"Jeff" wrote in message
...

OK, the reference to exchanger pump
had me puzzled - the Albion thermal
stores have no pump. Is there an advantage in
the Pandora system of pumping
the water across the plate exchanger when
flow is detected?

Yes. Plate heat exchangers is far more efficient than an immersed coil, so
will give higher flowrates. Plate heat exchangers can be taken off and
de-scaled. Also have a full bore isolating valves either side, to avoid a
drain down and having to pay £30 for inhibitor. The makers may do this as
an extra.

Don't most
thermal stores do the heat exchanging
within the main body of water?

Yep.

The Pandora system seems to be adding
complexity, I guess there must be a reason
for it.

Higher flowrates. The Pandora also does not require a F&E tank or overflow.
It is filled with hose pipe. Very DIYable.

To return to the loop question, I presume
I should tee in the return on the
cold side of the mixing valve - so that
the circuit does not trip the flow
switch when hot water is simply circulating?

Remember, if you have a pipe stat on the loop it will cut out the secondary
loop pump when over 40-45C, so it really does matter that much.

Christian, in Oct 2003 you said: " Flow
rates are higher than my old gravity
system into the bath (but not really a
patch on my parent's Megaflo or the
pumped gravity system in my previous house "

Depends on the mains presssure, size of main, etc. A heat bank can
outpeform an unvented cylinder by adding another plate in parrallel. This
can be easily retrofitted. You can't do that with a coiled thermal store.

I'm still getting the impression that
to get the fastest bath fill up
possible, I use a standard vented
cylinder and big bore pipes. For
showering, I can get at least 2m
between the base of the cold feed tank and
the shower rose. What's your opinion ?

A tank/cylinder setup will give a fast bath fill with large bore pipes, but
a heat bank, providing the mains can cope will give all you wnat.



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