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Boiler hot tank pipe runs


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Are there any guidelines on where boilers should be situated in terms of longest run to radiator or UFH manifold.  Likewise the same for a DHW tank and its proximity to bathrooms/en-suites etc as well as to its heating source.  My bungalow is a non-traditional design and can only be described as a Z stretched left to right with one block being living and the other being sleeping.

This is probably aimed at Nick but welcome to others to contribute as always.

Floor attached hopefully helps

floor_plan.jpg

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Could Store 2 not house the boiler and UFH manifold as its bang in the centre of the building..? Store 1 would seem a likely candidate for DHW cylinder unless there is a pumped circuit from the tank - assuming its in Boiler & Plant..? 

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Store 2 will probably be used for UFH manifold. 

Hot water tank could go in store 1/2, plant room or in the loft above the bedroom block out of the way and leave more space in the store room.  

The boiler I am unsure where it will go, it will likely be oil (no gas in this part of NI) and I am hesitant to contain it within the house/living areas but not sure if there are significant downfalls with having it in the boiler/plantroom.

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29 minutes ago, vfrdave said:

I am hesitant to contain it within the house/living areas but not sure if there are significant downfalls with having it in the boiler/plantroom.

I'm from NI and at Easter was visiting my brother who has moved to Copenhagen, in their basement (3/4 of which was below ground and which has 3 bedrooms in it) they had a plant room which housed not only the pellet boiler and oil boiler, but also the oil tank!!  Had pipes to the outside at ground level to be filled.

They didn't use it but apparently it is pretty common.

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I don't see a problem with a long run between boiler and UFH manifiold or HW tank. With those you are not concerned with speed of response.

The critical thing is short runs from HW tank to  hot taps, unless you are planning a hot water circulation system.

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+1

My initial DHW plan was to have a 300L UVC in the utility, the idea being heat loss from the cylinder would contribute to clothes airer drying.  The problem with that plan was a 20m pipe run between utility and bathroom, which would mean (unless I fitted an HRC) long delays on drawing DHW for hand washing (less critical for shower or bath use), and big pipe losses.  

After a great deal of thinking I abandoned that plan and intend instead to fit a 4 cell SunampPV in a bathroom cupboard to service the two bathrooms which are back to back.  Doing this means I'll virtually eliminate pipe losses and significantly reduce 'cylinder' losses (useful in winter, a nuisance in summer), plus have the benefit of near instant hot water at the taps.  For the kitchen and utility I plan a small undersink 10 or 15 litre water heater.  All DHW will be off peak electric, which to all intents and purposes is equal to the cost of heating DHW with a heat pump and topping it up with immersion.  The reduced losses will pay for the higher captial cost of the Sunamp over the course of 8 - 10 years. 

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The tank in store one or two and the boiler in the boiler room doesn't look disastrous.

One issue I would watch is noise, maybe someone with more plumbing expertise can help on this.

In my current house when the boiler fires up I am never quite sure if I am just hearing the boiler or if I am hearing the water flowing in the ceiling between the boiler on the ground floor and the tank upstairs. No doubt the developers who built my current house never thought to try and sound proof the pipework.

So having the boiler in the boiler room would mean you can't hear it running but perhaps you would have to make sure you couldn't hear the water above you running to the tank. Maybe it's more just a matter of detailing and if done properly you don't have to worry.

I should add I am very sensitive to this kind of noise, other people might not notice it.

Edited by AliG
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Well the water flow from the boiler to the tank and UFH manifold will have to be pumped, so put the pump(s) in the boilerhouse. We certainly don't hear any noise from the boiler at the tank or UFH manifolds, but remember each manifold will have its own pump. I very nearly put one of the UFH manifolds in a bedroom wardrobe (as it was nice and central) until I realised it had its own pump, then I said no way, it's going in the airing cupboard in the bathroom (less central but I don't care about pump noise there)

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13 hours ago, mafaldina said:

What prices are the Sunamps coming in at the moment?

Best, Mafalda

They are still offering them at buy one get a second half price.  £1700 for a single unit, £2550 for two.  I'm just waiting for a firm price on a 4 cell unit, which will be somewhere in between.

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£2.5k for 2 units does make them quite attractive. That's apparently around the equivalent of a 360ltr 'wet' TS. 

58 minutes ago, Stones said:

I'm just waiting for a firm price on a 4 cell unit, which will be somewhere in between.

Be interesting to find out how much, exactly. What are the possible heat inputs with a 4-cell ? Still only direct electric?

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:S

i literally just picked my iPhone up to say I haven't forgotten about this thread. Just it needs a proper looking at and this week has been hectic meeting a deadline for today. 

Just sitting down with a grolsch with the kids going nuts up the garden and the bbq is stuffed with the entire contents of old macdonalds farm........so as soon as they're all fed and darted I'll have a look and get some ideas for you :)

just as I was enjoying a post-graft Coors, the phone went with 2 bathrooms and a kitchen, which i thought weren't coming off, and guess what.....they all asked me "how soon can you fit us in, we're ready to proceed"............

the joy of self employment ??

 

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Will it be a cold or warm roof over the sleeping quarters? I've done a couple of horizontal uvc's but you'll also ( with an uvc ) need a small buffer for the space heating to compliment the oil boiler. 

What vertical space do you have in the attic at the internal ridge point? Eg max height to stand a 700mm dia cylinder and if desirable it would need to be over an internal wall, ideally where two intersect. 

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Roof type undecided but likely cold, height wise I haven't looked in great detail but should be 2m at the max point.

In terms of demand again hadn't looked at that not even sure how to work it out. There are 4 of us me being the only male! Kids are both under 4 currently so who knows.

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An UVC has a coil that introduces heat, and the cylinder is full of the heated water that will flow out of your taps. 

A TS is full of central heating ( primary ) water, and has a coil to glean heat in order to produce dhw instantaneously. 

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