Help with Megaflo water and Dimplex heating

[hayley_e]

Hi all, I have looked around for an answer to my question but can't seem to find the right answer.

Basically I've just moved into a new flat and I've been here about 4 weeks now. I live in the flat with my partner and we both have full time jobs. We are experiencing 3 main problems:

i) after one 6-8 min shower and doing one half a sink full of washing dishes we have no hot water. The hot water come back after about 15-20 minutes but it's a considerable pain as if my boyfriend showers in the morning there is never enough water for me. And even if I leave showering to the evening it runs out before I can finish washing my hair!

ii) the second problem is that when we run the hot taps it takes approx 8 minutes for the water to run semi warm - at first ti comes out stone cold. As we are on a water meter I am very wary that this is costing me money and also a complete waste of water! Also when the hot water does come out it's about 300oC too hot!

iii) the third problem is that we have these electric radiators, which is a first for me. Now, I know how to turn them on and off (very simple!) but have no idea how to operate them on a timer - which is a bit annoying as there is no one home in the day meaning the flat is like an ice block for about 2 hours after returning home!

Now, I don't know the first thing about heating and water and this flat is different to other places as I've always had a combi boiler.

Anyway, from what I can gather the boiler type thing (I think maybe an unvented cylinder?) is a Heatrae Sadia MegaFlo, but I can't find a model number. I know this is vague so I have uploaded some pictures here:

Now the heating is even stranger as there are 3 dimplex radiators (sorry don't know model for definate but had a look on their website and I think they are Calidou type radiators) but only 2 have the same switches - there is also a random radiator; again I do not know the make or model. But I think this radiator is unlinked to the others?

Again here are the pictures:

Any help is greatly appreciated - I am just very sorry that this question has been so vague. Out letting agent have been useless!

Thanks

Hayley.

 

[manortim]

i've has quite a lot of issues with these units. they work on E7 electric tarriff but i've seen lots just wired into the normal mains and ran on a timer to get the slightly cheaper night time electric not the proper E7 cheap electric.

to solve the hot water amount, i simply replaced the elements and the stats with new ones, i tried to just replace the stats but the problem came back soon after. switching the element/stat has solved the issue.

with these hot cylinders there is a device that can be install into the waste water system, basically it is a secion of pipe work that wraps around the waste from the bathroom stack, it then draws the latent heat from the waste waste (shower water @ 30+degrees) into the cold supply to the cylinder, raising the temp of the incoming cold +10degrees = less energy to raise the incoming cold needed by the cylinder element = less cost to you. NOT really suitable for all situations but a VERY good idea.

the issue with running the hot kitchen tap and getting lots of cold water is called a 'dead leg'. it could be caused by a stupidly long cold pipe run 0R maybe something to do with a a dish washer/washing machine valve sending cold mains down the hot flow?

 

[hayley_e]

I've just checked my electric and as I thought we are on a normal meter..... will this have any effect?

 

[manortim]

only on the HUGE bill you will get. my mate is in the SAME situaion as you, him and his g/f live in a ground floor flat, not enough hot water for them both and HUGE electric bills. (but no oil/gas bills) i am going to be getting him a new element when i can.

regards the hot/cold kitchen tap, if you can, try to turn off any washing machine valves under the sink.

 

[hayley_e]

I also live in a ground floor flat - no gas here either. When you say huge bill - how much are we talking about?? Why is this boiler being used if it's not the right one??

 

[sturharv]

You do find this alot in flats (easier not to run any gas in and cheaper - but not for you!)

The cylinder may be undersized which is why you are running out of hot water, also these electric unit take alot longer to reheat, a combi would be better (think of all that water you have to keep up to temp using electric to heat it).

You can put a thermostatic mixing valve on the hot outlet to preset the HW temp so it is not scalding (its only a small valve)

 

[hayley_e]

I just got my first bill - for a 26 day period I've been charged £97!

That's 2 adults in full time work who only use the cooker once a day and have no tumble dryer and don't use the dishwasher! Plus we've been in Paris for 4 days and at my parents for 5 days and away for another weekend! So realistically we've spent nearly £100 on electric when appliance have only been used for approx 15 days and by "appliances" I mean 2 showers a day, 2 loads of clothes washing a week, cooker on each night for between 15 and 60 mins and probably 1 sink full of dishes each day, oh and the BLASTED HEATING!

Nightmare. Any advice on how I can lower these costs would be most helpful!

 

[sturharv]

Certainly check what time your hot water is timed to come on and go off, plus use your electric heaters sparingly, learn how they are controlled

 

[hayley_e]

Well I have been trying to do that but can't see any sort of timer for the water (can you in the pics?). And I have the same situation with my heating - I have found a manual on the net for the heaters but it does not make a lot of sense to me.

The situation is so frustrating! Maybe I should get my rubbish letting agent to pay towards the bills!

 

[sturharv]

Looks like a Megaflo cylinder. There should be a timer control unit somewhere which enables you to set the time when you want the hot water 'on' or 'off'. It may be that its set to be on continuously! rather than on 6-8am and say 6-9pm??