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Gearing Up For A Temporary UFH Buffer


Onoff

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1 hour ago, PeterW said:

Probably because it is wired as 2 zones, upstairs and downstairs. A lot of systems are done like this so they can use the zone valve micro switch as a call for heat to the boiler. 
 

For yours I would go straight in with the Salus self balancing actuators as they will control the return temps better as you have a more “leaky” house. 
 

Are you keeping Rads upstairs ..??

 

The intent is to keep the rads upstairs. Issue?

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45 minutes ago, Onoff said:

 

The intent is to keep the rads upstairs. Issue?


Nope so you will have 2 zones, and 2 zone valves. One for rads upstairs and one for the UFH manifold supply. 
 

Decided on that thermal store yet ...?? You know you want to ..... 

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Thermal store is only really advisable if there will ( eventually ) be PV? Not great to keep a very high temp device hot all year round just to do the dishes. The bigger delta is going to be an issue, exaggerating the standing losses, and more of a concern without the intervention of PV divert.
UVC for me here ( so the target temp can be reduced as much as poss ) plus a small ‘heating buffer’ ( eg seasonal heat loss minimised ) would suit boyo better as oil prices ain’t going to go down long term. 

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  • 1 month later...

@JFDIY, ref your question on my other thread why I can't connect my bathroom up.

 

In the bathroom I have a UFH loop and a towel rail both run in 16mm PEX-AL-PEX. The tails run out into the adjacent "stairs" room. Unconnected as yet! The stairs room floor is coming up and being dug down to have insulation underneath. The rough plan is to feed a buffer tank and have a UFH manifold in the stairs room. This manifold (pretty much central to the house) will feed out to UFH loops in other rooms. 

 

All I have in terms of an existing CH system to tap into is a 3/4" nominal bore, single pipe system, (so no flow and return). I've recently put a ball valve both ends of the run I'm going to tap into.

 

IMG_20210106_210358.thumb.jpg.3e46bba493040e737e1beaa7758141d3.jpg

 

Quite where I go from here is still up for discussion! ?

 

If it was up to me I'd have dug the floor up/down by now but SWMBO vetoed it for the moment.

 

Just sitting here on the vodka again and seriously wondering at the feasibility of digging down and having the buffer tank under the floor.....

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1 hour ago, Onoff said:

Just sitting here on the vodka again and seriously wondering at the feasibility of digging down and having the buffer tank under the floor.....


No, just no... 

 

Drink the vodka and go to bed. And forget about a tank under the floor..! How would you drain it down for starters ..??!!

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11 minutes ago, PeterW said:


No, just no... 

 

Drink the vodka and go to bed. And forget about a tank under the floor..! How would you drain it down for starters ..??!!

 

Dig another hole next to it? ?

 

I'm afraid sleep is eluding me at the moment. 

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8 hours ago, Onoff said:

@JFDIY

 

In the bathroom I have a UFH loop and a towel rail both run in 16mm PEX-AL-PEX. The tails run out into the adjacent "stairs" room. Unconnected as yet! The stairs room floor is coming up and being dug down to have insulation underneath. The rough plan is to feed a buffer tank and have a UFH manifold in the stairs room. This manifold (pretty much central to the house) will feed out to UFH loops in other rooms. 

 

All I have in terms of an existing CH system to tap into is a 3/4" nominal bore, single pipe system, (so no flow and return). I've recently put a ball valve both ends of the run I'm going to tap into.

 

IMG_20210106_210358.thumb.jpg.3e46bba493040e737e1beaa7758141d3.jpg

 

Quite where I go from here is still up for discussion! ?

Gosh, I'm confused by that lot, why can't you just tap back into the return and not have a buffer tank? 

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35 minutes ago, JFDIY said:

Gosh, I'm confused by that lot, why can't you just tap back into the return and not have a buffer tank? 

Exactly my thoughts... it’ll be fine for the time being and at least there will be heat in the bathroom. I guess the UFH will just need a blending valve and pump to make sure it doesn’t get too hot. 

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1 hour ago, JFDIY said:

Gosh, I'm confused by that lot, why can't you just tap back into the return and not have a buffer tank? 

 

How confused? A room with a towel rail in and a UFH loop under the floor. In the next room the old fashioned single pipe system passes across, buried in the floor.

 

There is no return per se. 

 

The UFH loop would be too hot surely? Risk of cracking the floor tiles maybe? 

Edited by Onoff
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3 minutes ago, Onoff said:

There is no return per se. 

 

The UFH loop would be too hot surely? Risk of cracking the floor tiles maybe? 

 

Bring a new return to the room, in Flexi if needed, tap towel rad in in regulated, then ufh manifold with blending valve and pump for the ufh, you'll need it when you do the rest anyway? Or grab a single zone one of eBay for now, you see used ones for under £100 quite often perhaps with more ports but they can be blanked

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Second thought can't you buy the pumpset and mixer you want long term, without manifold, then just connect it with a few fittings to the single zone, run it at low temp and turn the pump on with a timer or stat as required.

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17 minutes ago, CC45 said:

you must save a hell of a lot of hot water in your bathroom.

 

Made of tough stuff down here, we are! Kids are as skinny as rakes, probably 'cos they're always shivering! ?

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SWMBO bless her! Just look at the pictures on page 14 of this thread...

 

"Can we leave the corners (aka all the piled high tat) & stuff under the stairs and just dig up the middle bit (of floor)?"

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When, not if, I dig the stairs room floor up I need to decide what to do about the bottom landing. That is whether to dig down underneath it and build the whole floor back up including that section. That'll be a game!

 

IMG_20210111_222449614.thumb.jpg.cc9cde7892c242272ddca3d67bdaa154.jpg

 

 

Edited by Onoff
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Wouldn't that only be marginal gains though?

 

I'd cut round it and leave an island just supporting the bottom of the stairs, it will save you a lot of hassle, then just use the perimeter roll insulation to stop it sinking heat from the new heated section.

 

In my new extension I considered building up a solid un-insulated and un-heated pad to land the stairs on, didn't think twice about the heat loss as it will be a small area in the scheme of things.

 

 

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2 hours ago, JFDIY said:

Wouldn't that only be marginal gains though?

 

I'd cut round it and leave an island just supporting the bottom of the stairs, it will save you a lot of hassle, then just use the perimeter roll insulation to stop it sinking heat from the new heated section.

 

In my new extension I considered building up a solid un-insulated and un-heated pad to land the stairs on, didn't think twice about the heat loss as it will be a small area in the scheme of things.

 

 

 

Under that landing footprint might just be the perfect place to bring in a new flow and return from the boiler in the future. I'll try and finish the ground floor plan some time and it might be a bit clearer.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I got all excited when SWMBO cleared a corner of the stairs room. I thought she'd carry on with the other corner and under the stairs. Alas this corner is apparently for my lad's 3D printer to live.

 

There was me thinking I'd have an empty room and could dig the floor up tomorrow! 

 

IMG_20210123_222232430.thumb.jpg.62f70811b6b257dda3018949920b2c2f.jpg

 

 

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FFS she clears a space then fills it up!!!

 

Not that I'm any nearer to digging but that red bit of tape on the floor is over the single pipe CH pipe that crosses the stairs room:

 

IMG_20210124_195847896.thumb.jpg.3cb010427c101f261ff2eaeeba5a7c79.jpg

 

If I leave the floor under the bottom landing in situ, I'll need to be bloody careful. A 9" grinder with diamond disc would be good I reckon, but for the mess I could do an L shaped cut and not disturb the bit under the landing. Kango'ing I reckon would just mean that bit under the stairs disintegrates. 

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