ProDave

It will be a while before I fight this battle (still fighting others) but I will let you know the outcome.

I don't want to sound like a part pooper, but there is no way a 6kWp solar PV system is going to provide all your energy needs. It will make a dent in your bills but do not kid yourself you will be anywhere near self sufficient. Absolutely no point in MCS. Just you or your roofer fit the panels and get any competent electrician to connect them. The DNO notification thing is not just a case of being "lazy" Up to an output of 3.68kW you can fit the panels and notify the DNO and they have no choice but accept it. Above that you have to get prior permission from the DNO and they might or might not make a charge for network upgrades. I asked the question of SSE where we are and I never got as far as requesting a quote as they made it clear there would be a charge. Solar PV without any FIT payments is marginally viable if you just have to buy the kit and connect it. If there was an additional DNO upgrade charge, that would almost certainly imho make in not worthwhile, which is why I stuck at 3.68kW

Do you feel inclined to post some pictures so we might get an idea what complies or not? The major things are Structure. BC will probably want the structure exposed so they can see if it is adequate and possibly structural engineers calculations. Insulation: Proof the walls and roof are insulated to required standards. Windows and fire escapes, a window will need to be a maximum height from the floor and a minimum opening to be used as a fire exit. Stairs will need to comply with normal stair rules of width, steepness and headroom. Fire doors if it is a loft conversion of a 2 storey property making it now 3 storeys.

Perfect Not only does it show a non opening window, it also males it clear the distances are measured from the gas valve on the cylinder, not the top of the handle. So I suspect I would be okay even if my windows opened. So I will proceed on that basis that I now have a pretty picture to show BC when they object and grounds to argue it.

Good job I didn't read that bit then. On the occasions when the water is hotter (excess solar PV) I don't have to adjust the shower temperature so it is regulating properly regardless of input temperature.

I am using a Hudson Reid concealed mixer valve that is operating correctly with 48 degree hot water.

This page https://www.calor.co.uk/home-energy/new-to-lpg/my-options/lpg-installation-options?tabname=lpg-cylinders Makes reference to the distance sideways to windows, air bricks etc being measured from a "gas bottle valve" not the edge of a cylinder. Now if only I could find a reference to the vertical distance to a window being measured from the valve rather than the drawings implying the top of the cylinder handle?

Yes another hour of nothing. Not even poured any concrete yet. That will be the whole of the next episode. What's the betting the concrete lorry gets stuck in the mud?

Yes but I can feel the blood pressure rising as I bang my head against a brick wall talking to a stubborn BCO. It just adds to the "after completion" list.......

Is the dimmer suitable for LED? As a test fit ONE halogen lamp as a trial.

That worked well NOT. I submitted my query only to get a 403 Forbidden error.

Did I miss a bit? I only see reference to "opening windows" in the calor document, is there a reference to "non opening" or "sealed" windows that I missed?

I am convinced (from my previous dealings many years ago) that you could have a non opening non vented window right behind the cylinder and it would be allowed, but I cannot find anything that actually shows that. My BC is a "show me where it says you can" kind of person where I am arguing the "show me where it says you can't" So unless I can find anything showing a non opening window right behind the cylinders I am stuck.

I don't have any 19kg cylinders. If I have to do that I will but I would probably have to pay a hire charge on yet 2 more cylinders as last time I tried to swap cylinder sizes Calor would not play ball. So I will stick to 47kg unless it become an insurmountable issue.

Yes I think I will just raise the bottom of my windows slightly so they are 300mm above the top of the cylinders, and if they get arsey on completion, swap them for the shorter 19kg cylinders (and swap them straight back again)

And what re heats the tank in the day if you get low on HW?

I guess if I were to game the system, I could install a pair of 19kg cylinders which being so short would easily give ample clearance under the window however you measure the 300mm height, and swap them (back) for 47kg cylinders later. They way I am feeling about BC just now I just might do that.

So close, BUT that 300mm above the cylinders is not very clear. I have That implies it is above the regulator that is an unspecified distance above the top of the cylinder? the picture in post 4 shows the 300mm is above the top of the cylinder.

I think that refers to things at ground level e.g an opening to a basement just like a non trapped drain must be 2m from the cylinders. An opening window on a wall as shown on that pretty picture above can be 1M from the cylinders and it implies, though does not clearly show, if less than 1M horizontally from the cylinders must be 300mm above. I guess what I am seeking to show my dumb BC officer is something that shows a non opening window can be anywhere, or at least that an opening window can be directly above the cylinders as long as it is 300mm above them. Unfortunately that picture shows the window that is 300mm above them off to one side by an unspecified distance. I guess I should just throw it back to them and say "you show me where it says I CAN'T" but I would like to search a bit more for better documentary evidence first.

No. There are rules on pits due to Propane being heavier than air, so you are not allowed cylinders "underground" the best I can do is paving slabs level with the ground. Unless I can find a document or drawing that shows non opening windows I will have to go with raising my window heights slightly which will make the windows slightly smaller. At the moment it is a bare shell so it is easy to block up the window opening to make it a bit smaller. It is a good job I had not already got the windows here or I would now be stuck with no sollution.

This is what Scottish building regs say (no pretty picture) So 1M horizontally to my air bricks. No untgrapped drains within 2M And 300mm vertically to an "opening" So if my windows open, they must be 300mm above the cylinders. but the thing I can't get an answer on and BC are arguing, is does a fixed, non opening, sealed window count as an "opening" in the building. My BC officer says yes. It looks like my only certain route is raise the window height slightly so the windows are all 300mm above the cylinders, then the argument of whether they are an "opening" or not goes away. But I would love to find something that either shows or states clearly that a fixed non opening window is not an "opening"

I am not sure I understand that as the fan of an ASHP is nowhere near the water tank so how will it stir up particles?

No it is not, otherwise there would be fields of them and no housing shortage.

A few points and questions. Generally an ASHP will not heat the UFH at the same time as it is heating DHW. Because they are generally lower power than say a gas boiler they stop doing space heating to put all their energy into DHW. So No 1 make sure you are not asking the DHW to heat up at the same time, set that for different times. Next have a look at the UFH manifold. There should be a temperature gauge on that and a blending valve to set the temperature of the water going into the floor pipes. You might need to adjust that to put more heat into the floors. I still don't think the installers have "finished" because the point of adjusting the flow rate to each of the floor loops is to balance the system so all rooms heat up at the same time. If one room heats up very quickly, reduce the flow rate the the loops in that room. If another room is particularly slow, increase the flow rate to that rooms pipes.

Yes another here who heats the DHW to 48 degrees with the heat pump. the only time it gets heated hotter is when there is surplus solar PV to dump into the immersion heater. The conclusion of the debate was if it is mains treated water into an unvented tank, it will be free of bacteria, because it is sealed in an UVC nothing can get in, and there is enough residue of chlorine to keep it clean, so no legionairs is possible. Different matter if it is borehole or other private water and a vented water tank.