Is it possible to add a hot water cylinder with immersion heater to a combi boiler

[51m0n]

Once again. Thanks for the responses.

Not sure which bit is "beyond DIY"?

I shouldn't have been so sweeping with my comment. What I meant was it would be "beyond DIY' for me. I can build a green oak barn but plumbing to this level is beyond me!

It's good also that people a questioning the cost including:

If you have a modern gas boiler, the cost of HW is so low that you will not recoup the cost of a solar energy diverter.

I realise I'm in danger of getting carried away here. Considering all the contributions here I think I'm going to proceed as follows:
• I'm going to stick with my relatively new combi-boiler for hot water but put it on a timer so that it does NOT come on unnecessarily during the day (and night) to keep its internal hot water tank hot when we don't need hot water
• And relax a bit about the electricity I'm exporting to the grid with very little return.

Thanks again for a great discussion. It's really helped get my thoughts in order on this.

 

[JohnD]

try to use your solar power for those things that can only use electricity.

without obsessing, try to run your washer and oven (and especially tumble-drier) during hours of daylight, and preferably when it's sunny. the washer and dwr only run the heater for about ten minutes during the heating part of the cycle, but the drier can use up to 3kW for an hour or more (unless yours has a heat pump).

nothing else uses as much, apart from electric heaters or an electric car charger

if you can lay your hands on some discarded storage heaters for nothing, you can heat them during the day to release heat during the evening and night. however, in winter, when you most need them, there is very little sunlight in the UK. It is not worth spending money on the gadgets.

 

[gas112]

Once again. Thanks for the responses.




I realise I'm in danger of getting carried away here. Considering all the contributions here I think I'm going to proceed as follows:
• I'm going to stick with my relatively new combi-boiler for hot water but put it on a timer so that it does NOT come on unnecessarily during the day (and night) to keep its internal hot water tank hot when we don't need hot water

look in the manual it may simply be the press of a button to turn the preheat off you dont want to be constantly interrupting the live power supply to the boiler

 

[StephenStephen]

You might want to look into getting onto an Octopus agile export tariff - it's paying us over 40p/kWh for our excess solar PV at the moment - and anyone with an Octopus account can get you a £50 referral for joining. You do have to use one of their import tariffs, but they're pretty competitive (Agile import is pretty good)

 

[51m0n]

You might want to look into getting onto an Octopus agile export tariff - it's paying us over 40p/kWh for our excess solar PV at the moment - and anyone with an Octopus account can get you a £50 referral for joining. You do have to use one of their import tariffs, but they're pretty competitive (Agile import is pretty good)

Thanks for this. I'm already on Octopus Go (for the Electric Car) and am looking in to Agile...

 

[StephenStephen]

Thanks for this. I'm already on Octopus Go (for the Electric Car) and am looking in to Agile...

Unfortunately they won't let you be on Go and agile outgoing at the same time.

 

[OvertonPlumber]

P. V Panels are quite effective to feed into an uprated immersion heater on either a vented or unvented cylinder. They will provide all your hot water when the sun is out. But will reduce your feed in tariff export as your panels on a good day would just about create enough power for the immersion (3kw.).
No brainer if you already have a hot water tank.

 

[SUNRAY]

What would you recommend, in that case?

Well, if they're not drawing hot water from the cylinder... stop heating it.