New house, new CH & HW system.... how does it work?

[Tcmichael]

Hello there

I've just moved into a 4 year old house... and being an older house guy who has DIY expended combi CH/HW systems and microbore.... this new system has me baffled and I cannot seem to find somewhere to explain how it works.

We've got:
- Condenser boiler in the kitchen
- Thermostat in the hallway
- HW cylinder in a cupboard upstairs
- Small expansion cyclinder above the large HW cylinder
- There appears to be an immersion heater attached to the HW cylinder
- There is also a Myson Power Extra valve that has a manual control on it?
- There is no switch near the HW cylinder to turn off the immersion heater

Everything is working fine.... but I don't understand how it works....

Does the boiler heat the water? If so how?
How long should I have the boiler on to heat the HW for our morning and evening needs (only 2 of us live at home)? Whats most efficient? How long should a tank of hot water stay warm for?
Why is there an immersion heater? Is this for instant HW?
What is the motorised value for and why does it have a manual bypass?
How can I switch the immersion off?

Sorry for the dumb questions, I just like to understand!

Thank you

Michael

 

[D_Hailsham]

Can you post a pic of the cupboard showing the cylinder etc? A general view is better than close-ups of each item.

 

[Tcmichael]

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• Tcmichael
• 14 Apr 2014
• 1

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• Tcmichael
• 14 Apr 2014
• 1

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• Tcmichael
• 14 Apr 2014
• 1

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• Tcmichael
• 14 Apr 2014
• 1

Here you go

I don't think the immersion heater is installed? There is no wire coming from it.

Strange because the water is always hot!

 

[hanns21]

You should have a twin channel time clock. Hot water and heating. You can turn either one on at a time are both. The boiler fires the heats what you have switch on. In the winter months you would turn on both and once the cyliner stat reachs temperture it shuts of. Its the same with your room stat. Once it reachs the temperture you have set it will switch of until temperture drops again. As for your immersion heater you will more than likely have a switch in your kitchen that will heat the water without turning the boiler on tho would cost more to run

 

[D_Hailsham]

Does the boiler heat the water? If so how?

Yes

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• D_Hailsham
• 15 Apr 2014
• 1

There is a copper coil inside the cylinder connected to the two connections marked primary. Heat is transferred from the coil to the water in the cylinder. Boiler water enters the left connection and exits from the right one. The Honeywell valve is controlled by the Range thermostat. When the water in the cylinder is below the set temperature (currently 45C) the valve opens, allowing boiler water to travel through the coil. It will shut when the water in the cylinder is up to temperature.

1.How long should I have the boiler on to heat the HW for our morning and evening needs (only 2 of us live at home)?

2. What's most efficient?

3. How long should a tank of hot water stay warm for?

1.What is the size of the cylinder (litres)?

2. Don't understand the question!

3. Several hours and at least overnight.

Why is there an immersion heater? Is this for instant HW?

It's there as a backup, in case the boiler goes wrong. Not wired up so not much use at the moment. Definitely not instant HW.

What is the motorised value for and why does it have a manual bypass?

I assume you are talking about the valve hidden behind the Honeywell valve. It will control the flow of water through the central heating. The room thermostat opens the valve when the room is below the set temperature.

The bypass provides a path back to the boiler when both valves are closed. This is required if you boiler has 'pump overrun', i.e the pump runs for a few minutes after the boiler turns off.

How can I switch the immersion off?

The electric immersion is not wired up.

Heating of the cylinder by the boiler will be controlled by the timer, which will also control the central heating.