Search results

In Canada they don't use filling loops any more, not sure they are even still legal. Systems are plumbed in directly to the mains with check valves and pressure reducers, and an isolation valve. I always kept mine closed since if it leaks and loses pressure I would want to know about it. A...

I would have though that the radiators would rust, unless they are the old cast iron type.

For the heating system, the biggest drawback for an open vented system is corrosion, since the radiators are plain steel. Air can constantly get into the system from the F&E tank, so a sealed system prevents this. For hot water I suppose an unvented system can give a better flow rate than a...

Coming from Canada, and having lived in Europe for some years, I was a bit surprised that people still install vented heating systems in the UK. Does any other country still use vented systems? Either for heating or hot water? Surely sealed systems are much better, especially since radiators...

Thermal store advantages: 1. Buffers central heating system. You can ditch the house thermostat and go with TRVs all round. No cycling of radiator temperatures as boiler cuts in/out. 2. Potable hot water does not sit in a tank, it goes though a stainless coil. In some countries they are called...

My thermal store will be direct fired in that the water in the store will be heated directly by the boiler. My setup will give infinite hot water for infinite baths, as I plan to size my boiler accordingly. Try doing that with an unvented, it is limited by its (usually) small coils size no...

If you think an unvented is better than a thermal store, then maybe present some arguments as to why, if you can.

I suppose if you don't have the space, a combi might be the way to go. It is funny how they are cheaper then plain boilers, even though they are more complicated and more expensive to manufacture. It is the same with cylinders. An indirect unvented is cheaper than a plain buffer tank, even...

Why? When I know I can install something better?

With the thermal store and TRVs all round balancing is not really an issue, as the system never has to "heat up", it is always warm. It is true that a second pump is required, but my Grunfos alpha 2 typically ran at 6-10W, so about the same as a single LED light bulb. It somewhat amazes me all...

I would agree with that, although I am not sure how much more, I would guesstimate up to 2x bigger if you have a small boiler. With a thermal store, you can put in a boiler large enough to have infinite hot water if you want/require it, with an unvented you are limited by the size of its...

If your TRVs don't close, you should replace them. The setup I have described works fine, I had it in my previous house and it is very common in thermal store setups. It is more comfortable, as larger rooms with windows are not heating up and cooling down all the time, the system maintains a...

With TRVs all round you can run with the locksheilds all wide open, so it does not really "require" balancing as a standard system would, the TRVs will do that for you. Of course if you are starting the system from cold, then the rads nearest the store will heat first, but once the heating is...

An unvented cylinder is IMHO an inferior choice. I will do fine for hot water, but does not solve the inherent problems of an unbuffered heating system. With a thermal store you don't need a house stat, instead you can use a modulating pump and TRVs all around. The rads are always warm and do...

Thanks, I will draw up what I would like and contact them for a quote.

From what I can see they don't really make plain tanks. All their thermal stores come with an integral DHW coil, which is likely too small for a 60C store. I could not find the surface area of their DHW coils in their brochure, but most are around 2 sq. m. or less.

Sure, but not all the time. A buffer between the boiler and the rads is a great way to prevent cycling, and eliminates the need for a modulating boiler. It also means the boiler can be oversized, in case your demand varies a lot.

The stores available in the UK seem to have the internal DHW coils undersized, hence the myth that thermal stores need to run at 80C. I plan to run mine at 60C. I would use a mild steel tank with a large stainless coil (300l version has a 4.1m^3 coil) like this...

Because I want mains pressure hot water and the ability to have heat flowing to the radiators whether or not the boiler is running.

Thanks, both those look like they might work. Although I am a bit surprised they don't make something nice and compact like the pump valves, maybe angled as well. How do people normally connect plate exchangers to heat banks?