Installing a backboiler to existing Oil fired Open Vent system.

[Steve shuff]

Hi All,
Last year I installed an open vented oil fired CH system also serving the DHW in our cottage .
This was commissioned by a local engineeer who was impressed with my DIY skills , It does help that
I trained as an electrician/plumber upon leaving school some 40 years ago.

Now, hopefully my next plan will help with the fuel cost .
We have a 12 KW woodburning stove (No back boiler) and I am contemplating adding a back boiler and plumbing this into the CH system so we can run some or possibly all the radiators from the woodburner,
I have not seen much information on this on the internet omn this ! ( although I,ve not had a thorough look yet).
The woodburner is a Stovax , Stockton 11 which throws out plenty of heat into the room and I thought what a waste to not heat the rads from this if possible.

What are your thoughts on this please , I am sure some of you have gone down this road .


Best regards

 

[oldbutnotdead]

It's all doable, search in this forum, you'll find several discussions.
Quick precis;
If you can get free firewood (or free smokeless) then you can cover installation costs. If you are paying for your fuel then forget it- at current rates gas per usable kWh is still far cheaper, oil probably is too.
To most effectively harness the energy from the woodburner you'll need a thermal store, v wise to fit a loading valve as well. You can link your oil boiler etc to the store in several ways- again search thermal store in this forum.

 

[Steve shuff]

Thanks for the reply. We are pretty much off grid up here in the wilds. We have electricity but no gas , water is from a spring and a well. The oil delivery only occurs in the summer when the track is ok for the tanker. Wood is in abundance hence my thoughts on the back boiler.. I will follow your suggestion regarding seeking info. Thanks again.