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

[Corgigrouch]

OK then, if your hours are irregular, leave your hot water switched on constantly.... as you use the water the themostat will cause the boiler to heat the water while you are using it.... If you have solar thermal then you should have the largest cylinder that you can physically fit to store as much heat as possible... What size cylinder are you having fitted?

300lt, be good to use all the hot water up in the morning so the sun can heat it up in the day which is why I don't want to have the water on constantly.

Well have the heating on fixed times and be more regular or ask your installer to fit a timer with a one hour boost button.... Or have two cylinders fitted to make sure that you don't run out of hot water..... You are using 300 litres? what are you washing.....Livestock??

 

[Corgigrouch]

so are you saying you turn the stat up and down all the time for different temperatures???

Micky, she's using the thermostat to gauge the temperature... Turn it up a little to see when the light goes on.... when the light switches on then that is her cylinder temperature... Give or take.

I'd suggest that the OP uses three of the thermometers that Dan has suggested, one in the lower pocket, one in the upper pocket and one clipped to the outlet.... This way she can calculate moe accurately how much water she has and how many minutes she can spend in the shower when cross referenced with the shower flow and incoming mains water temp and cylinder outlet temperature....

 

[dubmuffin]

Thank you for all your helpful suggestions about my lifestyle

To clarify, I currently have a vented system with a twin coil solar hot water cylinder. The origianl system is old and the solar element added 5 yrs ago with the help of a generous council grant

I am moving shortly and having a new unvented system installed with a twin coil tank for the future installation of solar thermal when finances permit. We have chosen the 300lt as our current solar system has the capacity to generate much more hot water than the small cylinder can store.

Life might be too short for some, and solar might be uneconomical in our climate, and I should probably only shower after midnight, but all I wanted is to know how to see how hot the water in the cylinder is, like I do now, successfully keeping my water heating to the minimum.

 

[Corgigrouch]

Of course the easiest way of telling how hot your water is would be to turn on the hot tap and stick your finger into the stream of water...Simples!

 

[8aviashusband]

You could try buying a couple of cheap thermometers (similar to eBay #320784550136). Put the sensors in unused sensor pockets (if there are any), or strap them to pipework as close to the cylinder as possible (use thermal conductive paste and cable ties). Try one at the top HW outlet, and one lower down - if you have an unused solar coil, you could tuck one inside the upper connection, and wedge it there with a silicon bung. The cables can be extended with bell flex or burglar alarm cable, and the displays can go where you like - although a damp steamy bathroom won't improve them. That way, you can see whether you have a cylinder full of hot water or just the top half, and at what temperature. You won't invalidate the cylinder warranty, or defeat the cylinder safety systems. The boiler controls are untouched, and you won't have a dangerous system in your bathroom (display operates on 3v batteries). It won't cost the earth either.
Good luck!

 

[Norcon]

Oooh the woes of the unvented...