What is the best cylinder for our property?

[petulla22]

Hi, please can you help?
We currently have a combination hot water cylinder installed in our 2 bedroom flat (1 bathroom). Our flat is electrical property with electric storage heaters therefore there is no gas in our property.
We are looking to upgrade our combination hot water cylinder to a better one as we think the current cylinder is 12 years old.
What type of the system can we install? Do we have to install the same combination hot water cylinder or can this be replaced by different system i.e: direct vented or direct unvented?
We have already called few plumbers to give us a quote!
1st one said that we can only have the same combination hot water cylinder (COPPER ONE).
2nd one said we could easily install unvented cylinder and buy a better stainless steel cylinder which is better.
We have also been given quotes for removing old one and installing new one ranging from £250 - £450 so we are very confused at the moment.
Your help would be much appreciated. Thank you
petulla22

 

[SimonG]

Unvented, but depends on water pressure and flow rate. Also on your D2 discharge pipework from the cylinder. If you do go unvented make sure your plumber has his G3 qualification for it.

 

[petulla22]

Thank you very much for your response.
We were told that we have to get the cylinder ourselves so we are thinking to buy one online and have it delivered. We are considering Vaillant or Heatrae Sadia Megaflo unvented direct however how do I know if the water pressure and flow rate and mainly D2 discharge pipework is sufficient for one of these cylinders? Both plumbers who visited the property said that they can install it however we have to buy the cylinder.
Would you recommend to call some plumbers again to have a look whether the unvented cylinder can be installed?
Also do you know how much should the plumber approximately charge for removing the old and installing the new cylinder. We are based in Manchester city centre. Do these unvented direct cylinders need to be serviced every year?
Thanks so much for your help

 

[SimonG]

Thank you very much for your response.
We were told that we have to get the cylinder ourselves so we are thinking to buy one online and have it delivered. We are considering Vaillant or Heatrae Sadia Megaflo unvented direct however how do I know if the water pressure and flow rate and mainly D2 discharge pipework is sufficient for one of these cylinders? Both plumbers who visited the property said that they can install it however we have to buy the cylinder.
Would you recommend to call some plumbers again to have a look whether the unvented cylinder can be installed?
Also do you know how much should the plumber approximately charge for removing the old and installing the new cylinder. We are based in Manchester city centre. Do these unvented direct cylinders need to be serviced every year?
Thanks so much for your help

The plumbers would have checked water pressure and flow rate of incoming cold water. They would also have had a look at the route for the discharge pipework. I'll rephrase 'should have'.
Unusual that they have asked you to buy own cylinder. Things like that I always buy myself and in the end works out cheaper for customer.
Wouldn't recommend megaflo, lot of issues with air bubble.
Yes they are meant to be serviced annualy.

I would get a couple more plumbers to have a look.

 

[petulla22]

Thanks for your advice, this is really helpful.
I will probably ask few more plumbers to come and have a look and I will ask them to check water pressure, flow rate of incoming cold water and the discharge pipework to see whether unvented system is suitable for our flat. What make of the unvented cylinder would you recommend from your own experience?
I'm also thinking maybe just to avoid any further problems with installation, we should just replace it and install the combination hot water cylinder, but I am not sure as these combination cylinders are mainly copper cylinders and we only found Gledhill or Telford. Not sure if it's gonna last longer and if it's a value for money.
Thank you

 

[SimonG]

I like plumb centers center store but I don't think they do a direct version.

There's nothing wrong with copper cylinders, but there are more and more being made out of stainless because of the increase in price of copper.

Hopefully if you do get a couple more plumbers in they will put your mind at rest and help in the decision making.

 

[kimbo]

I would recommend OSO with an external expansion vessell, they are cheaper than megaflo and guaranteed for 25 yrs. Some people like the range tribune. As simon says make sure they produce their authorisation card to show they are qualified to fit them.
Yo can fit a megaflo but you need to fully flood the cylinder and use an external potable water expansion vessell.

 

[yorkieplumber]

Hi you can get a electric un-vented cylinders that will do radiators as well, so you could get rid of your storage heaters if you wanted to go the whole hog, and have a wet system.

 

[AWheating]

You could go for a thermal store/heat bank system which would avoid the problems with discharge and unvented regulations. and as mentioned you can include a boiler for radiators.

as mentioned with unvented and the like you will want a min. of 2bar of water mains and 20-25ltrs per min flow rate. Most likely need a 22mm cold to Air Cub.

 

[ecowarm]

Google "ESP Ecocent" hot water at a 1/3 of the price if on electricity

 

[petulla22]

Hi, thanks for all your posts.
We have been advised that PulsaCoil BP 120L will be the best suitable one for our property. We only have an electricity in our flat (and no gas) so we were told that this system is efficient, would reduce the electricity bill and it is safe and better than the cooper combination hot water tank.
What is your opinion about the Pulsa Coil BP thermal store system please? Do you think it is suitable and a best option?

 

[ecowarm]

mmmmm..........6kw of electricity for the Pulsacoil or 0.80kw for the Ecocent

 

[unguided1]

I would say Ecowarm is right the pulsacoil may be a bit cheaper to purchase but you will be using 6 Kw of electricity to run it as aposed to an ecocent which will use 670 watts to do the same job, in my mind there is no contest

 

[ecowarm]

Shocking I was 130watts out

 

[unguided1]

Shocking I was 130watts out

Yeah I know I couldnt beleive it when I picked one up and found they had improve the efficiency, they only use 670 watts now