Can I reverse the complete system from this: (PIC)

[watchit]

Hello all,
First of all I would just like to comment on a wonderfully stocked website with a miriad of helpful hints and tips. I think you all must just love a really juicy problem!!?

I'm not sure if this is one of those, but here goes:

I'm currently about to start the install of a completely new system. New boiler, tank, rads on the upstairs floor and living room, the rest of the downstairs is good and will be fed by it's own feed and return.

I'm zoning 4 areas.

Living room, main bedroom, guest bedroom and rest of house, all of course with their own respective room stats.

The feed for the living room rad will drop down from the first floor.

As you can see in the pic, I hope I've covered it. The cold feed to the rear bathroom might be altered slightly, not sure yet.

The question is this:

From studying the proposed install, I have noticed that there is a strong possibilty of reverse circulation through the rest of the house return when the zones are being fed. 5 2way valves are being used, 4 for the zones and one for the HW.

In the diagram, you can see that I have put X's with an arrow next to them to indicate two of the places that I was going to include non-return valves....but now I'm thinking again...

Can I just completely reverse what I have planned, (except of course for the HW feed and return) and have the whole system's zones valves operating soley on the returns to the boiler form the respective zones?

In other words, apart from the hot and cold tap water, is it possible to change the red lines to blue ones and vice versa and just have the flow travelling the opposite way? would that solve the reverse circulation problem?

Any help with this would be massively appreciated as I've never tackled plumbing before so I've spent the last six months researching like crazy and my confidence levels are high. Building regs et al... Even my soldering seems to be coming on a treat.

Thanks in advance, if you wouldn't mind.

New System 1.

• watchit
• 17 Jul 2010
• 2

 

[adlplumbing]

who`s putting the boiler in

 

[watchit]

I'm worried now about the response... er, it's a grant vortex oil boiler and it's going to be ....me ? I was definately going to get the complete system fully checked out beofre commisioning anything.

Am I allowed to fit the boiler if it's oil and not gas?

I've read up on the relevant regs boilers including the use of fire valves and flue separation distances and the like.....

Hope you're not going to drop the bomb on me?

 

[adlplumbing]

afraid so i you need to quailfied in oil to actualy do this as
even though compent in oil if you get commisoning bit wrong the boiler is usless look quailfied help on this bit and they can help you with the rest of heating and see if u can work as mate for the day
sorry

 

[adlplumbing]

heres oftec web site get few qoutes from local guys
http://www.oftec.co.uk
and ask can you help some might say yes

 

[watchit]

Lol, thanks for the proper advice!

Just out of interest, what could I get wrong?

Obviously air locks (oil) and flue gas settings (balanced). I know I wouldn't be able to set that up. I just wanted to put it in place with the flue correctly fitted going through the wall. I was going to run the 10mm plastic coated oil pipe from where the tank is now, with a slight incline? to the fire valve, then in through the wall (inside a sleeve), to the burner fitted with the correct flexihose. I've got the electrics sussed to a T. It's a system boiler, so most of the necessaries are already there. I'm installing a bypass valve for good measure between the feed and return.

I wasn't going to flick a single valve or switch before it had been completely checked over.

Am I still not able to do up to that point?

Of course I will heed the advice I'm given...

 

[adlplumbing]

get flue wrong and you kill your self and you family

 

[watchit]

Steady on, I'm really really grateful for the advise, but I'm not a child putting together an oil rig. I understand the dangers of getting the flue wrong. I also understand the dangers of blowing the side off my house, that's why I'm not applying myself to this task lightly.

All I'm really asking, is it ok for me to at least get it to that point before having it properly commisioned by an oftec person?

Thanks for the link btw, I've managed to find somebody less than six miles away.

 

[adlplumbing]

well you can do the water part your self but the rest would leave to oftec guy

 

[5TIMES]

why do you assume that anyone would put there name to work they havn't done.

why do you think folk go to college for 4 years & re do exams every 5 years?? cock up an you could find yourself in jail. sorry but that is the law.

 

[watchit]

I'm now at a complete loss. For the last six months I've been reading this website and experiencing advise given to diy'ers on their self installations.

Now you're telling me that DIY is actually impossible and that only professionals should ever be used.

How about some useful advise instead of patronising please.

Have I not explained my willingness to have things checked properly before pressing 'the button'?

Do people not accept pay for checking things only?

Does everybody insist that they have to do the whole job themselves?

Maybe somebody else could help?

 

[watchit]

Back to the original post,

Could anybody please advise me on the original topic?

 

[5TIMES]

hello mate sorry to sound patronising but I have worked in this industry a long time an all the lads i speak to in the merchents wont sign off any work they havn't done. at the end of the day where here to make a living.
if we all signed off an filled in your benchmark book for say £60.00 we would never make ends meat. you might find someone but like i say it can be a very risky.

 

[adlplumbing]

ask the guy qoute from for help with rest sytem as he can see first hand but oil lpg and natural gas is restricted work for good reason and not just for me and my competors make money minor mistake can cost dearly
sorry but i won`t help and i doubt any one else will on oil side of things

 

[watchit]

er, thanks? I thought it might be useful to ask people who know what they are doing with DIY on a DIY website like this.

If I was a tradesperson looking to boost my income, I too would spend all Saturday trolling DIY websites telling NOOBS that they are a danger to themselves and everyone around. Sorry, but I won't be paying a bean to anyone unless I have to. I'm sure that the last boiler fitted to this house under the stairs wasn't fitted by a DIY'er, but it IS dangerous and appalling workmanship. I know for a fact the my DIY job is going to function perfectly without killing the cat. So if I can't get somebody to look at it and sign it off, then I hope that one of you money men are living next door to me when the wall comes off.
Shame on you.