ACV vs Megaflow

[bob the plumber]

Anyone had any experience installing or working with ACV cylinders? I am told that they are excellent but have never installed one so have no idea what sort of performance they produce. Are they like a low water content unvented thermal store?

 

[SimonG]

No experience of them, but just had a quick look at the web site. They look good but would be good to hear from anybody that has fitted them. Are they mains pressure?

 

[bob the plumber]

yeah mains pressure onto a blending valve as a normal thermal vented thermal store, but with these, a lower water content within the cylinder which i would imagine is a massive benefit unlike having to heat up 250 lts of water constantly to keep your hot water on the go

 

[mark_mc]

acv cylinders are hot water surrounded with heating water more heating water in contact with plumbing water and therefore very quick heat up times. can reduce then size of you cylinder as you can store water at a higher temperture and then with the mixer reduce the temperture and get more hot water at the mixed temperture.
use them at lot at schools and they are great, brillant reheat times
i presonnally feel that megaflows are overpriced and when using unvented cylinders i use warmflow cylinders or ailbion ultrasteel.

 

[bob the plumber]

so which is better mark in your opinion? i only used megaflow as an example of an unvented. but if it was your own house and you had the space would it be unvented or acv if you wanted best effeciency and performance? do you have to pressure reduce an acv? i assume you probably do?

 

[SimonG]

Do you need your g3 for the acv cylinders?

 

[Roger Welton]

Have worked on a couple of ACV heatmasters in the past, very space efficient and excellent hot water performance. You just have to read carefully the MI when dropping the pressure on the heating/DHW as it is possible to damage the heat exchanger if done in the incorrect sequence (which eludes me at the moment)

 

[bob the plumber]

i bet you do need you g3 on the acv they are unvented and do require a prv d1/d2 set up

 

[mark_mc]

thats right roger they are a weird set up when commissioning domestic as to be filled first and then if you have to drain down there instructions for that to. Its to do with a the inner and outer cylinders holding the domestic and heating water.
you do have to have your unvented cert to install as they are over 15 litres cap.

 

[mark_mc]

for a standard house i would install a large unvented.
acv cylinders need a large kw input to del the excellant reheat times
so when you require a lot of hot water you would have to direct heat only to the acv

 

[Gray0689]

Agree with mark fitted a few acv cylinders they are great super fast reheat time and more efficient to run as acts like a direct thermal store when heating the outer tank ( tank in a tank if that makes sense lol)
Work best with a buffer tank

 

[Roger Welton]

i would agree they are more for the commercial market than domestic, a quick look on there website shows that the 320l cylinder can use up to 73kW of heat from the boilers and suply over 2500 l/hr of hot water with a 40degree rise

 

[Dannypipe]

Sorry to dig up an old thread but I've recently priced a job with one of these ACV cylinders as I am hearing fantastic things about them from other installers. I've had to strike a direct deal with ACV for this cylinder as I'm not sure if Williams and Co are stockists.

Ray - Emma Black White the rep seemed really helpful, I've suggested she might like to speak to you or someone on the firm to discuss these units as it would be great to just order them direct from Williams at a decent rate. Any thoughts or comments?

 

[Gray0689]

I bought one off eBay Danny
A 210 ltr for a steal lol

 

[Dannypipe]

I bought one off eBay Danny
A 210 ltr for a steal lol

I quoted from an eBay seller as I didn't have another option and I've just heard back from the customer saying he would rather go with the conventional cylinder that I have also quoted for. However I've realised the eBay seller was asking about 25% too much. As I can buy it cheaper direct.

Do you mind me asking what you paid mate? You rate these as good right?

 

[Ermintrude]

Don't even use megapoo in the same sentence!

 

[Dannypipe]

Where's Ray!?

 

[oz-plumber]

Where's Ray!?

Probably sitting at his newly restored desk, sipping wine and eating his cheeses.
He may even be pondering whether or not to water his pot plants - propagated from the bulbs he bought.

The again - he may be on a promise!

 

[Dannypipe]

Well if a man in on a promise, he's on a promise so what can I say? Enjoy.