Advice on piework for combi

[Kevlar13]

Hi all hope someone can offer some advice.
Is it possible to leave hot water cylinder (electric immersion heater) connected to pipework but use isolater valve in bathroom as a backup for hot water if combi boiler fails in the future. Boiler is being fitted in the garage.
Thanks

 

[JohnD]

If you want that, I wouldn't get a combi.

 

[Kevlar13]

Thanks for answering or should I say not answering.
I have read the forum and all the pros and cons and was just putting a question as we have no need to get rid of the water tank or hot water cylinder. With young children Its just an option I was hypothesising (big word)

 

[JohnD]

You would have to puzzle out the piping and stopvalves, but it could be done. Would be easier if you had two hot taps or, say, an extra tap in the bathroom that you can use when the combi breaks down

 

[bster]

Ginsters are good

 

[bster]

wouldnt the water stagnate and breed bacteria if a tank fed back up cylinder was used - or would it be empty until needed

 

[JohnD]

Ginsters are good

Hahahaha, I wondered about that too

Advice on piework for combi

 

[doitall]

Hi all hope someone can offer some advice.
Is it possible to leave hot water cylinder (electric immersion heater) connected to pipework but use isolater valve in bathroom as a backup for hot water if combi boiler fails in the future. Boiler is being fitted in the garage.
Thanks

The answer to the question should be taken seriously, as it can have catastrophic concequences.

No you cannot link the hot pipes.

 

[plumber (new blood)]

on word, well two then, back-feed

tank fed pressure, mains pressure. one will over power the other, then what happens??? ask a plumber.

trouble thats what

 

[bster]

simple to plumb up (with the right knowledge) - its just the water stagnating or the empty cylinder\tank getting dirty and the other issue. -

-if the combi breaks down in 2 years time and you use the back up hot water system.... that hasnt been used for 2years! you will probably get leaks, corrosion, disease, electrical fault etc.... and still have to fix the combi

 

[doitall]

The only way you could do it is to use the combi for the kitchen/utility, and plumb the cylinder in on a Y plan for the bathroom/shower.

two completely different systems

 

[ChrisR]

At a pinch you could use the gravity supply for a wc say to keep it moving. But you'd still have to totally disconnect the cold feed to the combi (like remove a piece of pipe, not just turn a valve off) when you wanted to link the tank water (when heated) to the hot pipes, which would have to be (eg) with another piece of removable pipe.

Without the disconnections you'd be in danger of breaking Water Regs, and getting wet, if somebody opened the wrong valve.

 

[JohnD]

Or, you could leave it as an independent system, with its own hot tap, and no mixing or cross-connection of the two hot water systems.