vertical hot water cylinder laid down

[StudWall]

Hello everyone,

Just asking a quick question about my hot water setup.

In the loft there is a hot water cylinder which looks like a standard vertical cylinder, but it's laid down in its side, 99% sure it's not a proper horizontal cylinder.

Now ive not noticed a particular problem with the hot water in the house other than there is only enough for 1 shower at a time (takes about 45-60 mins to heat up again enough for the next person) but there is only 2 of us so it's not really an issue.

I guess they have done it because of space (the roof space is quite shallow due to having all but 1 hip ends and only 1 gable) to allow the top of the cylinder to be below the bottom of the cold tank (just next to it)

My question is, is this really ok????

I'm considering moving the the cylinder and cold tank to the gable end because it currently blocks off access to the other half of my loft.

Opinions appreciated

 

[kbdiy]

Interesting! How are you heating the water - immersion or some form of wet heating via the coil?

Assuming heating via the coil, my guess would be that as the tank is horizontal the volume of hot water that circulates around the coil would be much reduced in comparison to a vertical installation, as the convection currents would be much less. Thus reheat time would be longer, as you have noticed when showering.

As it works - after a fashion - then it's ok, so long as there aren't any issues with air locks or draw off, which you haven't mentioned. Presumably the installer used some imaginative design in terms of unconventional plumbing connections to a normally vertical cylinder.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Pictures please.

 

[StudWall]

It's heated in the 'normal' way by the boiler.

 

[gigz]

How is it sitting on the floor ? Does it have purpose made brackets or home made wedges ? As said pictures would help a lot (or google cylinder and share link)

 

[StudWall]

It just kind of sits on a sheet of (what looks like) old kitchen worktop, I don't recall seeing any kind of securing brackets.

Googled photos but nothing seems similar

 

[StudWall]

Heres some photos, i hope it makes sense what i'm trying to show.

Boiler flow and return pipes


View media item 73480
this just leads to a drain valve (note the domed-in uninsulated side (bottom?))

View media item 73481
this is the left side (which i suspect is supposed to be the top) which leads to the shower and tee's off to where it says 'join here'

View media item 73479
the pipe which leads to the cold tank (overflow expansion) and also goes across to the 'join here' (yes both are joined) and also tees off to feed the cold taps

View media item 73482

 

[Dan Robinson]

Stone me

Not the daftess thing I've seen... but

 

[StudWall]

should i try and get it stood up?

 

[xr4x4]

That's awesome....!

 

[Dan Robinson]

should i try and get it stood up?

Yes mate - round bit at the top this time though

 

[gigz]

Can't see how this will work with hot water !!! Cold feed goes into bottom and pushes hw out of the top, the way its sitting you will only have half a cylinder full. Where's the hot water vent ? All i can see is hot draw going down (mind you i am on my phone)

 

[Dan Robinson]

Vent is coming out of the secondary tapping at the top.

Surprised they get a decent ahower out of it mind.

 

[StudWall]

haha

my only query is that i seem to have an extra pipe.

(how it should be...)

flow and return to / from boiler on the side,
cold feed on the bottom
hot feed and expansion at the top

but there's also an extra one at the side (top in the last picture) ... what's that for??

 

[gigz]

As dan says, its the vent for the cylinder. It could implode if it didn't have it.