new unvented cylinder - how to tell what the temp is?

[dubmuffin]

Hi,

I am about to get an unvented sytem installed in a new house. I currently have a (much loved) vented system with an external cylinder thermostat. I can use it to see if there is enough hot water for a shower for example, without having to put the heating on. My installer says that the unvented cylinder has a thermostat to set the max temp, but no way of measuring how hot the water actually is in the cylinder. This makes me think I will end up putting the heating on more often just to make sure I don't run out halfway through a shower. Does anyone know if an external temperature guage can be added?

thanks
Claire

 

[dcawkwell]

You set the temperature of the cylinder to 60 degrees.
All you will be able to tell is when the tank hits 60 degrees.

 

[dubmuffin]

Oh dear, that seems like a step backwards, especially as I will have to trek to the garage to find out if the temp has reached, now I just glance at the thermostat on the bathroom wall. Can an external temp gauge be added somehow?

 

[ALEC1]

well if you are including the boiler and its a vaillant or viessmann vitodens 200 then you will be fine.. you can set the target temperature on the controller....but you must use the proprietary controllers...

 

[David937]

Surely the OP can just use an external cylinder stat on the new unvented cylinder like he has on the vented one?

 

[dcawkwell]

Oh dear, that seems like a step backwards, especially as I will have to trek to the garage to find out if the temp has reached, now I just glance at the thermostat on the bathroom wall. Can an external temp gauge be added somehow?

Personally I would go for a glow worm ultrapower boiler.
A cross between cylinder and combi.
Run out of cylinder and it will keep supplying at combi rates.
All in one package as well.
You can also switch the cylinder off and just use it as combi and it
has immersion as backup on cylinder.

 

[dcawkwell]

Surely the OP can just use an external cylinder stat on the new unvented cylinder like he has on the vented one?

Nope.
Unvented cylinder come within steel case. No messing with that if you want
to keep your warranty.

 

[dubmuffin]

Surely the OP can just use an external cylinder stat on the new unvented cylinder like he has on the vented one?

Hi David,

That's what I am hoping. The cylinder is a Albion Ultrasteel 300lt twin coil (to accommodate solar water in the future). Will there be a facility to take a temperature feed from it? Engineer seems to think this is an unusual request, but is looking into it

 

[dcawkwell]

Surely the OP can just use an external cylinder stat on the new unvented cylinder like he has on the vented one?

Hi David,

That's what I am hoping. The cylinder is a Albion Ultrasteel 300lt twin coil (to accommodate solar water in the future). Will there be a facility to take a temperature feed from it? Engineer seems to think this is an unusual request, but is looking into it

Solar waste of time and money in this country. Will never pay for itself.
Solar panels yes but only because of the massive government grants.

 

[Corgigrouch]

OP are you saying that you have a THERMOMETER attached to your cylinder that reads in your bathroom? There is a difference between a thermometer and a thermostat

 

[David937]

Maybe he has something like this:

http://www.uk-plumbing.com/drayton-digistat-plusc-wireless-cylinder-thermostat-p-54080.html

 

[dubmuffin]

OP are you saying that you have a THERMOMETER attached to your cylinder that reads in your bathroom? There is a difference between a thermometer and a thermostat

It is a thermostat that tells me the temperature of the water inside the cylinder. It is used to set the max temp of the water heating and is connected to the motorised valve, so when temp is reached, the boiler switches off. I can also use it to guage the water temp, e.g. turn it down a bit until the "reached" red light comes on indicating cylinder temp

 

[dubmuffin]

Maybe he has something like this:

http://www.uk-plumbing.com/drayton-digistat-plusc-wireless-cylinder-thermostat-p-54080.html[/QUOTE]

That's interesting David, the new cylinder will have its own inbuilt thermostat to set the max temp so it depends whether it has an option to fit this sensor to that, another poster thinks not. It doesn't need to control the temperature, just monitor it.

 

[Corgigrouch]

OP are you saying that you have a THERMOMETER attached to your cylinder that reads in your bathroom? There is a difference between a thermometer and a thermostat

It is a thermostat that tells me the temperature of the water inside the cylinder. It is used to set the max temp of the water heating and is connected to the motorised valve, so when temp is reached, the boiler switches off. I can also use it to guage the water temp, e.g. turn it down a bit until the "reached" red light comes on indicating cylinder temp

Right, so it doesn't tell you the temperature, you set the required temperature, the heating warms the water until it reaches its set point... You just flick it up and down to estimate at what temperature your water is by means of the red light..... And this non IP rated thermostat is in your bathroom... Yes?

 

[picasso]

Why bother ? the unvented cylinder will be well insulated loosing very little heat, leave the programmer on constant and you will never run out of hot water and the extra cost will be minimal if any.