made of stainless steel. Automatic control. There is a remote control. There is frost protection. Specifications:

• 24 kW.
• Heating of water in the heating system is 80 °C.
• Circuit pressure (maximum) – 3 Bar.
• Efficiency – 86%.
• The maximum water temperature in the hot water supply is 60 °C.
• Weight – 27 kg.
• Estimated cost 26-27,000 rubles.
• Heating area – 240 m².

Important! The system can only be filled with water - antifreeze is prohibited.

Deluxe 24K and other turbocharged versions

The line of turbocharged modifications is represented by three series: Deluxe (13-40 kW), Prime and Smart TOK (13-35 kW). “Navien Ice Turbo” is an outdated model; it was replaced by Deluxe and Prime devices. Pressurized heaters have a closed firebox, and air is forced into it by a fan. The fan performance is regulated by the controller. To allow air to enter the chamber, a coaxial chimney is installed. Due to forced injection, turbocharged modifications are characterized by increased efficiency.

There are no further differences between the turbocharged and naturally aspirated versions. The equipment is completely similar - expansion tank, pump, additional heat exchanger.

The Prime series, like the Deluxe Coaxial, has a closed firebox and all the usual elements of a turbocharged model. But Prime has an additional module - weather-dependent automation. Characteristics of the 2-circuit wall-mounted boiler Deluxe 24K:

• Efficiency – 90.5%.
• 24kW.

auto ignition

• Maximum heating area 20 m².
• Natural gas consumption - 2.58 m3/h.
• Dimensions (WxHxD) – 440x695x265 mm.
• Weight – 28 kg.

NCN 40KN and other condensing models

The operating principle of a condensing heater is based on the use of both direct and latent heat released during gas combustion. This allows you to achieve high efficiency values ​​- more than 100%. Condensing heaters are represented by Navien NCN and NCB models. Their heat exchangers are made of stainless steel. The equipment is similar to the turbocharged versions. The difference is that the controller’s functions are expanded. For example, he can program work for the next seven days. NCN is represented by 4 boilers 21-40 kW, NCB is also represented by 4 models 24-40 kW. Air is supplied forcedly through a coaxial or separate chimney. For example, the characteristics of NCN 40KN:

• 40.5 kW.
• Two circuits. Wall installation.
• Closed firebox.
• Auto-ignition.
• Weighs 38 kg.
• Efficiency 107.4%.
• The maximum heating of water in the DHW is 65 °C.

LST 30 KG and other floor models

The brand presents a line of floor-standing boilers of four series - LST, LFA, GA, GST with a capacity of 13-60, 13-40, 11-35 and 35-60 kW, respectively. Each of the presented samples is a universal floor-standing unit that can operate on both natural gas and diesel fuel. Floor-standing versions, no less than wall-mounted ones, are full of automation. For example, the characteristics of LST 30 KG:

• 90% efficiency.
• Weight – 45 kg.
• 30 kW.
• Heated area – 300 m².
• Auto-ignition.
• Volatile.

Owner reviews

Before you buy a good gas boiler from Navien, it wouldn’t hurt to study reviews from existing users. They will point out weak points and help give a preliminary assessment of certain models.

Gas boiler Navien DELUXE 24K

Alexey, 29 years old

It took a long time to choose a boiler - before we settled on Navien, we read a bunch of reviews and testimonials. After numerous consultations with sellers and heating specialists, we settled on this model. The installation was carried out by the same specialists; I did not dare to do anything myself. The first winter was successful, there were no breakdowns during operation. Very convenient controls - the remote control was placed next to the sofa in the living room. You set the temperature, and the unit in the kitchen independently maintains the required mode.

• Compactness – compared with some other devices, in particular from Proterm. As a result, the Navien Deluxe boiler turned out to be slimmer;
• Low noise level - a couple of times in the winter we went to visit our neighbors and heard their Baksi boiler working, the fan rumbling and howling;
• Quickly achieving the set temperature is important after our long business trips, when you enter the house and want to quickly feel comfort.

• The absence of controls on the gas boiler itself, as is implemented in other heating units, is where the specialists from Navien made a mistake;
• Sometimes the DHW performance is not enough - two open taps lead to a drop in temperature.

An excellent device with minor imperfections (like everyone else, probably).

Gas boiler Navien DELUXE COAXIAL 24K,

Stepan , 37 years old

I never trusted modern double-circuit gas boilers, and my instinct was completely justified. Friends persuaded me to take a model from Navien, they say it works great and is inexpensive. I had just finished building a house and urgently needed heating. I took a double-circuit unit, and after a year and a half I began to count the number of breakdowns. It’s not the most reliable device, so I can’t recommend anyone to buy it. If you are going to do heating, then you need to install a regular floor-mounted single-circuit unit with an indirectly heated water heater - it will be inexpensive and quite reliable.

• It maintains the temperature of hot water well - perhaps this is the only truly positive feature of this gas boiler from Navien;
• There is no need to buy a harness - everything is already provided inside;
• Self-diagnosis can show errors and failures.

• The heat exchanger was probably made of foil, since it was the first to fail. They called the master, he shook his head and said that stainless steel was nonsense, that it was necessary to take a boiler with a copper heat exchanger;
• One of the buttons on the remote control quickly malfunctioned;
• A gas boiler from Navien often shows errors that actually do not exist - the electronics are probably faulty.

My recommendation is that you don’t buy these flimsy double circuits.

Gas boiler Navien GST 35KN

Olet , 57 years old

For my country house, I purchased a powerful 35 kW floor-mounted double-circuit boiler. This choice was quite obvious - I trust full-fledged floor-standing units more than tightly packed wall-mounted modifications. I was not mistaken in my choice - the gas boiler pleased me with its trouble-free operation, the Koreans did a good job. And the hot water supply performance here is impressive, up to 22.1 l/min - not a single wall-mounted model can boast of such a characteristic. The unit is located in the basement, from which a control panel with a room thermostat rises to the first floor.

• It is convenient to program operating modes for a week in advance. Since I’m in the city on weekdays, the device operates in antifreeze mode, saving money in my wallet. By Friday evening, it begins to fill the house with warmth, so my family and friends arrive to an already warm home;
• There is nothing stopping you from simultaneously opening the hot water taps in the shower stall and above the kitchen sink - there is enough capacity for all water taps;
• It can run on liquefied gas, which was a big help in the first year, then a gas main appeared in the village.

• For the first year, the Navien gas boiler stood in a small boiler room on the ground floor, but then we had to move it to the basement - it was noticeably noisy;
• Frequent switching on and off of the burner - reacts literally to the smallest temperature changes;
• It took almost a week to start the boiler and set it up - the specialists said that the logic of this device is not the most clear.

Despite the flaws at the very beginning, further use proceeds without problems.

Gas boiler Navien SMART TOK 24K

Arkady , 61 years old

The time has come to do a major renovation in the house, and at the same time we decided to modernize the heating system. We threw out all the old pipes, installed modern bimetallic batteries, and at the same time changed the gas boiler, buying a double-circuit Navien with remote control. I was very pleased with the opportunity to control the heating from a distance - I have a program with regulators on my smartphone, it works wherever there is Internet access. The thickness of the case is only 29 cm, so it does not stick out against the background of kitchen cabinets. Works faithfully and without failures.

• In my opinion, this is the most thoughtful gas boiler - specialists from the Korean company Navien have done a good job to give consumers an excellent heating unit with advanced remote control;
• It is possible to control the climate in the house depending on the outside temperature. Programming is also provided, but I haven’t had a chance to use it yet (maybe we’ll try it on our next vacation);
• There is no need to buy a pump and a tank - everything is already inside, without taking up space.

• In the very first thunderstorm, the electronics burned out - as it turned out, in gas boilers (of any manufacturer, not just from Navien) this is the most flimsy place. I had to install additional protection;
• It took a long time to understand the intricacies of control - in an effort to make the device very flexible in settings, the developers endowed it with a gigantic number of all kinds of adjustments (often not very necessary and not the most understandable);
• You can’t repair it yourself - this is not a technique that you can handle with your own hands.

The gas boiler from Navien pleased me with its automation, and you don’t have to pay much attention to the shortcomings. The main thing is to protect the electronics from electrical overloads.

How does Navien Ace TURBO work?

For example, consider the description of the operation of a turbocharged heater. Such a device is not afraid of low fuel pressure or power surges. It will heat any area. At the same time, it heats the water - there is a second circuit. DHW heat exchanger – steel. It is much cheaper than copper analogues. The lack of power - due to the insufficient thermal conductivity of steel - can be compensated for by turbocharging the burner. Such devices easily compete with analogues that have copper heat exchangers.

The turbo heater monitors the temperature of the coolant - if it drops below plus 10 degrees, the circulation pump turns on. It drives water, preventing ice crystals from forming. When the temperature drops below plus 6 degrees, the burner will light up and heat the coolant to +21 degrees.

Turbocharged devices are available in two modifications, the second - with a coaxial chimney “Navien Ice Turbo Coaxial”. It is advantageous to install it in rooms where it is impossible to ensure a normal supply of oxygen. A coaxial chimney takes air from the street.

Burner design features

Modern models of Navien gas boilers differ mainly in the structure of the burner. There are open and closed type devices. In the first case, a mandatory chimney is required , which works on the principle of natural draft.
In open-type equipment, oxygen for the burner is taken from the room where the gas wall-mounted boiler is located. In this case, good ventilation is required so that there is an uninterrupted flow of air from outside into the room. Models with a closed burner must have a coaxial chimney. Oxygen is supplied through it, and various combustion products are released . This type of system is activated by forced draft. This happens thanks to the ventilation hole, which is located between the pipes of the coaxial chimney. In reviews, many consumers write that it is better to route the chimney outside through the wall. In this case, the structures should be placed at the same height where the boiler is located. The distance from the floor should be at least 50 centimeters. This is much more economical when compared with a chimney, where natural draft is provided.