I'm looking for a bit of advice please.
It looks like I'm going to have to rip out and replace the secondary hot water return installed by my plumber in our barn conversion. He's used plastic pipe which the manufacturer has told me is unsuitable, he's used 22mm pipe throughout, which I understand is too big and the layout also appears to be clumsy. I've already paid him twice because initially he didn't put in a return at all (didn't seem to know what one was) so I had to get him back to undo/ re-do much of his pipework and install one. Now I've discovered the problems with the pipe (before doing the work he'd taken advice from a more experienced plumber friend who says he's been using plastic pipe for secondary returns for years), he's stopped answering my emails. Yes he's a qualified plumber and no, I won't be recommending him to anybody else.
I'm planning to replace all related pipework in solid copper. This would be in 22mm from the tank outlet as far as the bath, which is the first take-off, and go from there round the rest of the circuit in 15mm. Does that sound okay? I'm suggesting this way because the bath outlet will of course be 22mm but all the others will be 15mm.
Secondly, when the circulating pump isn't running, it's going to be a long way for the water to travel all round the circuit (about 80 metres) if someone wants to use the basin in the downstairs toilet (which is the last take-off and right next door to the hot water tank) . Would it be possible to put a short length of pipe in 22mm to join the flow and the return at the top of the tank? This would have a normally open motorised valve which would close on pump start up but, when open, would allow the return to be used as a flow in order to reduce the volume of water to the last few take-offs on the circuit.
Is there a better solution?
I've attached a sketch of the layout as it is now. Thanks in advance for advice and constructive comments.
It looks like I'm going to have to rip out and replace the secondary hot water return installed by my plumber in our barn conversion. He's used plastic pipe which the manufacturer has told me is unsuitable, he's used 22mm pipe throughout, which I understand is too big and the layout also appears to be clumsy. I've already paid him twice because initially he didn't put in a return at all (didn't seem to know what one was) so I had to get him back to undo/ re-do much of his pipework and install one. Now I've discovered the problems with the pipe (before doing the work he'd taken advice from a more experienced plumber friend who says he's been using plastic pipe for secondary returns for years), he's stopped answering my emails. Yes he's a qualified plumber and no, I won't be recommending him to anybody else.
I'm planning to replace all related pipework in solid copper. This would be in 22mm from the tank outlet as far as the bath, which is the first take-off, and go from there round the rest of the circuit in 15mm. Does that sound okay? I'm suggesting this way because the bath outlet will of course be 22mm but all the others will be 15mm.
Secondly, when the circulating pump isn't running, it's going to be a long way for the water to travel all round the circuit (about 80 metres) if someone wants to use the basin in the downstairs toilet (which is the last take-off and right next door to the hot water tank) . Would it be possible to put a short length of pipe in 22mm to join the flow and the return at the top of the tank? This would have a normally open motorised valve which would close on pump start up but, when open, would allow the return to be used as a flow in order to reduce the volume of water to the last few take-offs on the circuit.
Is there a better solution?
I've attached a sketch of the layout as it is now. Thanks in advance for advice and constructive comments.
