"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...

You say combi performance not critical and then you say you are having
a cylinder in the airing cupboard. Which is it?

Both. A combi AND a cylinder in the airing cupboard. The combi performance
isn't critical because the majority of hot water needs will be supplied
from
the cylinder.

Also, I haven't checked the mains flow rate yet. Probably something to do
with not actually owning the house until tomorrow afternoon. If there is
no
pressure, I'll have to end up with a pumped tanked DHW system anyway. It
is
an Edwardian terrace c. 1910 on top of a hill, so there is a possiblility
the mains aren't up to it.

- Use a condensing combi using the water
section for the shower (assume one
shower) for high pressure performance,
and have a Fortic combined tank/cylinder
heated by the heating section of the combi
for the rest of the hot water. Low pressure
hot water that fills a bath fast and a high

I want to go in two stages. The boiler must
be done now, as it is currently where the fridge
freezer tower will go (there is no other suitable
location).

Once you decide what your system will be then you can phase in the boiler,
cylinder etc. Don't just buy a boiler and then think about what you will
run off it.

I don't want to touch the existing hot water
storage system yet. I'll replace with a main
pressure storage system at some point in the future,

Look at a heat banks, not unvented cylinders.

but I can't afford to replace now. The previous
system is Honeywell 'Y' plan, so
it'll do for now. I might 'S' plan it and zone
it when I can be bothered, or
when I get round to building the conservatory.

I see no reason to replace one gravity tank/cylinder
arrangement with another gravity tank/cylinder
arrangement. I particularly see no point in
replacing one with a tank with a much lower
head than the current arrangement with the
tank in an otherwise unsuable loft space that is
useless for anything else. (The header tank is in
the "extension" roof, which has about 4 foot headroom).

No problem then, if that is what you want. The existing tank stays. But
fit a quick recovery cylinder.

If you went Fortic and a combi, then the existing cold tank can be removed
and replaced by the Fortic (assuming enough height in loft), then the airing
cupboard is liberated of a space hugging cylinder. Worth thinking about.
The Fortic is simple, cheap, space saving and effective, giving a high
pressure shower and excellent flow for a bath. There are quick recovery
versions of Fortics. See the Range web site. But not cheap.

Indirect combination tank:
http://www.bes.ltd.uk/products/n102.asp

I'll decide on heat bank/thermal store/UVPHWC when I got to that point. As
the Ideal Icos and Isar are the same price (i.e. the combi bit comes free)
I
may as well get that and run the shower off it, reducing the pressure on
me
to upgrade the hot water system.

You can fit the combi in the airing cupboard and just connect onto the
existing system, having the shower off the water section of the combi.
Immediate problems solved for now, and then update/remove the cylinder or
install a heat bank, etc.

You will not know which way to go until you assess the mains pressure. This
may be upgradeable, and if old maybe worth your while doing so.


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