Upgrade a non 3 way valve system

[DILLIGAF1]

Hi all

First post so be gentle!!!! Anyway here goes.

Current components:

Programmer - AMF Venner dial type separate hot water/heating controls

Hot water cylinder stat - Danfoss Ravi Plunger style

Room Stat - Honeywell T6360B

Gravity fed system with Baxi back boiler.

I want to upgrade the system so that i can have heating and hot water on independently. Upgrade the programmer, change cylinder stat to one that attaches to the tank and change the room stat to an RF one.

I believe for independent operation I require a 3 port valve? What do you suggest? with regards to components and system redesign / cost?

Can it be done at all??!!!

Any and all advice gratefully received.

 

[D_Hailsham]

Gravity system?? Do you mean that you have a F/E tank in the loft? (that is a big tank for cold water to the taps/HW cylinder and a small tank which feeds the CH system).

I take it you do have a pump

If it is in the CH circuit only then your cheapest option is to convert to a C-plan. This puts a motorized zone valve in the HW circuit controlled by a thermostat on the HW cylinder. It is still gravity HW

If the pump feeds both CH and HW you can convert to either S-plan or Y plan.

Details are all three plans are available Here

 

[DILLIGAF1]

Thanks for the reply.

It is gravity fed and i do have feed and expansion tanks in the loft.

I do have a pump in the airing cupboard. A pipe comes up through the floor from the boiler? into the pump. Above the pump is what looks like a vent valve. The pipe then splits into two and goes back down through the floor boards.

Does this mean i have pumped hot water/heating or just heating?

 

[D_Hailsham]

It is gravity fed and i do have feed and expansion tanks in the loft.

If you have a F/E tank it is called an open vented system not a gravity system. Confusing, but "gravity" is used, badly, to describe the way the water circulates round the system due to the difference in density between hot and cold water, not the way the system is filled from the F/E tank.

I do have a pump in the airing cupboard. A pipe comes up through the floor from the boiler? into the pump. Above the pump is what looks like a vent valve. The pipe then splits into two and goes back down through the floor boards.

Where do the two branches go? Does one go to the HW cylinder? If not can you trace the pipework to the HW cylinder from the boiler?

If one branch goes to the HW cylinder, you have a pumped CH and HW system. This can easily be converted to a Y ( one mid pos valve at the T junction) or S plan (one 2-port valve in each branch after the T junction)

If the HW is on a completely different circuit, you have pumped CH/"gravity" HW. A C-plan would be the cheapest option, unless you want to convert to fully pumped - new pipes etc.

Does this mean i have pumped hot water/heating or just heating?

See above

A pic or two would be helpful - post them (free) to tinypic.com then put the IMG address they give you in your reply.

 

[DILLIGAF1]

Both branches go back down to the boiler from the pump.

The only pipes going to the hot water cylinder are one from the roof which goes in at the bottom. one pipe that comes off the top which branches through the roof and through the floor. another pipe that goes into the bottom of the tank which has the danfoss stat on it.

I have had a quote for £800-£1000 +VAT for the conversion to Y plan, includes pump, 3 way valve room and tank stats etc, plus a new hot water cylinder and new 50 gal cold tank in the loft.

Is this a good/fair price?

I will try and upload pics tomorrow.

 

[D_Hailsham]

Both branches go back down to the boiler from the pump.

That does not make any sense A pipe comes out of the boiler, goes into a pump, splits in two after the pump and both branches go back to the boiler Where are the rads connected

The only pipes going to the hot water cylinder are one from the roof which goes in at the bottom.

Cold feed from the Cold water tank (big one)

one pipe that comes off the top which branches through the roof and through the floor

Hot water to the taps etc. The branch through the roof is a vent pipe which should hang over the Cold Water tank.

another pipe that goes into the bottom of the tank which has the danfoss stat on it.

This is the return to the boiler, or it should be

There is one pipe missing There needs to be a hot feed from the boiler into the cylinder about halfway up. Have you checked round the back of the cylinder.

I have had a quote for £800-£1000 +VAT for the conversion to Y plan, includes pump, 3 way valve room and tank stats etc, plus a new hot water cylinder and new 50 gal cold tank in the loft.

Is this a good/fair price?

£800 sounds reasonable, but make sure it is a written quote detailing what will be done, not just an estimate. Also get two more quotes so you can compare; but make sure they are all for exactly the same work.

I will try and upload pics tomorrow.

They will be interesting

 

[DILLIGAF1]

Here are the pictures:



Behind the wood supports for the shower pump are where the pipe from the pump splits in two and goes through the floor.








Can you work out where the pipes come from two? etc

Thanks.

 

[stardanny]

By looking at the pic, it is a gravity hot water controlled by a thermostat valve ( 28mm ) and pumped heating ( 22mm ), the pump might be fitted in airing cupboard to make it easier to service. ( not the shower pump, the pump just below that.)

Dan.