i should have listened

[totalshell]

after a customer ran me a sob story i agreed to fit a Ravenheat system boiler ( condensing)

the original was a baxi wmb system boiler, gravity fed with a zone valve and a small indirect cylinder

the cylinder though is unusual for although it has all the ususal fittings flow , return for CH and feed and supply for the DHw it also has a fitting similar to an immersion heater with a 15mm 'flow' and 'return' into a fitting near the top of the tank.

what is the unidentified fitting and what mods do i have to make to the pipework to make the system work ... cheers.

 

[JPC]

are you describing a thermal store effect set up...where someone has plumbed in a shower maybe ?

cold goes in...gets warmed up and comes out hot..all at mains pressure on a vented/normal cylinder

 

[ollski]

Is it still connected?, it sounds like a standard screw in heating coil sludge bucket things.

 

[Onetap]

Like this one?

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=35314&view=previous

I think they were called Salamanders, produced up to the mid-80s or so, in the days when 'short-coil' cylinders were usually fitted. They were intended to convert a direct cylinder to an indirect, or add additional heating surface to an indirect.

They were carp when new and it won't have improved with age. The heating coil area will still be small compared with a new BS cylinder.

Rip it out and recommend a new cylinder. The energy savings will pay for it. And cash in the copper.

 

[HarrogateGas]

Ahhh the ol' Hot rod system. Genius and awful all in the same thing!

 

[totalshell]

i certainly like the sound of the ' hot rod and indeed it does have some similarities.
however as well as the ' hot rod' there is an actual immersion heater ( electric) and what are almost certainly flow and return pipework for the central heating ( theya re only about 4 -6 inches apart) and it may follow that it is indeed a 'short' coil.
there is also certainly a cold feed from the tank at the very base of the cylinder which itself is approx 900 x 400.

 

[simond]

Sounds like the shower coil adaptor.

Copperform still make cylinders with these.

 

[totalshell]

sorted ladies and gents.. thank you very much

the 'item' certainly was a 'hot rod' the main coil was actually redundant and part of an earlier BBu central heating system.

with some chopping and cutting a 3 port diverter has been grafted on and the system is up and running

thanks again