Conventional Oil Fired Boulter Boiler System

[darrenh]

Hello

I just moved into a new house and am confused by my heating system - the FAQ threads are really helpful in explaining my new system (I am used to combi systems previosuly) but I have a few outstanding questions....

The system looks like a regular semi gravity system with a large water tank and a small expansion tank in the loft.

What I need some help on is the following:

1) there is a valve (looks like a raditor valve to me) on a pipe going into the base of the cylinder - what is this for exactly (guessing it controls the heat of the water into the tank but I thought the boiler did that)?
2) how does the boiler know when to stop sending hot water to the cylinder (is there a thermostat inside the cylinder???) - how can I tell?
3) there seems to be an electric emersion going into the cylinder also - why would i use this ever?
4) the electric emersion is plugged into a socket with no timer etc - if I leave this on will it continually heat the water or turn itself off once the temperature gets high (i.e does it have its own thermostat)?

Lot of questions!!

Thanks in advance

Darren

 

[nickso]

are you sure its gravity system?


1) its a mechanical temperature control for the cylinder. works in exactly the same way as your radiator valves except it takes its temp from the capillary pipe attached to it.

2) its doesnt. if the system is fully pumped the valve on your cylinder will close when it is satisfied. the system should have a bypass that lets water flow a different way when this happens.....not very energy efficient.

3) not usually, unless your boiler is not provding heat.

4) it has its own thermostat.....dont leave it on all the time....its not very energy efficient either.

 

[darrenh]

Nickso - thanks for this.

Just a follow up to Q1 - the valve; what should i set it at? It goes from 1 to 7 (cold to hot) - if I set it at 7 does this mean the water entering the cylinder will be hotter, and hence to the taps?

And.. the capillary pipe - is this the 22mm pipe it is connected to (or the thin spool of loose wire which I have no explanation for looped around it)?

cheers

Darren

 

[oilman]

4) it has its own thermostat.....dont leave it on all the time....its not very energy efficient either.

It is efficient, 1kWh (kilowatthour) in = 1kWh of heating effort. You MAY say it is expensive, well, er, yes, maybe, but the maintenance costs are VERY low compared to any other system. I would agree just turn it on for an hour when you need it.

 

[nickso]

Nickso - thanks for this.

Just a follow up to Q1 - the valve; what should i set it at? It goes from 1 to 7 (cold to hot) - if I set it at 7 does this mean the water entering the cylinder will be hotter, and hence to the taps?

And.. the capillary pipe - is this the 22mm pipe it is connected to (or the thin spool of loose wire which I have no explanation for looped around it)?

cheers

Darren

oh dear. if the thin spool of wire doesnt have a thicker copper bulb attached to it it wont matter what you set the valve to as it wont be sensing the cylinder temp. does the wire not disappear behind the cylinder insulation?

7 would be hotter. 1 would be cooler. set it to what ever temp you want your water at the taps to be at. its there for you to use.

 

[nickso]

4) it has its own thermostat.....dont leave it on all the time....its not very energy efficient either.

It is efficient, 1kWh (kilowatthour) in = 1kWh of heating effort. You MAY say it is expensive, well, er, yes, maybe, but the maintenance costs are VERY low compared to any other system. I would agree just turn it on for an hour when you need it.

thats more or less what i meant but as the OP has very little control over his hot water anyway its probably not worth using it in my opinion.

 

[Dan Robinson]

as a rule of thumb:

1 = 55 degrees
7 =80 degress

In the summer have it down low, in the winter have it somehere just above the middle.