Solar thermal and combi boilers

[Lusi83]

Looking at having solar thermal installed...
Current boiler is a Potterton Promax Combi HE plus - about 2 years old - fitted before I got house...
Apparently it is possible to have solar thermal and a combi boiler ...depending on the boiler...
Tried to find out from Potterton if this boiler was compatible - absolute battle as the tech dept only speak to Corgi reg (Gas safe) plumbers...
Sorry have to vent! Eventually managed to speak to someone - who was going to call me back -said about unvented tank - missed his call - tried to return call and ended up speaking to a (swear swear) rude person in their tech dept - who when he found out I was the 'householder' turned into a patronising jerk - said no it wasn't, it would overheat (fine) - but then also no combi was and he hung up.. now I don't know if what he told me is true or not...(but if I need a new boiler it won't be a potterton one!!!)
So does anyone know if this boiler would be suitable? If it isn't can anyone recommend one that would be?
(Like combis for instant hot water - guess might be prepared to go for a system if nec)

 

[Dan Robinson]

Atag and Intergas are your best bets.

Both solar compatible.

Both far better than a Poxi.

 

[Lusi83]

Never heard of them before ...
Will be local plumber be able to fix them? (Are they pretty standard layouts?)

Guess I thought they would be v. expensive but actually seem reasonable...
Might have a word with plumber and see if he has ever dealt with them ...
Also I guess which one would fit in my space - and use the same flue exit ...

Thanks - lots to think about ...

 

[Biggles..]

Atag/intergas...however my atag struggled with solar preheated water.

You'll need a cylinder for the solar which then feeds the water into the combi.
I use an Intersol valve to protect the boiler, if solar water is hot enough it goes straight to taps, if not hoes through boiler.

View media item 27495 View media item 27493

 

[Lusi83]

That looks like a lot of pipe work though!
Planning on keeping boiler in downstairs utility and solar tank in attic...will I need that thing that looks like a white expansion tank next to the boiler or can that go into attic (limited space in utliity)

 

[Biggles..]

The white vessel belongs with the unvented cylinder that contains the preheated water.

You may depending on boiler need the yellow valve in the picture (atag yes/intergas no) and yes there's alot of pipework to alter.

 

[Lusi83]

Thanks ...
Got my brain into gear this morning - realised two things...
First that all your pipe work feeds in from the side ...I was kind of thinking it came up AND to the side - so actually not that much more than I have ...
And second they are concrete blocks in the background (not the nice slate tiles I thought - most wear reading glasses more often) ...so I'm guessing not on display ...so could be boxed in etc to look neater...

 

[dcawkwell]

Complete waste of time.

The heating costs of hot water each year are low. £100-200 each year.
Any system will never recover the cost of the install.

best left for warmer countries. Go for solar electric but that is only viable because of the government handouts.

 

[Lusi83]

Looking at having both done at same time - one lot of scaffolding etc etc
Solar pv with the lower feed in tariffs - (going down further end of June) not sure i would get my money plus interest it would have earned back ...figures I've looked at its very close ...
Solar thermal -you get a grant of a couple of hundred off installation - next year they are supposed to be doing an incentive payment scheme you are right - without that it seems hardly worth while- its not confirmed yet and will be back dated - possibly approx £600 per year for 7 years ... - making cost of install about £1.5 k - so money back in ten years...
and I'm also having a wood burner - and maybe looking in future to tie that into the thermal store too...

Depends on so many factors - what happens with interest rates, energy prices etc etc -but I like the idea of being greener - and also not being as reliant on the grid ...(do think in ten years time current solar will be so out of date - like the 1mm gap 1970s double glazing that has just been replaced in my house.)
Alternative is money in the bank - thinking what happened in Cyprus - tax on savings (that would be a harder loss to take than any from solar!) ...and also even for stuff like inheritance tax (not that I'm rich enough ..but depends on what happens with house prices) - so solar thermal and pv with some return or some gold hidden under the floorboards...I think is the way to go!

 

[gasanstuff]

Worcester cdi compact range- suitable for preheated hot water.

 

[ALEC1]

if you are going for solar pv, go for a tank and immersion heater and the emersun, as said solar thermal is a waste of money in this climate, use a system boiler to top up the cylinder

 

[Lusi83]

What is an emersun?
Google hasn't found it !

 

[ALEC1]

http://www.immersun.co.uk/

sorry my bad..

 

[Lusi83]

Looks interesting...didn't know they existed...thanks