is it possible to zone upstairs/downstairs

[soccercelt]

I have a 2400sq ft house, 3 beds, bathroom,ensuite upstairs and same downstairs with living room, dining kitchen. I have a 30kw stove along with an oil burner for my heating. Gravity feed opened system. Is it possible i could zone downstairs and upstairs for my different heating needs. Wife and kids will spend most of the day downstairs and instead of running about turning rads of and on every day is it possible i could install something that will just make the heating heat downstairs then when needed, turn it on for upstairs.

Someone mentioned it can be done but ill need stats up and downstairs. If so, how do these work and whats involved in the install.

 

[Dkdc71]

SimonG a lot of houses now are doing in plastic I'd say 80% over here are doing that way you were obviously trained like me in the proper way COPPER I call the plastic Plumbers can't beat a good copper job

 

[Best]

I do plumbing but wouldn't touch this myself. I have a plumber installing it but doing it in stages. The stove has been put in, a pipe coming from the top up into the ceiling towards the cylinder. The other pipe is coming out the bottom, into the floor, along the floor then up the wall towards the cylinder. Both pipes aren't connected to the system yet. Going to do this in stages in the coming months before winter.

If the cylinder is on an upper floor to the stove, then the both pipes of the stove should ideally be rising to the cylinder. Pointless doing it any other method if it is possible just to rise to cylinder, although I know how it can be done also correctly.
The return pipe is as critical as the flow pipe in regards to allowing full gravity flow.
Where does the flow pipe from stove go after it goes through the ceiling? Does it then travel below upper floors towards the cylinder and then rise?
There has to be heat leak and also thermostatic control of the pump to be done. Stove MIs must be followed

 

[SimonG]

SimonG a lot of houses now are doing in plastic I'd say 80% over here are doing that way you were obviously trained like me in the proper way COPPER I call the plastic Plumbers can't beat a good copper job

Not if the stove is providing heating. No problem with plastic, but not with solid fuel and especially when the plastic, solid fuel and not a clue are combined.

 

[Dkdc71]

I agree with you as regards plastic I wouldn't use it on solid fuel either

 

[soccercelt]

If the cylinder is on an upper floor to the stove, then the both pipes of the stove should ideally be rising to the cylinder. Pointless doing it any other method if it is possible just to rise to cylinder, although I know how it can be done also correctly.
The return pipe is as critical as the flow pipe in regards to allowing full gravity flow.
Where does the flow pipe from stove go after it goes through the ceiling? Does it then travel below upper floors towards the cylinder and then rise?
There has to be heat leak and also thermostatic control of the pump to be done. Stove MIs must be followed

The cylinder is on the next floor. The top pipe straight up then takes a bend then rises along the 9inch joist then takes another bend to the cylinder. The bottom pipe goes along the floor about 2 m then rises up the wall unto the ceiling then rises along the joist then bends into the cylinder.

Is the cylinder not a heat leak? This is me just guessing. I can install a heat leak rad in the ensuite if needed.

 

[soccercelt]

If the cylinder is on an upper floor to the stove, then the both pipes of the stove should ideally be rising to the cylinder. Pointless doing it any other method if it is possible just to rise to cylinder, although I know how it can be done also correctly.
The return pipe is as critical as the flow pipe in regards to allowing full gravity flow.
Where does the flow pipe from stove go after it goes through the ceiling? Does it then travel below upper floors towards the cylinder and then rise?
There has to be heat leak and also thermostatic control of the pump to be done. Stove MIs must be followed

The cylinder is on the next floor. The top pipe straight up then takes a bend then rises along the 9inch joist then takes another bend to the cylinder. The bottom pipe goes along the floor about 2 m then rises up the wall unto the ceiling then rises along the joist then bends into the cylinder.

Is the cylinder not a heat leak? This is me just guessing. I can install a heat leak rad in the ensuite if needed.

 

[soccercelt]

I agree with you as regards plastic I wouldn't use it on solid fuel either

Why not?

 

[soccercelt]

Not if the stove is providing heating. No problem with plastic, but not with solid fuel and especially when the plastic, solid fuel and not a clue are combined.

What do you mean by not a clue.

 

[soccercelt]

Any diagrams of how'd you'd plumb it

 

[Best]

The cylinder is on the next floor. The top pipe straight up then takes a bend then rises along the 9inch joist then takes another bend to the cylinder. The bottom pipe goes along the floor about 2 m then rises up the wall unto the ceiling then rises along the joist then bends into the cylinder.

Is the cylinder not a heat leak? This is me just guessing. I can install a heat leak rad in the ensuite if needed.

Why was the both pipes not installed in same way - straight up first?
Least path of resistance etc.
Some method of excess heat loss needed if pump or electric should fail.
Cylinder not going to take excess heat away much once it is heated, reason is it isn’t designed as a heat emitter - like a rad is. Also your cylinder probably is foam insulated. The stove MIs will state how much Watt is needed minimum for heat leak.
A 30kw stove is powerful

 

[Best]

Why not?

Plastic pipes can’t take direct excess heat that solid fuel stoves will put out.
Especially true when you have an overheat situation (say a power fail) with plenty of very hot water needing to go to heat leaks.

 

[Dkdc71]

My personal preference as regards plastic piping I was trained using copper only plastic piping we would use was hydradare for water mains only time I would use plastic piping is on domestic plumbing for spots I couldnt get copper to.any heating pipework I use copper even if the original pipework was plastic

 

[SimonG]

I won't feed the troll anymore.

 

[soccercelt]

I won't feed the troll anymore.

I will update this later with more pics and explain where everything is.

 

[soccercelt]

Plastic pipes can’t take direct excess heat that solid fuel stoves will put out.
Especially true when you have an overheat situation (say a power fail) with plenty of very hot water needing to go to heat leaks.

What I was of the thinking was, they can't take direct heat so close to the burner or stove. From this stove, your talking 9m linear away from the cylinder.

Back when I built this hpuse, it worked out cheaper for plastic and oil was cheap. Now that I'm upgrading my heating, I can't go replacing all pipes around the house. Talked to numerous plumbers/heating engineers and they all say the stove can be installed along with the oil system if done in plastic.

 

[Dkdc71]

I understand what your saying you don't have to change pipework you are just retro-fitting .the stove the same way if you called me in to fit it I couldn't change all pipework in the original house I would just use copper from the stove we're just trying to help you do it safe and right remember we are looking at this blind and just trying to get a picture in our heads

 

[SimonG]

Well You've been talking to some real feckwits then.

 

[soccercelt]

I understand what your saying you don't have to change pipework you are just retro-fitting .the stove the same way if you called me in to fit it I couldn't change all pipework in the original house I would just use copper from the stove we're just trying to help you do it safe and right remember we are looking at this blind and just trying to get a picture in our heads

I totally understand and appreciate it. Im looking to find out how best to zone it of it can be done because don't want to be heating upstairs when not needed or running about turning rads on and off. Now I'm abit worried it's done wrong and can be dangerous.

 

[Dkdc71]

SimonG I think he means connect the stove pipework in copper and do connections in hot press and the existing pipework after the cylinder sounds like the rads are fed in qaulpex that's what I make of it but if he has a plumber doing the work he should be able to answer all this for him

 

[SimonG]

SimonG I think he means connect the stove pipework in copper and do connections in hot press and the existing pipework after the cylinder sounds like the rads are fed in qaulpex that's what I make of it but if he has a plumber doing the work he should be able to answer all this for him

If!