Solar water heating and extra bathroom?

[tukky142]

Hi,

I am about to add a forth bedroom with ensuite bathroom to my house.
I currently have a combi bolier housed int he loft space which supplies all the house for hot water and CH and also powers the shower in the main bathroom.

I am interested in a solar hot water system and wondered what the best way would be to intergarte this into my system and supply the new ensuite. Can I keep the combi, add in an s or y plan system with a tank and also add the solar system?

Thanks in advance

 

[Nige F]

Alpha boilers have brought out a solar hot water system that works with their combi`s and other combi`s too

 

[micky p]

You can add solar to any combi really. What you do is install a unvented cyclinder before the combi and your cold feed to the combi will be pre heated in the cyclinder so if it requires heating up then it will and if not it will just pass through the combi. To be honest tho it is a cheap way and not the best way of doing it. I have installed a Viessmann system in my dads house.

We have a 300 litre unvented Oso solar cylinder. It has 2 heating coils
The top one is heated by a system boiler and the bottom coil is heated all hours of daylight with the solar panels.

The idea of solar heating is to store as much as you can.

In winter it can still heat the water to 40deg C but last july the panels got upto 170 deg C which is hot.

Bottom line it is quite expensive to install the way we have done it because we bought a new boiler(£1200) , cyclinder(£1000) and the solar panels kit(£2500) Then it all needs installing of course.About a weeks work.

The way gas prices are going tho it will become cost effective soon/if not now.

 

[Biggles..]

Combi boilers dont really like to accept pre heated water, you'd have to ask the manufacturer of your boiler if it will accept water that will be 60 degress on some occasions. If you wish to stick with your combi the best suggestion would be to install 2 coil unvented cylinder for the solar system(bottom coil) and pipe flow and return from combi into the cylinder(top coil) and convert to s plan. Continue to use the combi for say kitchen hot water and then use the unvented for the other bathrooms.
The alpha thermostatic mixing valve at present is dedicated to the alpha boiler and they're range of solar products not sure if anyone else does a solar mixing valve yet.
Cylinder should be sized at between 1.5 and 2 times the normal size working at a min of 35litres per person but an ideal of 50litres.
Lee

 

[micky p]

Combi boilers dont really like to accept pre heated water, you'd have to ask the manufacturer of your boiler if it will accept water that will be 60 degress on some occasions. If you wish to stick with your combi the best suggestion would be to install 2 coil unvented cylinder for the solar system(bottom coil) and pipe flow and return from combi into the cylinder(top coil) and convert to s plan. Continue to use the combi for say kitchen hot water and then use the unvented for the other bathrooms.
The alpha thermostatic mixing valve at present is dedicated to the alpha boiler and they're range of solar products not sure if anyone else does a solar mixing valve yet.
Cylinder should be sized at between 1.5 and 2 times the normal size working at a min of 35litres per person but an ideal of 50litres.
Lee

i installed a WOLF combi boiler with pre heated hot water and yeah your right in what you are saying. I belive the WOLF combi boiler is one of a few combis that will let 60 deg water enter it and not heat it up if necessary.

 

[tukky142]

thanks for your posts guys - i will consider my options and get some prices locally.

 

[Biggles..]

Make sure the guys offering quotes are either Cear Skies registered or BPEC qualified, at least then you should get what you need: also look for a local installer on Vaillints or Worcester's web sit. Dont forget with the low carbon trust you may well qualify for a homeowners grant.

 

[micky p]

Make sure the guys offering quotes are either Cear Skies registered or BPEC qualified, at least then you should get what you need: also look for a local installer on Vaillints or Worcester's web sit. Dont forget with the low carbon trust you may well qualify for a homeowners grant.

there is a £400 grant but i don't think clear skies give it anymore...I think it is this low carbons trust that give it. But you have to use a quallified installer to claim it back.... I tried to get on the clear skies but you have to prove/ show 2 installs of solar and as ive only done 1 upto now it is quite difficult. Im going on a course at viessmann at the end of the month tho so may well get on there insatllers list. It isn't that hard to install/ figure out. Dead simple really once you get your head round it for any decent plumber.