Hi,
Just looking for a bit of advice on feasibility before getting someone in to price this up etc.
The current setup is:
A 2 bed ground floor flat with an open vented system serving 6 medium sized rads with a Fortic tank in the kitchen, the boiler being in a cupboard type construction in one of the bedrooms. Currently the boiler is controlled solely by a digital controller in the kitchen - no room stat and no TRVs
The bathroom has an electric shower (no bath). The only DHW outlets are 2 taps - bathroom and kitchen sinks (oddly enough )
For a while I've been wanting to do away with the tank in the kitchen, one because it's not pretty, two it's a pretty tiny kitchen and the space would be handy for another cupboard, three why keep a tank of hot water for a bit of washing up and a wash?
I was originally thinking of replacing the system boiler with a combi - which would clearly achieve the end - I would probably remove the electric shower and run it off the combi if I did.
The system has been running absolutely fault free for years and this all seems a bit unnecessary.
So here comes the feasibility bit......
Would it be possible to do away with the current DHW side of the current system - i.e. cut the pipes back, remove the tank and then only run the boiler on CH. (removing the DHW control wiring from the control box to prevent numpties turning it on!) ?
And then use something like a 15 litre undersink unvented electric water heater for the 2 hot taps?
e.g. http://www.dealec.co.uk/acatalog/Redring_EW_MW_Small_Unvented_Water_Heaters.html
I'm thinking of getting one of these fitted under the kitchen sink with about a 10 metre pipe run to the bathroom tap.
I don't think I would have a problem doing the removal of the tank and associated piping back to the boiler myself - deconstruction always being simpler than construction
But I understand that if these unvented cylinders are fitted incorrectly or with insufficient expansion etc they can become a little explosive. I've done a little reading around today and it seems there are 3 main safety devices employed depending on incoming mains pressure and proximity of the nearest cold take off. A PRV is always fitted, a T&PRV may be fitted for additional over temp/pressure relief, an expansion vessel may be required if there is insufficient pipe run to accept the expansion as the water heats up.
Question is - none of these seem overly expensive individually, so for safety's sake would it be worth for example getting an expansion vessel fitted even if theoretically the pipe run is sufficient for expansion in it's self?
Last question of what seems to have become a monologue.... who to do the installation? Plumber, Heating Engineer or Electrician? - or a combination as I suspect it will need an additional wiring spur running to the fuse board. What certification should I be expecting them to have?
If your still with me - thanks
Is any of this feasible or have I gone barking mad?
Cheers
Graham
Just looking for a bit of advice on feasibility before getting someone in to price this up etc.
The current setup is:
A 2 bed ground floor flat with an open vented system serving 6 medium sized rads with a Fortic tank in the kitchen, the boiler being in a cupboard type construction in one of the bedrooms. Currently the boiler is controlled solely by a digital controller in the kitchen - no room stat and no TRVs
The bathroom has an electric shower (no bath). The only DHW outlets are 2 taps - bathroom and kitchen sinks (oddly enough
)For a while I've been wanting to do away with the tank in the kitchen, one because it's not pretty, two it's a pretty tiny kitchen and the space would be handy for another cupboard, three why keep a tank of hot water for a bit of washing up and a wash?
I was originally thinking of replacing the system boiler with a combi - which would clearly achieve the end - I would probably remove the electric shower and run it off the combi if I did.
The system has been running absolutely fault free for years and this all seems a bit unnecessary.
So here comes the feasibility bit......
Would it be possible to do away with the current DHW side of the current system - i.e. cut the pipes back, remove the tank and then only run the boiler on CH. (removing the DHW control wiring from the control box to prevent numpties turning it on!) ?
And then use something like a 15 litre undersink unvented electric water heater for the 2 hot taps?
e.g. http://www.dealec.co.uk/acatalog/Redring_EW_MW_Small_Unvented_Water_Heaters.html
I'm thinking of getting one of these fitted under the kitchen sink with about a 10 metre pipe run to the bathroom tap.
I don't think I would have a problem doing the removal of the tank and associated piping back to the boiler myself - deconstruction always being simpler than construction
But I understand that if these unvented cylinders are fitted incorrectly or with insufficient expansion etc they can become a little explosive. I've done a little reading around today and it seems there are 3 main safety devices employed depending on incoming mains pressure and proximity of the nearest cold take off. A PRV is always fitted, a T&PRV may be fitted for additional over temp/pressure relief, an expansion vessel may be required if there is insufficient pipe run to accept the expansion as the water heats up.
Question is - none of these seem overly expensive individually, so for safety's sake would it be worth for example getting an expansion vessel fitted even if theoretically the pipe run is sufficient for expansion in it's self?
Last question of what seems to have become a monologue.... who to do the installation? Plumber, Heating Engineer or Electrician? - or a combination as I suspect it will need an additional wiring spur running to the fuse board. What certification should I be expecting them to have?
If your still with me - thanks
Is any of this feasible or have I gone barking mad?
Cheers
Graham
