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#1
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Now that the weather is warming up, I'm considering replacing our HW
storage tank (it's about 30 years old, and is getting a bit crusty around some of the pipe connectors). Before I do, I suppose I ought to ask if (in everyone's opinion) I should just replace it like-for-like? Or is there some other direction I ought to be heading in, like mains-pressure hot water, or just using instant hot-water taps everywhere instead? Or something else? |
#2
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Chris Hogg wrote:
On Mon, 12 Mar 2018 10:54:05 +0000, "Dan S. MacAbre" wrote: Now that the weather is warming up, I'm considering replacing our HW storage tank (it's about 30 years old, and is getting a bit crusty around some of the pipe connectors). Before I do, I suppose I ought to ask if (in everyone's opinion) I should just replace it like-for-like? Or is there some other direction I ought to be heading in, like mains-pressure hot water, or just using instant hot-water taps everywhere instead? Or something else? We've just had a traditional sixty-year-old DHW system replaced by an unvented, mains-pressure system in my late mother's bungalow, which we intend to move into soon. Several comments: It's based on a Joule tank, http://bit.ly/2Ht27Gz . The plumbing seems a lot more complicated than before, with pressure regulators, expansion vessels, pressure relief valves, tundishes etc all over the place. The airing cupboard is now a cat's cradle of pipework. Whether it could be simpler, I don't know. I think it all has to be installed by a specialist, rather than DIY, BIMBW. The DHW cylinder itself is much bigger that I expected; this may just be what the plumber chose to install, rather than being necessary. My comment to the plumber was that it looked like a section from a Saturn 5 rocket. A potential disadvantage is that in very cold weather, such as we've just had and where the mains supply may be off for several days, is that you have no water at all. At least in our present place when the water was cut off for 36 hours, we could draw down the water from the tank in the loft, boiled where appropriate, but that wouldn't be an option with an unvented system unless some way was found of retaining the tank, in which case why bother with an unvented system at all. Well, it's not like we have any problems with what there is now. We occasionally need to switch on an immersion heater (our little boy has several baths a day - he likes to play with his toy ships), and the upstairs hot water pressure is a bit low (but I put a pump in, so it's okay). It's just that sometimes, thinking of selling the house in the future, everything might be a bit 'old-fashioned'. The thought of mains-pressure HW does seem a little scary. And I don't really like over-complicated things (which is why we still have the 30 year old boiler). |
#3
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On Mon, 12 Mar 2018 10:54:05 +0000, Dan S. MacAbre wrote:
Now that the weather is warming up, I'm considering replacing our HW storage tank (it's about 30 years old, and is getting a bit crusty around some of the pipe connectors). Before I do, I suppose I ought to ask if (in everyone's opinion) I should just replace it like-for-like? Or is there some other direction I ought to be heading in, like mains-pressure hot water, or just using instant hot-water taps everywhere instead? Or something else? Does it do what you want? AFAIK the main reason to have a tank/heat store is if your demand for hot water is greater than easily supplied by the mains flow. Often a compromise with a combi boiler. How old is your boiler? People normally consider changes like this when changing the boiler. If the rest of the system is working well then just fitting a new (possibly slightly larger?) cylinder may be the easiest option. Other reasons are to free off space used by the cold water storage and remove worries about freezing pipes in the winter. I still can't decide if I did the right thing in switching to a combi. A previous house with a big hot water tank and a shower pump served two showers simultaneously with lashings of hot water. The current house has a combi sized to supply two showers simultaneously but doesn't in any way match the flow rate. So worth checking the maximum flow rate of the cold mains before you move away from a cold water storage tank. Noting also that if your mains water is cut off then a storage tank in the loft can be an unexpected bonus. Hard or soft water area? If you are in a hard water area with unsoftened water then your tank may have more crust on the inside than the outside. Cheers Dave R -- AMD FX-6300 in GA-990X-Gaming SLI-CF running Windows 7 Pro x64 --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus |
#4
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David wrote:
On Mon, 12 Mar 2018 10:54:05 +0000, Dan S. MacAbre wrote: Now that the weather is warming up, I'm considering replacing our HW storage tank (it's about 30 years old, and is getting a bit crusty around some of the pipe connectors). Before I do, I suppose I ought to ask if (in everyone's opinion) I should just replace it like-for-like? Or is there some other direction I ought to be heading in, like mains-pressure hot water, or just using instant hot-water taps everywhere instead? Or something else? Does it do what you want? It does. I just wonder if I should be 'keeping up with the times', that's all. AFAIK the main reason to have a tank/heat store is if your demand for hot water is greater than easily supplied by the mains flow. Often a compromise with a combi boiler. How old is your boiler? People normally consider changes like this when changing the boiler. If the rest of the system is working well then just fitting a new (possibly slightly larger?) cylinder may be the easiest option. Other reasons are to free off space used by the cold water storage and remove worries about freezing pipes in the winter. I still can't decide if I did the right thing in switching to a combi. The boiler is a 30 year old Thorn Apollo. As long as I replace the thermocouple and top socket every five or so years, it just keeps going. I don't want to replace it with something less reliable that I can't easily fix myself. A previous house with a big hot water tank and a shower pump served two showers simultaneously with lashings of hot water. The current house has a combi sized to supply two showers simultaneously but doesn't in any way match the flow rate. So worth checking the maximum flow rate of the cold mains before you move away from a cold water storage tank. Noting also that if your mains water is cut off then a storage tank in the loft can be an unexpected bonus. Hard or soft water area? Soft. If you are in a hard water area with unsoftened water then your tank may have more crust on the inside than the outside. Cheers Dave R |
#5
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On 12/03/2018 10:54, Dan S. MacAbre wrote:
Now that the weather is warming up, I'm considering replacing our HW storage tank (it's about 30 years old, and is getting a bit crusty around some of the pipe connectors).Â* Before I do, I suppose I ought to ask if (in everyone's opinion) I should just replace it like-for-like? Or is there some other direction I ought to be heading in, like mains-pressure hot water, or just using instant hot-water taps everywhere instead?Â* Or something else? We've had a pressurised hot water system for a few years now. As has been said, it's relatively complex. The tank is well insulated and doesn't take much for the boiler to keep the temperature up when the water's not being used. Generally, we're very pleased with it - in our case it's all in the cellar (the 'plant room' as the installer called it because it sounds better than 'coal hole') and doesn't take up any otherwise useful room. The downside is that you can only get out the flow that you can put in. In our case, that means that you can't have two showers at once, or have a shower while the bath is running. If that's an issue for you, don't do it. Cheers -- Clive |
#6
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On 12/03/2018 10:54, Dan S. MacAbre wrote:
Now that the weather is warming up, I'm considering replacing our HW storage tank (it's about 30 years old, and is getting a bit crusty around some of the pipe connectors). Before I do, I suppose I ought to ask if (in everyone's opinion) I should just replace it like-for-like? Or is there some other direction I ought to be heading in, like mains-pressure hot water, or just using instant hot-water taps everywhere instead? Or something else? If you are keeping the current boiler, then your options basically come down to either stored hot water, or some kind of thermal store / heat bank arrangement. The setup you have now is simple enough and can work well - however it has pros and cons and does not suit all properties or usage patterns. An unvented cylinder will adds a bit of complexity close to the cylinder - but does away with the need for a cistern in the loft. It has the advantage of delivering mains pressure (or close to it water to all the hot taps - so good for showers without the need for pumps etc). You can still have an immersion backup. To work well though you would need to make sure you have a decent flow rate from your mains cold supply. Have a look at the lists of pros/cons etc he http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Unvented_DHW The thermal store options are similar - basically a big tank of hot water - however its used indirectly to heat the incoming cold water on demand. A slightly different set of pro's an cons, but handy for example if you want to incorporate several heat sources like solid fuel and solar as well as a boiler / immersion. http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...and_Heat_Banks You can buy them ready to go or cobble one together from parts: http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/DIY_Heat_Bank -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
#7
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On 12/03/2018 11:25, Chris Hogg wrote:
We've just had a traditional sixty-year-old DHW system replaced by an unvented, mains-pressure system in my late mother's bungalow, which we intend to move into soon. Several comments: It's based on a Joule tank, http://bit.ly/2Ht27Gz . The plumbing seems a lot more complicated than before, with pressure regulators, expansion vessels, pressure relief valves, tundishes etc all over the place. The airing cupboard is now a cat's cradle of pipework. Whether it could be simpler, I don't know. Here is the basic layout you can expect: http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...ted_cylinde r I think it all has to be installed by a specialist, rather than DIY, BIMBW. Historically it was the case that only unvented cylinders were covered by building regs (Part 3 document G). These days *all* cylinders are covered by the building regs. See approved document G for more info. They also need to be installed by someone who knows what they are doing! (although that applies to any cylinder - unvented ones may be less well understood by some plumbers). Modern installs should also include things like mixing valves to limit the maximum temperature at the point of use, but again that applies to all stored water systems. The DHW cylinder itself is much bigger that I expected; this may just be what the plumber chose to install, rather than being necessary. My comment to the plumber was that it looked like a section from a Saturn 5 rocket. Yup unvented cylinders are often available in larger capacities than traditional ones. (although you can still do the same trick doubling up smaller cylinders like you can with a vented system to get more capacity) Personally I fitted a 210L one which is probably about 5' tall. The outer shell and integral insulation can make them look a bit more "solid" than a normal tank. If I were doing it again, I might go for the next size up. A potential disadvantage is that in very cold weather, such as we've just had and where the mains supply may be off for several days, is that you have no water at all. At least in our present place when the water was cut off for 36 hours, we could draw down the water from the tank in the loft, boiled where appropriate, but that wouldn't be an option with an unvented system unless some way was found of retaining the tank, in which case why bother with an unvented system at all. Sometimes upgrading the connection to the mains is way of solving a number of related problems (lack of flow rate, freezing etc). A nice 32mm MDPE pipe buried deep enough ought not freeze and will make any mains pressure water system work much better usually. -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
#8
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John Rumm wrote:
On 12/03/2018 11:25, Chris Hogg wrote: We've just had a traditional sixty-year-old DHW system replaced by an unvented, mains-pressure system in my late mother's bungalow, which we intend to move into soon. Several comments: It's based on a Joule tank, http://bit.ly/2Ht27Gz . The plumbing seems a lot more complicated than before, with pressure regulators, expansion vessels, pressure relief valves, tundishes etc all over the place. The airing cupboard is now a cat's cradle of pipework. Whether it could be simpler, I don't know. Here is the basic layout you can expect: http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...nts_of_an_unve nted_cylinder I think it all has to be installed by a specialist, rather than DIY, BIMBW. Historically it was the case that only unvented cylinders were covered by building regs (Part 3 document G). These days *all* cylinders are covered by the building regs. See approved document G for more info. They also need to be installed by someone who knows what they are doing! (although that applies to any cylinder - unvented ones may be less well understood by some plumbers). Modern installs should also include things like mixing valves to limit the maximum temperature at the point of use, but again that applies to all stored water systems. The DHW cylinder itself is much bigger that I expected; this may just be what the plumber chose to install, rather than being necessary. My comment to the plumber was that it looked like a section from a Saturn 5 rocket. Yup unvented cylinders are often available in larger capacities than traditional ones. (although you can still do the same trick doubling up smaller cylinders like you can with a vented system to get more capacity) Personally I fitted a 210L one which is probably about 5' tall. The outer shell and integral insulation can make them look a bit more "solid" than a normal tank. If I were doing it again, I might go for the next size up. A potential disadvantage is that in very cold weather, such as we've just had and where the mains supply may be off for several days, is that you have no water at all. At least in our present place when the water was cut off for 36 hours, we could draw down the water from the tank in the loft, boiled where appropriate, but that wouldn't be an option with an unvented system unless some way was found of retaining the tank, in which case why bother with an unvented system at all. Sometimes upgrading the connection to the mains is way of solving a number of related problems (lack of flow rate, freezing etc). A nice 32mm MDPE pipe buried deep enough ought not freeze and will make any mains pressure water system work much better usually. As a matter of interest, do you think that is likely to be worth doing if the water board side connection is 2m of 25mm? -- Roger Hayter |
#9
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On 12/03/2018 12:46, Roger Hayter wrote:
John Rumm wrote: On 12/03/2018 11:25, Chris Hogg wrote: We've just had a traditional sixty-year-old DHW system replaced by an unvented, mains-pressure system in my late mother's bungalow, which we intend to move into soon. Several comments: It's based on a Joule tank, http://bit.ly/2Ht27Gz . The plumbing seems a lot more complicated than before, with pressure regulators, expansion vessels, pressure relief valves, tundishes etc all over the place. The airing cupboard is now a cat's cradle of pipework. Whether it could be simpler, I don't know. Here is the basic layout you can expect: http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...nts_of_an_unve nted_cylinder I think it all has to be installed by a specialist, rather than DIY, BIMBW. Historically it was the case that only unvented cylinders were covered by building regs (Part 3 document G). These days *all* cylinders are covered by the building regs. See approved document G for more info. They also need to be installed by someone who knows what they are doing! (although that applies to any cylinder - unvented ones may be less well understood by some plumbers). Modern installs should also include things like mixing valves to limit the maximum temperature at the point of use, but again that applies to all stored water systems. The DHW cylinder itself is much bigger that I expected; this may just be what the plumber chose to install, rather than being necessary. My comment to the plumber was that it looked like a section from a Saturn 5 rocket. Yup unvented cylinders are often available in larger capacities than traditional ones. (although you can still do the same trick doubling up smaller cylinders like you can with a vented system to get more capacity) Personally I fitted a 210L one which is probably about 5' tall. The outer shell and integral insulation can make them look a bit more "solid" than a normal tank. If I were doing it again, I might go for the next size up. A potential disadvantage is that in very cold weather, such as we've just had and where the mains supply may be off for several days, is that you have no water at all. At least in our present place when the water was cut off for 36 hours, we could draw down the water from the tank in the loft, boiled where appropriate, but that wouldn't be an option with an unvented system unless some way was found of retaining the tank, in which case why bother with an unvented system at all. Sometimes upgrading the connection to the mains is way of solving a number of related problems (lack of flow rate, freezing etc). A nice 32mm MDPE pipe buried deep enough ought not freeze and will make any mains pressure water system work much better usually. As a matter of interest, do you think that is likely to be worth doing if the water board side connection is 2m of 25mm? You mean using a larger pipe than theirs? It depends on the circumstances... If you have say 40m of 1/2" pipe after that, Then any increase will make a significant difference. The cost of the pipe is usually only a small part of the overall cost of swapping it, so you may as well over rather than under spec it. (Flow resistance is a function of both diameter and length so a short run of something narrower is not necessarily a show stopper) -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
#11
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Unless you have cause to think the crusty pipe connections may fail I'd suggest you don't fix what isn't busted.
Do note that installing an unvented cylinder should be done by a competent and certified installer. Incorrectly installed it is a potential bomb. I think there's a requirement for building regs approval for swapping a vented one now as it comes under conservation of energy but iirc prelagged complies as long as the temperature controls are up to date and immersion stat is compliant. |
#12
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On 12/03/2018 10:54, Dan S. MacAbre wrote:
Now that the weather is warming up, I'm considering replacing our HW storage tank (it's about 30 years old, and is getting a bit crusty around some of the pipe connectors).Â* Before I do, I suppose I ought to ask if (in everyone's opinion) I should just replace it like-for-like? Or is there some other direction I ought to be heading in, like mains-pressure hot water, or just using instant hot-water taps everywhere instead?Â* Or something else? I replaced my hot water tank with one that came covered with 2" of foam which I then painted. Much better than the previous jacket. I like having an immersion heater as a backup in case my boiler is not working. I did get something for the old copper tank, based on weight a lot of which was crud. -- Michael Chare |
#13
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John Rumm wrote:
On 12/03/2018 12:46, Roger Hayter wrote: John Rumm wrote: On 12/03/2018 11:25, Chris Hogg wrote: We've just had a traditional sixty-year-old DHW system replaced by an unvented, mains-pressure system in my late mother's bungalow, which we intend to move into soon. Several comments: It's based on a Joule tank, http://bit.ly/2Ht27Gz . The plumbing seems a lot more complicated than before, with pressure regulators, expansion vessels, pressure relief valves, tundishes etc all over the place. The airing cupboard is now a cat's cradle of pipework. Whether it could be simpler, I don't know. Here is the basic layout you can expect: http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...nts_of_an_unve nted_cylinder I think it all has to be installed by a specialist, rather than DIY, BIMBW. Historically it was the case that only unvented cylinders were covered by building regs (Part 3 document G). These days *all* cylinders are covered by the building regs. See approved document G for more info. They also need to be installed by someone who knows what they are doing! (although that applies to any cylinder - unvented ones may be less well understood by some plumbers). Modern installs should also include things like mixing valves to limit the maximum temperature at the point of use, but again that applies to all stored water systems. The DHW cylinder itself is much bigger that I expected; this may just be what the plumber chose to install, rather than being necessary. My comment to the plumber was that it looked like a section from a Saturn 5 rocket. Yup unvented cylinders are often available in larger capacities than traditional ones. (although you can still do the same trick doubling up smaller cylinders like you can with a vented system to get more capacity) Personally I fitted a 210L one which is probably about 5' tall. The outer shell and integral insulation can make them look a bit more "solid" than a normal tank. If I were doing it again, I might go for the next size up. A potential disadvantage is that in very cold weather, such as we've just had and where the mains supply may be off for several days, is that you have no water at all. At least in our present place when the water was cut off for 36 hours, we could draw down the water from the tank in the loft, boiled where appropriate, but that wouldn't be an option with an unvented system unless some way was found of retaining the tank, in which case why bother with an unvented system at all. Sometimes upgrading the connection to the mains is way of solving a number of related problems (lack of flow rate, freezing etc). A nice 32mm MDPE pipe buried deep enough ought not freeze and will make any mains pressure water system work much better usually. As a matter of interest, do you think that is likely to be worth doing if the water board side connection is 2m of 25mm? You mean using a larger pipe than theirs? It depends on the circumstances... If you have say 40m of 1/2" pipe after that, Then any increase will make a significant difference. The cost of the pipe is usually only a small part of the overall cost of swapping it, so you may as well over rather than under spec it. (Flow resistance is a function of both diameter and length so a short run of something narrower is not necessarily a show stopper) I just put in about 8m of 25mm, but you're making me wonder if I should have used 32mm! -- Roger Hayter |
#14
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On 12/03/2018 10:54, Dan S. MacAbre wrote:
Now that the weather is warming up, I'm considering replacing our HW storage tank (it's about 30 years old, and is getting a bit crusty around some of the pipe connectors).Â* Before I do, I suppose I ought to ask if (in everyone's opinion) I should just replace it like-for-like? Or is there some other direction I ought to be heading in, like mains-pressure hot water, or just using instant hot-water taps everywhere instead?Â* Or something else? The new tank is likely to come with a integral foam insulation jacket so if replacing like with like capacity wise you may need more space for the new tank. -- mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk |
#15
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On 12/03/2018 18:10, Michael Chare wrote:
I did get something for the old copper tank, based on weight a lot of which was crud. When they changed our cylinder the weight of crud combined with corrosion was enough for the bottom to fall out... In theory the new one will give you hot water continuously. The coil will absorb all the heat the boiler can give. Andy. |
#16
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On 12/03/2018 15:47, Cynic wrote:
Unless you have cause to think the crusty pipe connections may fail I'd suggest you don't fix what isn't busted. Do note that installing an unvented cylinder should be done by a competent and certified installer. Incorrectly installed it is a potential bomb. While often stated, I am not convinced this is anything other than a bit of FUD that serves the makers of combis etc well. Yes you can turn one into a bomb in theory, but you would have to try *really* hard... Firstly you are not going to super heat any cylinder with a boiler as the primary heat source. So you would need to use an immersion as the primary heat source. Secondly, they come pre equipped with at least two safety interlocks (over temperature and over pressure relief valves). You would have to defeat both. Lastly the immersion heaters also come with a thermostatic control and separate overheat protection. You would need to defeat both of those also. (probably worth keeping in mind that an vented cylinder can kill you as well) I think there's a requirement for building regs approval for swapping a vented one now as it comes under conservation of energy but iirc prelagged complies as long as the temperature controls are up to date and immersion stat is compliant. It also comes under G3 - where the proper venting requirements, sanitation protection, and thermostatic mixing requirements are specified. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/inf...ter_efficiency -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
#17
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On 12/03/2018 16:21, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Mon, 12 Mar 2018 12:54:13 +0000, Chris Hogg wrote: On Mon, 12 Mar 2018 11:38:40 +0000, "Dan S. MacAbre" wrote: The thought of mains-pressure HW does seem a little scary. And I don't really like over-complicated things (which is why we still have the 30 year old boiler). The tank suppliers require the tank pressure to be below some maximum figure, 3 bar in our case, controlled with a pressure reducer, so it doesn't necessarily run at mains pressure. http://www.jouleuk.co.uk/product/inl...-group-valves/ But we also have a reducer on the incoming mains. I don't know what it's set to, it has no gauge (but that is due to be remedied!). There is also an expansion vessel on the DHW, as well as one on the CH. TBH, if when making the decision to stick with a new conventional vented system or go unvented, I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have changed. By all means replace the tank if you think it needs it, but leave all else alone. IIABDFI. In comparison, I made the change and am very pleased with the (massive) improvement in performance... It really all depends on the circumstances... -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
#18
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On 12/03/2018 18:10, Michael Chare wrote:
On 12/03/2018 10:54, Dan S. MacAbre wrote: Now that the weather is warming up, I'm considering replacing our HW storage tank (it's about 30 years old, and is getting a bit crusty around some of the pipe connectors).Â* Before I do, I suppose I ought to ask if (in everyone's opinion) I should just replace it like-for-like? Or is there some other direction I ought to be heading in, like mains-pressure hot water, or just using instant hot-water taps everywhere instead?Â* Or something else? I replaced my hot water tank with one that came covered with 2" of foam which I then painted. Much better than the previous jacket. Pre-insulated is nice - except then the previous tank is in a cupboard that is big enough for the new tank, but not big enough to manouevre it in. I had to cut of half-a-dozen central heating pipes and remove valves and pump to get the tank in and then rejoin all the pipes. I like having an immersion heater as a backup in case my boiler is not working. Me too, but ours has failed in an odd way. I am asumming that the element has warped towards the stat tube. It works once and trips out the overheat trip. I have replaced the stat a couple of times and the problem remains. Of course the heater has siezed into the tank and will not come out. At least I can reset it and use it once if we really need to. SteveW |
#19
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On Monday, 12 March 2018 22:14:36 UTC, Steve Walker wrote:
On 12/03/2018 18:10, Michael Chare wrote: On 12/03/2018 10:54, Dan S. MacAbre wrote: Now that the weather is warming up, I'm considering replacing our HW storage tank (it's about 30 years old, and is getting a bit crusty around some of the pipe connectors).Â* Before I do, I suppose I ought to ask if (in everyone's opinion) I should just replace it like-for-like? Or is there some other direction I ought to be heading in, like mains-pressure hot water, or just using instant hot-water taps everywhere instead?Â* Or something else? I replaced my hot water tank with one that came covered with 2" of foam which I then painted. Much better than the previous jacket. Pre-insulated is nice - except then the previous tank is in a cupboard that is big enough for the new tank, but not big enough to manouevre it in. I had to cut of half-a-dozen central heating pipes and remove valves and pump to get the tank in and then rejoin all the pipes. I like having an immersion heater as a backup in case my boiler is not working.. Me too, but ours has failed in an odd way. I am asumming that the element has warped towards the stat tube. It works once and trips out the overheat trip. I have replaced the stat a couple of times and the problem remains. Of course the heater has siezed into the tank and will not come out. At least I can reset it and use it once if we really need to. SteveW Have you tried automatic transmission fluid? It's an awesome unsiezer Might be easier to just use a separate stat. Must be 13A rated. NT |
#21
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On Monday, 12 March 2018 22:46:25 UTC, Steve Walker wrote:
On 12/03/2018 22:21, tabbypurr wrote: On Monday, 12 March 2018 22:14:36 UTC, Steve Walker wrote: On 12/03/2018 18:10, Michael Chare wrote: On 12/03/2018 10:54, Dan S. MacAbre wrote: Now that the weather is warming up, I'm considering replacing our HW storage tank (it's about 30 years old, and is getting a bit crusty around some of the pipe connectors).Â* Before I do, I suppose I ought to ask if (in everyone's opinion) I should just replace it like-for-like? Or is there some other direction I ought to be heading in, like mains-pressure hot water, or just using instant hot-water taps everywhere instead?Â* Or something else? I replaced my hot water tank with one that came covered with 2" of foam which I then painted. Much better than the previous jacket. Pre-insulated is nice - except then the previous tank is in a cupboard that is big enough for the new tank, but not big enough to manouevre it in. I had to cut of half-a-dozen central heating pipes and remove valves and pump to get the tank in and then rejoin all the pipes. I like having an immersion heater as a backup in case my boiler is not working. Me too, but ours has failed in an odd way. I am asumming that the element has warped towards the stat tube. It works once and trips out the overheat trip. I have replaced the stat a couple of times and the problem remains. Of course the heater has siezed into the tank and will not come out. At least I can reset it and use it once if we really need to. SteveW Have you tried automatic transmission fluid? It's an awesome unsiezer Might be easier to just use a separate stat. Must be 13A rated. I could use an external stat, but I'd also need to add an external overtemp trip. The other option is to cut a hole in the tank and add a new boss. SteveW You only need to wire over one stat & replace it with external. Another option is to run it on reduced voltage if you have a 1kVA 110v transformer. Wise to overrate it as it'll run for over an hour at a time. NT |
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On 12/03/18 22:09, John Rumm wrote:
In comparison, I made the change and am very pleased with the (massive) improvement in performance... It really all depends on the circumstances... The thought of going bacl to header tanks and low pressure hot water just amuses me really. -- The New Left are the people they warned you about. |
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On 13/03/2018 03:05, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 12/03/18 22:09, John Rumm wrote: In comparison, I made the change and am very pleased with the (massive) improvement in performance... It really all depends on the circumstances... The thought of going bacl to header tanks and low pressure hot water just amuses me really. If you already have a vented system that works well, a fast recovery cylinder, and have pumps installed for showers, then there is not much value to be had ripping and replacing it for the sake of it. In my case the existing system did not work at all in some respects and was ill suited to the property. The only shower pump had died long ago. So it was a no brainer since I was changing the boiler anyway. -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
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On Tuesday, 13 March 2018 10:04:23 UTC, John Rumm wrote:
On 13/03/2018 03:05, The Natural Philosopher wrote: On 12/03/18 22:09, John Rumm wrote: In comparison, I made the change and am very pleased with the (massive) improvement in performance... It really all depends on the circumstances... The thought of going bacl to header tanks and low pressure hot water just amuses me really. If you already have a vented system that works well, a fast recovery cylinder, and have pumps installed for showers, then there is not much value to be had ripping and replacing it for the sake of it. In my case the existing system did not work at all in some respects and was ill suited to the property. The only shower pump had died long ago. So it was a no brainer since I was changing the boiler anyway. Some vented systems work fine with slow recovery and no pump. As said there's only a reason to rework them when they don't work. NT |
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On 12/03/2018 10:54, Dan S. MacAbre wrote:
Now that the weather is warming up, I'm considering replacing our HW storage tank (it's about 30 years old, and is getting a bit crusty around some of the pipe connectors).Â* Before I do, I suppose I ought to ask if (in everyone's opinion) I should just replace it like-for-like? Or is there some other direction I ought to be heading in, like mains-pressure hot water, or just using instant hot-water taps everywhere instead?Â* Or something else? Mine is the houses original tank from 1976 and there is nothing wrong with it. Is this a case of 'it aint broke so why fix it' ?, especially since you are only contemplating a like-for-like swap. If there is space and you have the possibility of some form of solar panel too (and are young enough to get any financial benefit) then a larger tank that has dual heating coils might be worthwhile upgrade, but do the maths. Are your joists strong enough to support a much larger tank, something that people don't consider ?. More information would help like :- Age and size of property Number of people and age Number of bathrooms and distance from hot tank. Type of heating appliance. |
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On 13/03/2018 07:53, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Mon, 12 Mar 2018 22:09:29 +0000, John Rumm wrote: On 12/03/2018 16:21, Chris Hogg wrote: TBH, if when making the decision to stick with a new conventional vented system or go unvented, I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have changed. By all means replace the tank if you think it needs it, but leave all else alone. IIABDFI. In comparison, I made the change and am very pleased with the (massive) improvement in performance... It really all depends on the circumstances... I'll look forward to that now we've got it installed anyway. How do you know your heating engineer (and I hope has was, and not just a plumber) didn't just specify the solution that gave him the highest markup ?. For mains pressure tanks he needs an extra certificate that J Bloggs, overpriced-tap-washers-r-us doesn't have. |
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On 12/03/2018 12:19, John Rumm wrote:
Personally I fitted a 210L one which is probably about 5' tall. If I replaced my bog standard tank with one of those, bearing in mind the appalling way the 1st floor joists were attached with joist hangers (4 or 5, 4 inch round nails half in and then bashed over), it might end up in the lounge. There is already 20mm ceiling deflection where the tank is !! |
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On 12/03/2018 22:03, John Rumm wrote:
On 12/03/2018 15:47, Cynic wrote: Unless you have cause to think the crusty pipe connections may fail I'd suggest you don't fix what isn't busted. Do note that installing an unvented cylinder should be done by a competent and certified installer. Incorrectly installed it is a potential bomb. While often stated, I am not convinced this is anything other than a bit of FUD that serves the makers of combis etc well. Yes you can turn one into a bomb in theory, but you would have to try *really* hard... Firstly you are not going to super heat any cylinder with a boiler as the primary heat source. So you would need to use an immersion as the primary heat source. Secondly, they come pre equipped with at least two safety interlocks (over temperature and over pressure relief valves). You would have to defeat both. Lastly the immersion heaters also come with a thermostatic control and separate overheat protection. You would need to defeat both of those also. (probably worth keeping in mind that an vented cylinder can kill you as well) I think there's a requirement for building regs approval for swapping a vented one now as it comes under conservation of energy but iirc prelagged complies as long as the temperature controls are up to date and immersion stat is compliant. It also comes under G3 - where the proper venting requirements, sanitation protection, and thermostatic mixing requirements are specified. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/inf...ter_efficiency What happned to the thermostatic control that limits the temp at the tap to no more than ?50. Did this ever become a building regs requirement ?. |
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On 12/03/2018 18:10, Michael Chare wrote:
On 12/03/2018 10:54, Dan S. MacAbre wrote: Now that the weather is warming up, I'm considering replacing our HW storage tank (it's about 30 years old, and is getting a bit crusty around some of the pipe connectors).Â* Before I do, I suppose I ought to ask if (in everyone's opinion) I should just replace it like-for-like? Or is there some other direction I ought to be heading in, like mains-pressure hot water, or just using instant hot-water taps everywhere instead?Â* Or something else? I replaced my hot water tank with one that came covered with 2" of foam which I then painted. Much better than the previous jacket. I like having an immersion heater as a backup in case my boiler is not working. I did get something for the old copper tank, based on weight a lot of which was crud. Another neighbour who fell for the BG 'No parts' scam had their baxi bermuda replaced by a WB Junior ??12RI. Wife decided that they 'needed' a new tank with more insulation and the one used seemed to have about 4 inches of foam. It only just fitted through the airing cupboard door afaik. They also had a fancy wireless stat that has been replaced three times. BG say it is their fault because they opted out of the £12 per month 'option' to allow BG to dial in and reset it remotely !. BG claim that this boiler won't work with a conventional room stat. This I think is pork-pies. |
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On 13/03/2018 15:21, Andrew wrote:
On 12/03/2018 22:03, John Rumm wrote: On 12/03/2018 15:47, Cynic wrote: I think there's a requirement for building regs approval for swapping a vented one now as it comes under conservation of energy but iirc prelagged complies as long as the temperature controls are up to date and immersion stat is compliant. It also comes under G3 - where the proper venting requirements, sanitation protection, and thermostatic mixing requirements are specified. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/inf...ter_efficiency What happned to the thermostatic control that limits the temp at the tap to no more than ?50. Did this ever become a building regs requirement ?. From the doc above: Prevention of scalding 3.65 The hot water supply temperature to a bath should be limited to a maximum of 48°C by use of an in-line blending valve or other appropriate temperature control device, with a maximum temperature stop and a suitable arrangement of pipework. and also: Prevention of excessive temperatures 3.64 Where the operating temperature of domestic hot water in the storage vessel in a dwelling is capable of exceeding 80°C under normal operating conditions (a situation that may occur in vessels used as heat stores and those connected to solar heat collectors or solid fuel boilers that do not have intervening controls between the boiler and the vessel containing the hot water) the outlet from the storage vessel should be fitted with a device, such as an in-line hot water supply tempering valve in accordance with BS EN 15092:2008 Building Valves. In-line hot water tempering valves, to ensure that the temperature supplied to the domestic hot water distribution system does not exceed 60°C. -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
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Michael Chare wrote:
I replaced my hot water tank with one that came covered with 2" of foam which I then painted. Much better than the previous jacket. I like having an immersion heater as a backup in case my boiler is not working. My similar foamed tank is in the integral garage and I wondered if there was any point in adding any extra insulation? There isn't a lot of clearance, but I suppose I might drape something over the top similar to the old jackets. Chris -- Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK Plant amazing Acers. |
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On Tuesday, 13 March 2018 19:54:02 UTC, Chris J Dixon wrote:
Michael Chare wrote: I replaced my hot water tank with one that came covered with 2" of foam which I then painted. Much better than the previous jacket. I like having an immersion heater as a backup in case my boiler is not working. My similar foamed tank is in the integral garage and I wondered if there was any point in adding any extra insulation? There isn't a lot of clearance, but I suppose I might drape something over the top similar to the old jackets. Chris If it's in a cupboard the space can be packed with junk insulation, avoiding any flex feeding he immersion. If no cupboard it's easy to construct a flimsy outer wrap that can be stuffed with insulating junk, or apply roll insulation & tie. NT |
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There are as you suggest "safety features but unless correctly installed and commissioned the risk remains. Too many bodge artists out there!
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On 13/03/2018 10:04, John Rumm wrote:
On 13/03/2018 03:05, The Natural Philosopher wrote: On 12/03/18 22:09, John Rumm wrote: In comparison, I made the change and am very pleased with the (massive) improvement in performance... It really all depends on the circumstances... The thought of going bacl to header tanks and low pressure hot water just amuses me really. If you already have a vented system that works well, a fast recovery cylinder, and have pumps installed for showers, then there is not much value to be had ripping and replacing it for the sake of it. +1 When I went from a combi (I already had a separate vented immersion tank running a shower) to a system boiler, I just put in an ordinary modern cylinder with heating coil, not a special fast recovery one. Plus an ST pump for DHW, and a double ST for the shower. Much less complication and no problem with recovery times. In my case the existing system did not work at all in some respects and was ill suited to the property. The only shower pump had died long ago. So it was a no brainer since I was changing the boiler anyway. |
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On 17/03/2018 21:36, newshound wrote:
On 13/03/2018 10:04, John Rumm wrote: On 13/03/2018 03:05, The Natural Philosopher wrote: On 12/03/18 22:09, John Rumm wrote: In comparison, I made the change and am very pleased with the (massive) improvement in performance... It really all depends on the circumstances... The thought of going bacl to header tanks and low pressure hot water just amuses me really. If you already have a vented system that works well, a fast recovery cylinder, and have pumps installed for showers, then there is not much value to be had ripping and replacing it for the sake of it. +1 When I went from a combi (I already had a separate vented immersion tank running a shower) to a system boiler, I just put in an ordinary modern cylinder with heating coil, not a special fast recovery one. Plus an ST pump for DHW, and a double ST for the shower. Much less complication I would have thought if you need to replace a cylinder and install two pumps, I am not sure that really qualifies under the "less complexity" category! and no problem with recovery times. If its a relatively recent one, then it will be fairly quick recovery anyway. How the system is zoned will also have a big influence on recovery times. -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
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On 17/03/2018 21:08, Cynic wrote:
There are as you suggest "safety features but unless correctly installed and commissioned the risk remains. Too many bodge artists out there! Well the bodge artists are easy to dodge, install it yourself, then you know its done right! The safety features on the cylinders don't need commissioning as such - beyond a quick twist of the test knobs to check they pass water to the tundish. There is a valve assembly on the inlet that usually combines a strainer, pressure reduction valve, pressure relief valve, connection to the expansion vessel, and outlets to the cold feed on the cylinder and a balanced pressure cold feed available for use elsewhere. I suppose you could install it backwards, but it would probably just result in a system that does not work at all. The side mounted overtemp/pressure valve is a special fitting that nothing else is supposed to fit. So it would be difficult to omit it. I suppose you could connect it to a pipe and blank it off, but that would still in the grand scheme of things be less dangerous than say blanking off the vent on the vented cylinder. The risk of a steam explosion does not exist with indirectly heated unvented cylinders - you need either immersion heaters, or an inappropriate connection to a solid fuel stove etc. (plus the defeat of all the interlocks). You can bodge dangerous hot water systems of all types (and the dangers are not usually ones of explosion, but include leaking, flooding, scalding, breeding legionella, back contamination of the mains supply, and tanks falling through ceilings etc). -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
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On 18/03/2018 13:51, John Rumm wrote:
On 17/03/2018 21:36, newshound wrote: On 13/03/2018 10:04, John Rumm wrote: On 13/03/2018 03:05, The Natural Philosopher wrote: On 12/03/18 22:09, John Rumm wrote: In comparison, I made the change and am very pleased with the (massive) improvement in performance... It really all depends on the circumstances... The thought of going bacl to header tanks and low pressure hot water just amuses me really. If you already have a vented system that works well, a fast recovery cylinder, and have pumps installed for showers, then there is not much value to be had ripping and replacing it for the sake of it. +1 When I went from a combi (I already had a separate vented immersion tank running a shower) to a system boiler, I just put in an ordinary modern cylinder with heating coil, not a special fast recovery one. Plus an ST pump for DHW, and a double ST for the shower. Much less complication I would have thought if you need to replace a cylinder and install two pumps, I am not sure that really qualifies under the "less complexity" category! No, I already had the shower pump plumbed in to the old cylinder. Even so I'd have said there was more plumbing and electrics with a vented system. and no problem with recovery times. If its a relatively recent one, then it will be fairly quick recovery anyway. How the system is zoned will also have a big influence on recovery times. I will admit I gave the cylinder full priority when it needs heat (Is that W rather than Y plan? ICBA to look it up. |
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On 18/03/2018 16:16, newshound wrote:
On 18/03/2018 13:51, John Rumm wrote: On 17/03/2018 21:36, newshound wrote: On 13/03/2018 10:04, John Rumm wrote: On 13/03/2018 03:05, The Natural Philosopher wrote: On 12/03/18 22:09, John Rumm wrote: In comparison, I made the change and am very pleased with the (massive) improvement in performance... It really all depends on the circumstances... The thought of going bacl to header tanks and low pressure hot water just amuses me really. If you already have a vented system that works well, a fast recovery cylinder, and have pumps installed for showers, then there is not much value to be had ripping and replacing it for the sake of it. +1 When I went from a combi (I already had a separate vented immersion tank running a shower) to a system boiler, I just put in an ordinary modern cylinder with heating coil, not a special fast recovery one. Plus an ST pump for DHW, and a double ST for the shower. Much less complication I would have thought if you need to replace a cylinder and install two pumps, I am not sure that really qualifies under the "less complexity" category! No, I already had the shower pump plumbed in to the old cylinder. Even so I'd have said there was more plumbing and electrics with a vented system. Electrics about the same[1], plumbing; Vented has a feed from a cold cistern plus a vent (plus additional feeds to each shower ideally). Unvented does not need those - just a feed from the mains, but it does need a separate discharge pipe and then (short) connection to an expansion vessel. [1] Some have an additional over temp stat that you can put into service as a backup backup system. and no problem with recovery times. If its a relatively recent one, then it will be fairly quick recovery anyway. How the system is zoned will also have a big influence on recovery times. I will admit I gave the cylinder full priority when it needs heat (Is that W rather than Y plan? ICBA to look it up. Yup, W is like Y plan but with a diversion valve rather than a mid position valve. -- Cheers, John. /================================================== ===============\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \================================================= ================/ |
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