solid fuel and unvented tank ?????

[Steve ski]

Hello every one, this site looks to be the perfect place to get sound advice for those tricky situations !,
I am a general plumber mostly doing the basics but i do hold my BPEC unvented ticket and want to carry on learining and gaining more qualifications etc.
I have just been to look at a small plumbing job (bathroom&kitchen work), and whilst there the customer has asked me to have a look over his new solid fuel installation, so i have im a bit concerned that the plumber has hooked up a flow and return through an unvented tank from a solid fuel woodburner there are no evident controls to stop the flow of hot water cycling through the cylinder which worrys me any advice?

 

[Dotty]

Run......

 

[SimonG]

post up the general location so we know if we are all safe or not 🙂

 

[snowhead]

there are no evident controls to stop the flow of hot water cycling through the cylinder which worrys me any advice?

It's both worrying there are no controls and worrying if there were.

Bags the trainers with spikes on..

 

[Steve ski]

Ha ha snowhead, thanks, 2 way port valve controlled by cylinder thermostat should sort it ?

 

[Howsie]

You think. Where does all that heat go when the stat is satisfied?

 

[snowhead]

Ha ha snowhead, thanks, 2 way port valve controlled by cylinder thermostat should sort it ?

I've just upgraded to jet powered trainers.

 

[paul551uk]

what about the old way a pipe stat on the return from the cylinder set to bring on the rads to disperse heat from the fire when the hw is hot enough

 

[Ermintrude]

You think. Where does all that heat go when the stat is satisfied?

Boom that's where!

 

[SimonG]

what about the old way a pipe stat on the return from the cylinder set to bring on the rads to disperse heat from the fire when the hw is hot enough

Nothing wrong with that until the power fails. Unvented and uncontrolled heat sources just don't mix.

 

[Steve ski]

to the rads?

 

[Ermintrude]

Or the rads hit 90c . Glad I don't live next-door . Hate to have the firebrigade shovelling up my next door neighbours off the floor and removing lobster coloured children from their beds..... All because some idiot didn't listen. Didn't park ray have a thermally operated damper so slowed combustion as boiler neared temp then pump working also helped but always on a f&e (metal)

 

[Gray0689]

Nothing wrong with that until the power fails. Unvented and uncontrolled heat sources just don't mix.

There is only one way I know of legally to do this and it's with a H2 panel
If its not done like that you got a serious problem and odd get them to not use stove till its been seen to
And ease post up some pics if you can
Are you sure it's not a thermal store but?

 

[lame plumber]

Ha ha snowhead, thanks, 2 way port valve controlled by cylinder thermostat should sort it ?

you said you have an unvented ticket_ best you do a retake pronto

 

[Steve ski]

There is only one way I know of legally to do this and it's with a H2 panel
If its not done like that you got a serious problem and odd get them to not use stove till its been seen to
And ease post up some pics if you can
Are you sure it's not a thermal store but?

Thanx gray its important to note here i didnt install this appliance and was simply questioning the legality and safety of this installation, I was looking for advice for the safety of the home owners( not to be mocked by other so called professionals ), there are many more problems with this installation that need to be sorted too. the previous installer has fitted this appliance to an incoming supply of about 0.8 bar and then tried too boost the pressure using a garden aquatics pump ? directly from the incoming main into the cylinder ? Thankyou for your advice regarding H2 panel, But my gut feeling is to completely disconnect the apliance from the heating circuit and use only the immersion to heat the tank, increasing the incoming pressure and flow is another challenge as the water supply is natural and is held in a concrete tank intthe customers garden. Im thinking of installing a break tank with appropriate pump to increase the water pressure as it currently takes half an hour to fill a bath ? One more question should i be thinking about reporting this issue to my local building control ? thanx again steve

 

[Dan Masey]

Love to see some pictures. 0.8 bar on an unvented. Lol.

They had some picture of this set up at my collage on the wall of shame.

 

[Ermintrude]

Thanx gray its important to note here i didnt install this appliance and was simply questioning the legality and safety of this installation, I was looking for advice for the safety of the home owners( not to be mocked by other so called professionals ), there are many more problems with this installation that need to be sorted too. the previous installer has fitted this appliance to an incoming supply of about 0.8 bar and then tried too boost the pressure using a garden aquatics pump ? directly from the incoming main into the cylinder ? Thankyou for your advice regarding H2 panel, But my gut feeling is to completely disconnect the apliance from the heating circuit and use only the immersion to heat the tank, increasing the incoming pressure and flow is another challenge as the water supply is natural and is held in a concrete tank intthe customers garden. Im thinking of installing a break tank with appropriate pump to increase the water pressure as it currently takes half an hour to fill a bath ? One more question should i be thinking about reporting this issue to my local building control ? thanx again steve

Defo report it....... Problem is sounds like ur in a rural location........ Building inspector probably did the job and is the custards brother

 

[Howsie]

Thanx gray its important to note here i didnt install this appliance and was simply questioning the legality and safety of this installation, I was looking for advice for the safety of the home owners( not to be mocked by other so called professionals ), there are many more problems with this installation that need to be sorted too. the previous installer has fitted this appliance to an incoming supply of about 0.8 bar and then tried too boost the pressure using a garden aquatics pump ? directly from the incoming main into the cylinder ? Thankyou for your advice regarding H2 panel, But my gut feeling is to completely disconnect the apliance from the heating circuit and use only the immersion to heat the tank, increasing the incoming pressure and flow is another challenge as the water supply is natural and is held in a concrete tank intthe customers garden. Im thinking of installing a break tank with appropriate pump to increase the water pressure as it currently takes half an hour to fill a bath ? One more question should i be thinking about reporting this issue to my local building control ? thanx again steve

Don't touch anything you're not qualified to touch. Get someone who is to write a report and let the customer take it from there.

 

[Gray0689]

Agree get someone in
It might not be a huge job to put right
If there is room you could get away with putting in a small buffer tank
But it needs surveyed to see best options
And yes you will need a break tank to increase water pressure
And yes report the muppet that did the original installation
As it's very dangerous what he did
If you post area someone may be able to come give you some guidance on job