Condensing Oil Boiler

[kerry22]

We're trying to reduce our home energy bills and it has been suggested that we replace our 12 year old Firebird 90/120 oil boiler with a new condensing type boiler plus solar panels for hot water. We have a 2 storey detached house, 310 sq. metres (3335 sq. ft) in the south-west. Any suggestions as to what combi oil/solar products work well together, are the most energy and cost effective. Is there a smart controller available on the domestic market that maximises efficiency? Any suggestions

 

[boozercruiser]

If you Google to the Worcester Bosch Website, at the moment
(Till December)they have a........................................................

FIVE YEAR GUARANTEE offer going on all Oil Fired Boilers..

You can then read up on all Worcester Boilers

 

[Corgigrouch]

I don't know how oil prices compare to electricity prices over there, but a lot of my newer customers are looking to ditch oil all together in favour of Ground or air source heat pumps... The down side is that they are a lot dearer to install, so you have to do the maths.

 

[kerry22]

If you Google to the Worcester Bosch Website, at the moment
(Till December)they have a........................................................

FIVE YEAR GUARANTEE offer going on all Oil Fired Boilers..

You can then read up on all Worcester Boilers

Will check it out. Thanks.

 

[kerry22]

I don't know how oil prices compare to electricity prices over there, but a lot of my newer customers are looking to ditch oil all together in favour of Ground or air source heat pumps... The down side is that they are a lot dearer to install, so you have to do the maths.

Thanks for your advice. Will check out alternatives. Electricity is expensive in Ireland but will explore air source heat pump option.

Thanks.

 

[kerry22]

Came across a very good website featuring all types of Boilers: www.boilers2go.co.uk with good discounts. Are there other good online central heating retailers?.

 

[Corgigrouch]

Have a word with your plumbers merchants... These online box shifters seem to offer good discounts but just for fun I took one boiler on their site... A Vaillant 837.. They claim to have a full retail of over £1700.. My Plumbcenter catalogue lists retail as £1186 and with discounts isn't much more than the site... Then they will sell you all the other bits.. Flue, timers etc.. That site is selling you this stuff at full retail to make their money back... A big discount doesn't mean that you are gonna save any money.. Just do the maths before you order..

My electricity is 3.4 times dearer than Natural gas so heat pumps and gas are neck and neck in terms of running costs.. Oil is a lot more costly than gas and so there will be a saving over time (Not yet worked it out on current oil and LPG prices yet) against electric only heating ( Which is a popular choice for home builders here) Heat pumps are a no brainer

 

[Agile]

If you have gas and can run a generator from the gas and use the waste heat THEN you can use a heat pump powered from the generator to give you a useful gain!

Thats the only time a heat pump will be beneficial!

The reason is that the National Grid have to waste 66% of the energy at the power station to heat up the atmosphere with massive cooling towers ( which contribute to global warming. )

You can use the waste heat from a gas powered generator beneficially.

However the practicalities are difficult to achieve. You need a water cooled generator which is rated for continuous operation from a gas supply. They are usually made in skid mounted units at about 30-60 kVA which is larger than any normal house would require. The electrical generating efficiency at a very light load would be much lower and would give more waste heat than a normal house would need.

Tony

 

[Agile]

The efficiency of standard oil boilers is much higher than gas!

You will only get a small extra benefit from a condensing oil boiler, perhaps 5-12% and the cost of a new boiler and installation is not usually justified on purely efficiency grounds.

Much better to spend a little to greatly improve insulation and draught proofing as this can give a return of 30% on the cost.

Solar hot water saves about £150-£200 ( against oil ) but costs about £4000 to professionally install. It has no payback time until fuel costs double or treble.

Tony

 

[Corgigrouch]

Tony... If they had gas, then why would they be using oil?

If they had gas, then they could have a gas powered heat pump..

I would argue that heat pumps are marginally cheaper to run than gas but has a very long payback time so this would make the advantage negligable when you take into account the loss in efficiency through cold periods. Is 4k what others are charging for solar? Blimey I'm too cheap

 

[muggles]

Is 4k what others are charging for solar? Blimey I'm too cheap

Nah it's just Tony's opinion of what should be charged...


We always fit Grant oil fired boilers, very efficient and seem to be very reliable. Grant also do a complete package including a twin coil unvented cylinder.

 

[Agile]

Solar installation:-

Two panels/tube assys £1400

Solar cylinder £900

Controls £240

Pipework £200

Labour £1260
---------
Total inc VAT £4000



Isn't that a typical quote?

 

[Corgigrouch]

Hmmm I think that those solar panels are supposed to be black not gold

By controller, do you mean the control unit and pumping station? The reason why I'm asking is that I really do feel that the price of panels is outrageous for what they are and I intend to construct my own collectors using an off the shelf controller and pump station.. Most of my installations have been on vented systems so I fit an albion twin coil copper cylinder which is a lot cheaper than an unvented