"Pete C" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 17:41:58 +0100, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:

What would be handy is a condenser that
can use hot water from the CH.

Or dump its waste heat into the DHW circuit.

The condensor would work best with cold water, not hot.

I was under the impression that the condenser models used the lower
temperature air of the room they are in for the condensing.

What I meant was, to use the hot water from the CH to heat the air in
the tumbledryer. This would require an extra heater matrix but would
mean cheaper gas is used for the heating instead of electricity

I like you, unlike most here, you are creative thinker.

Environmental aspects apart, gas is approx 2 to 4 times cheaper per kW than
electricity. So, it would be cheaper using a basic gas tumble dryer than an
electric condenser dryer, White Knight do them and I believe another maker.

You already get the advantage in that the room with the dryer
warms up, causing its TRV to turn off, saving on CH costs.

True, but if gas is used indirectly and the room would be heated
anyway by a radiator, then the only cost incurred is for the removal
of water from the laundry.

More 'green' too as gas is used directly instead of indirectly through
less efficient generation.

In homes with forced air, a dedicated grill can be installed inside an
airing cupboard. Filters are sometimes used on the return air from the
airing cupboard so as not to clog the ductwork, and sometime heat exchangers
are used to reclaim heat with the air being dumped outside. They are very
efficient and work very well. Just hang the clothes on the rails and they
dry. The airing cupboards tend to be large walk in jobs to be effective.
This is common in the USA.

In the UK it is probably best to put your cylinder in the loft, or get a
combi, and install your tumble dryer in the airing cupboard. It is square
and take less room than a cylinder and the top can be used for storage
making it more practical. The extract can be taken up into the loft and out
to the eves. A grill in the cupboard door will be needed to bring in air
from the hallway, or another supply air flexible duct from the eves again.