Hot water secondary return/loop

Joined
7 May 2007
Messages
3,316
Reaction score
276
Location
Lincolnshire
Country
United Kingdom
In the coming month I'll be fitting a new vented cylinder in my parent's house, as their boiler has given out, and they have decided to upgrade the entire system along with sorting out the controls so that they actually work.

There's a wet room with a 15-20m run from the cylinder, so it takes some time to get hot water through to the taps, especially in the winter when the pipework is particularly cold.

It seems to me that now would be the ideal time to install a secondary return to sort this problem out, although there's not a great deal of information for the DIYer on the 'net with regard to this type of installation.

My understanding is that I will need to come off the far end of the HW flow pipework at the wet room with another return pipe, for which I hope 15mm will suffice, as the return is purely for circulation and not intended to supply HW. This will then go back to the airing cupboard, where a bronze pump will be fitted, then onto a double check valve, and back into the tank via an Essex flange.

Hope you wont mind if I ask a few questions that I haven't been able to answer myself by searching the internet and the forums:

1. In a couple of other topics I've heard mention of balancing valves. Unless I've got myself in a muddle, can someone please explain the purpose of these, so that I can understand whether or not it's something I'll need to consider. I had assumed that I could simply tee off the flow leg to my draw off points, and then loop back the return at the final draw off point.

2. Where on the tank should I be fitting the Essex flange? I've read 3/4 of the way up from the base of the tank, but don't know how correct this is.

3. I've read that the Grundfos Comfort pump is available with integrated non-return valve, and the option of an integrated timer also seems useful. Has anyone any experience with these? Are they expensive? Reliable?

4. Anything else I should be aware of?
 
Sponsored Links
grundfos up10-16 is an awsome return pump.
 
grundfos up10-16 is an awsome return pump.

That's from the comfort range, isn't it? Trouble is, they seem a bit pricey and not all that easy to come by. I think it will come down to whether or not the comfort with integrated stat + timer works out cheaper than a pump with separate pipe stat + timer.
 
Sponsored Links
about £160ish from any merchants.saves any messing.

Thanks for the quick response. If that includes the timer, stat and non-return valves then it seems a pretty reasonable price.

Can anyone advise if the rest of the proposed installation sounds reasonable?
 
Sorry to bump this guys, but I find it hard to believe that nobody on this forum knows enough to provide a little advice on secondary returns. Either that, or nobody wants to... :confused:
 
What you propose is fine.

If i was fitting a new cylinder I would fit one with a secondary boss in it, I wouldn't go to the bother of an Essex.

Still if this is what you want to do, then all is good.
 
What you propose is fine.

If i was fitting a new cylinder I would fit one with a secondary boss in it, I wouldn't go to the bother of an Essex.

Still if this is what you want to do, then all is good.

Thanks for the response. Don't worry, I clicked the button! :)

Sorry to bump this guys, but I find it hard to believe that nobody on this forum knows enough to provide a little advice on secondary returns. Either that, or nobody wants to... :confused:

Got it in one :rolleyes:

If this is still an ongoing thing about hot water head, forget it and live another day - I have better things to do than hold grudges. That still doesn't mean that I accept your argument, though. ;)
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top