combi conversion

[stew]

Hi would like to hear your views on this idea.

Currently looking at a place with a central heating boiler only it is heating seven radiators 6 downstairs one upstairs. the place is serviced using an immersion heater and a hot water storage tank upstairs. My question is would it be possible to replace the boiler with a combi boiler and tap into the hot water pipes that are downstairs (the boiler is currently downstairs next to bathroom and kitchen). the bathroom and kitchen are only hot water points in the house.

I know this is hard to imagine but please bear with me. The central heating system uses small pipe possibly about 7mm which i have never seen before normally it is about 12-15mm would this small pipe be able to handle the pressures of a new combi boiler system? the water pipes seem about the standard 12-15mm pipes.

Sorry if the discription is a bit wierd but just wanted your views on whether such a plan was possible.

Cheers
Stew

* Should have mentioned that i want to leave the pipes leading from the immersion upstairs because at a later date i would like to put a shower room up there, would leaving this length of unused pipe be an issue with a new combi? *

 

[DarkInferno]

As you have microbore pipework to your rads, (either 8 or 10mm?) the combi would certainly need to be connected to the main circs, (or new circs fitted of course) so your most probable locations are either where your cylinder is currently or your boiler, Cylinder location has the benifits of having hot/cold/flow/return pipes to hand, boiler location has flow/return/gas. so pipes need to be run either way.

As your current boiler is near your bathroom/kitchen it may be an idea to put the combi there as the hot and cold could be connected nearby, and the shorter the run between combi and tap the better imho, then only the condensate/prv runs need to be looked into (oh and the gas supply size)

Putting tails in to fit a shower in the future wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) be an issue.

Subject to site survey, and your mileage may vary.

 

[ChrisR]

Not a great idea to use old CH pipes for water. It takes ages to get the colour/taste/smell out, amd you'd want 15mm off a combi. Bigger pipes typical for Hot water cylinder primaries are usually 22mm, which take a lot longer to fill up with hot water.

 

[Bahco]

Had a nice holiday Chris

 

[stew]

ChrisR im not planning on using the central heating pipes for hot water i am planning to use the larger bore circuit of pipes connected to the immersion tank for the hot water they dont look as big as 22mm tho they look about 15mm.

DarkInferno: so would it be impossible to use the existing microbore network for the heating aspect?

I know this is a difficult situation to imagine but i appreciate all your help

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

ChrisR im not planning on using the central heating pipes for hot water i am planning to use the larger bore circuit of pipes connected to the immersion tank for the hot water they dont look as big as 22mm tho they look about 15mm.

I know this is a difficult situation to imagine but i appreciate all your help

Sorry but you do need to be more precise in the plumbing terms that you are using

Are you intending to do this work yourself?