No space for header tank - Vented woodburning/solar system

[BenjiMalus]

Hey there, me and my family are moving into a small cabin which will be heated with a wood burning range with a back boiler. I am planning to connect it (and a solar water panel) to a twin coil vented cylinder which will provide us with hot water and feed two small radiators. The cabin has a small loft space in which i can fit the cylinder so there is a gravity feed from the back boiler and to our taps and shower. However, there isn't any room above that for header tanks. Is it possible to have tanks on the ground floor (outside) and pump the water up?

Thanks for your help, sorry if this sounds mental.

 

[OwainDIYer]

The cylinder needs to go above the back boiler to allow thermo-syphon to work i.e. the heat to transfer from the boiler to the cylinder without using a pump.

You'll probably need to build a cupboard with a platform in it near the boiler to accommodate it within the room; the header tanks (primary circuit and domestic cold water) can then go in the loft.

It's the header tanks which dictate the available head from the shower, not the cylinder.

Solid Fuel Boiler

• OwainDIYer
• 29 Jun 2014
• 1

Showing hot water cylinder above boiler, below ceiling level, with header tanks above ceiling.

 

[BenjiMalus]

Thanks mate, this make sense. not much space in the cabin, but we'll just have to squeeze things in

 

[BenjiMalus]

hang on how does the shower work if the hot water is below it, even if the cold water isn't :S

 

[OwainDIYer]

It's the header tanks which determine the available head, not the cylinder.

The cold water in the header tank which connects to one end of the cylinder (the bottom) pushes the hot water out of the other end (the top).

If it was a pumped primary system (not possible with solid fuel) then the cylinder could be below the boiler, even in the cellar, subject to the maximum head for the vented cylinder (typically 10 metres from top of header tank to base of cylinder)

If the head is insufficient pressure and your header tank is able to deliver sufficient flow, you can pump the output from the tank to the shower (power shower)

 

[Norcon]

Thermal store on same level with mains pressure coil.

 

[Jackrae]

Owain, Surely you've got the hot and cold feeds into the cylinder from the woodstove crossed over. Hot from stove should go to top of cylinder.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Owain, Surely you've got the hot and cold feeds into the cylinder from the woodstove crossed over. Hot from stove should go to top of cylinder.

Just testing you all ...