Heatrae Megaflo HE - Direct or Indirect?

[scook17]

I want to install, or have installed, a Heatrae Megaflo HE, but I don't understand what the difference between a direct and indirect system is. The direct one is about £200 quid cheaper, so this seems like a good bet, but how do I know which one I need?

I have an oil burning boiler on the ground floor, with an old gravity fed how water cylinder on the first floor. I assume the Megaflo goes where the old hot water tank went?

Sorry to ask dumb questions, I'm sure everyone knows the answer to this.

Kind Regards,
Shane Cook.

 

[spark]

I'm not a plumber or heating engineer.

I think the difference is that direct has electric elements built into the cylinder to heat the water. Therefore heated directly by the built in elements.

Indirect has basicly a coil of pipe which goes around inside the cylinder where hot water, heated by the boiler, is passed through which in turn heats the water stored inside the cylinder. Therefore heated indirectly by the boiler.

I'm sure the heating lads will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[spark]

Have a look here for more information.

 

[scook17]

Spark,

I've found a diagram here:

http://www.discountedheating.co.uk/...ed_Mains_Pressure_Hot_Water_Cylinders_77.html

The indirect system uses a coil by the look of things. I always seem to be quoted around the same price. Anyone suggest a better place to look for a decent price on these? Thanks.

Kind Regards,
Shane Cook.

 

[scook17]

I've just noticed the Heatrae Megaflo HE CL 300 L HE will cost me £1,021, and it's Titan equivilant just £586. So why twice the price? Has anyone installed the Titan one?

Kind Regards,
Shane Cook.

 

[oilman]

You may not install a Megaflow yourself. You MUST have it installed by a certified operator, and you MUST inform the local authority BEFORE it is installed. Omitting either of these is a CRIMINAL offence. Next, bear in mind that an unvented cylinder should be serviced annually, you've guessed it, by a certified operator. Living with an unvented cylinder is higher than other options.

Oil burners are my field, and for what it's worth, a thermal store, such as Gledhill or Albion provides a near match for the Megaflow, but does not have a large volume of water at high pressure.

Have you looked at thermalstores?

 

[DavyCrockett]

Just a word of caution on thermal stores. Having spoken to various manufacturers about them if you live in a hard water area be aware that they are prone to furring/scaling. If this is the case you could find that you need to get it cleaned/replace it every couple of years or fit a water softener to your mains.