Central Heating - Digital programmer change - can I do it?

[captain-midnight]

Hi,

I've got a 'Potterton Suprima' central heating boiler - it was installed by the original house builders a couple of years ago.

The digital programmer that was installed as standard was a EP2002 - a simple 1 cirucit combined heating + hot water controller.

What I want to do (to save masses of gas bill money), is to replace this programmmer with a Potterton EP6002 - a dual circuit controller. Which will allow me to independantly program the centra heating and hot water circuits.

This will stop me from having to constantly turn off the hot water circuit as I've proved through testing that I only need to heat the water for 1 hour a day to supply all the hot water in the tank that I need for a day.

I'm confident with electrics etc and I believe all that will have to be done is replace the current programmer and wire in the new unit, ensuring that the hot water and central heating circuits are wired to the correct terminals.

Here's the big question - under all these regulations that we are supposed to live under - corgi / IEE etc, can I legally replace this programmer by myself?

I don't believe changing 'just' the programmer effects any of the central heating or boiler installation regulation as it's just the means of supplying the power to the two circuits i.e. if the fused spur switch was to fail - it would be a like for like replacement.

Here I'm performing a like for like replacement by the same manufactured but it just adds more functionallity.

Look forward to any comments / suggestions.

Phil.

 

[corgiman]

not sure abut the ep 6002 as I have never heard of it, but most eps have the same back plate so need to worry about wiring as you just click int places

as for whether u can or not, who knows???, i would say that this doesnt come under part p

but sure some will disagree

just do it, by the time we have stopped arguing the tories would have got back in and booted this crap legislation

 

[captain-midnight]

Hi corgiman, thanks for the quick reply.

All the EP6002 offers over the EP2002 (which is currently installed) is an independant hot water and seperate central heating program i.e. hot water only on for x hours a day in the morning, central heating on in the morning and evening etc.

If as you say the backplates are common on these programmers, it probably confirms that all that is needed is the old one removed (noting connections) and the new one installed on the backplate confirming the hot water and central heating circuits connect to the correct controller terminals?

Phil.

 

[breezer]

my 2p worth

as they use the same back plate there wont (shouldn't ) be any wiring to be moved, as for part p etc, you are only chaging it so no worries there

 

[ChrisR]

If you have a thermostat on your HW cylinder, the boiler will only come on when the water needs heating, so it isn't burning away all the time just because the programmer tells it to. My cylinder is very well insulated, and "on" at the programmer all day.

 

[captain-midnight]

Yeh, I understand what you say, but ....

My point here is if after testing, I can have the water heating on for say 1hr in the morning at just mid temp range, then turn the hot water heating off and not run out of hot water during the day / evenig.

There is no point on an evening 'maintaining' a certain water temperature throughout the central heating operating time 3+ hours (which is hardly on anyway in our house - very good insulation), i.e. trickle heating the hot water tank everytime I use some hot water. Just because the hot water tank is themstatically controlled it will still want to re-heat 'trickle heat' if you like the hot water tank during the evening on every use or when the senor falls below it's current level.

Hence changing the controller to allow 'independant' heating time ranges. The hot water circuit will be programmed for just 1hr/day in the morning.

This will save gas everyday, mounting up to a good saving anually. I don't expect to save a fortune - but combined with turning down the water temperature and using a new controller I'm just trying to do my bit to help the enviroment.

 

[Rob]

i assuming that this is an external clock to boiler and by simply changing from single to twin channel, i would imagine just a case of unplugging and reconnecting to same back plate. But sepparating CH and HW wires.

are both HW and CH wires wired into same terminal in current clock if not this needs changing.

as far as if its legal, i thought anything in your own home was as far as DIY is concerned, might be wrong though.

 

[fitz1]

the 2002 can be altered on the back for 16 position , i think.

 

[Softus]

Here's the big question - under all these regulations that we are supposed to live under - corgi / IEE etc, can I legally replace this programmer by myself?

Yes.

I don't believe changing 'just' the programmer effects any of the central heating or boiler installation regulation as it's just the means of supplying the power to the two circuits i.e. if the fused spur switch was to fail - it would be a like for like replacement.

Your belief matches reality.

Here I'm performing a like for like replacement by the same manufactured but it just adds more functionallity.

Correct.

 

[E1]

Capt Midnight - wer you able to fit the 6002 independent controls for your boiler? I am in exactly he same position as you right now and would appreciate some advice?

Thanks

Adam