We are having some major work done on our house which will include the relocation of the hotwater tank. Our builder/plumber reckons that a steel hotwater tank would be better because you don’t need a header tank (can be fed direct from main), which you would with a copper one.

Any plumbers (or anyone else for that matter in true STW stylee) that may have an opinion?

The boiler is a standard oil-fired one, which we may replace. Will probably want to run a couple of mixer (non-electric) showers from the HW tank which would be on the same level of the house (ie not in the attic).

Well, if you are considering replacing your boiler, you could replace it with a combi boiler and then you wouldn’t need a hot water tank at all. And you can run showers from a combi.

Well, if you are considering replacing your boiler, you could replace it with a combi* boiler and then you wouldn’t need a hot water tank at all. And you can run showers from a combi.

*I’m assuming that you are staying oil-fired and that oil-fired combis exist

A combi boiler is another option.

Oil fired combis do exist, but have limited capacity. Ok up to a medium 3 bed house, but any more than that and you should go for a standard boiler. Showers can run off either combi or ordinary boilers, but if you have lots of showers/baths consecutively they reduce the flow. The most effective combination is a condensing boiler with something like a Megaflow tank.

Captain do you have a link to a megaflow tank?
Ta
Geoff

I am interested in this megaflow tank too…

We’re having our HW tank replaced with a thermal heatstore, so it will be mains pressure hot water. We’re using a solar panel and a oil fired condensing boiler to warm it up.

I’ve uprated the supply to 25mm from the stop cock to the house, but if that’s not enough, then I have to start digging up the road and will have to pay Thames Water £254 for a quote to do the work

mst – I like the sound of that. I’m struggling to locate a solar panel, but I’m thinking of supplementing the boiler with a wood burning stove that has a back boiler.

Must find the megaflow tank details now 🙂

EDIT: Details here: LINKY

Geoff

You are talking about a mains pressure hot water cylinder, alternatively known as an unvented cylinder.

You need to make sure that you have adequate pressure and flow for this to work satisfactorily.

You can connect it to a boiler, or if you use a twin coil version then solar as well. You will not be able to connect it to a wood burner.

Mixer taps / showers will need to be suitable for high pressure and any showers should have a balanced cold water supply run to them from the cylinder.

If you have a suitable water supply in my opinion they are the best form of hot water supply. But as with everything there are is a big differnce between some of the units. From the bottom of the range Ariston units, up to the Heatrae Sadia Megaflows, or as my preferred unit an Oso.

i’ve not been around on the forum for a while but assume you can private message me for more information if you require.

Bear, that’s brilliant. I’ll have a read up on the Oso units and perhaps PM you if I have any questions? Thanks again, Geoff

Geoff,
we’re having a setup from Nu-heat, they’re down in Devon, and a plumber who has done a load of work for me is a registered installer of theirs.

We’re in a detached house, and have a single 1.8 X 1.2 solar panel. It’s just been fitted today.

The boiler is a Worcester Bosch and is an external unit to free up space in the kitchen.

I also have a wood burner, but the plumber wasn’t keen on fitting it into the thermal heatstore as it’s effectively an uncontrolled heat source and there’s hassles with that. To be honest, I suspect the amount of wood I’d need to keep and season would be astronomical to make a back boiler worthwhile.

Heatstore is one of these http://www.nu-heat.co.uk/s.nl/ctype.KB/it.I/id.17092/KB.122/.f

Heated thermal stores ar ok, but if you life in an area where there is hard water then they are a nightmare.

personally I’ve had nothing but grief with them. Oso and Megaflo’s are guaranteed for 25 years

Bear, what kind of nightmares ?

This energy can then be used either for heating, or for domestic-hot-water generation. The benefit is that once the heating is up to temperature it can draw off a small amount of heat to keep itself topped up

Eh? How does that work then? Sounds a bit like trying to lift yourself up with your own shoe laces.

scale, problems with the mixing valves, the idiots that cram them into a cupboard then make the ballvalve inaccessable, the very fact that they have a ballvalve, overflows not connected, not enough hot water provision, and don’t get me started on the electric ones!

You can connect it to a boiler, or if you use a twin coil version then solar as well. You will not be able to connect it to a wood burner.

You can if you use a Dunsley Neutralizer
http://www.dunsleyheat.co.uk/linkupsys.htm
More faff and money mind. I just went with a traditional cylinder and electric shower upstairs.

Combis are ok but if you have the space and your going to stay use an unvented water heater. On oil I wouldn’t consider it mind.
Heatrae Sadia Megaflo
Santon premier plus
Oso
etc

To be honest, I suspect the amount of wood I’d need to keep and season would be astronomical to make a back boiler worthwhile.

Depends on your source and how much storage space you have. I run coal and wood and as more space is coming available at home more wood gets stacked. Handy riding with the local tree man though ;0)
Chopping and stacking does take a fair amount of time up though.

[HIJACK]
I’m interested in this subject too, whats the best way to heat enough water for four showers in under an hour at a ‘power shower’ rate of 18L per minute, assuming 5-8 minutes for each shower & a conventional boiler?
Cheers in advance.
[/HIJACK]