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Does anyone have a woodburner with a back boiler?
If you do, do you have it plumbed into your central heating?
If you do, do you have it plumbed into your central heating?
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My daughter and SIL have one and it fires their under-floor heating as well as the hot water. It doesn't have to burn very long to do the job. -
Do you know if they have a central heating boiler as well; if they do is the central heating boiler and the woodburner back boiler linked i.e plumbed into the same system?Comment
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i looked into wood burners with back boilers - they do the job, but most of the heat goes into the hot water system for central heating / running tap water - you can still have your normal gas boiler or electric immersion heater too
you will need to find a HETAS installer willing to fit it - many "fireplace shops" will do a simple install of a wood burner, but won't want to touch the plumbing too
you might be better off with a rayburn or aga cooker - many of these have a built in boiler for central heating - both can be gas, oil or electric power, but for solid fuel you'll need a rayburn
i was looking at getting a solid fuel rayburn - i have the space and the chimney for it - and i have a free supply of wood - sadly, no HETAS installers within 30 miles want to install one - they all prefer the quick / clean / easy gas work - i'm determined though, so won't give up ....Last edited by Farmer_Gyles; 18-10-2012, 09:41 AM.Comment
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I have a woodburner that could heat hotwater but it was too complicated to plumb it in to the thermal store (hot water cylinder). Friends rely solely on solid fuel (logs/coal) to heat their water and home - no central heating boiler - but it can be a lot of hard work.
A lot depends on your budget and access to free/cheap wood.Comment
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Hi Farmer Gyles
We do have a Rayburn [LPG with a balanced flue] It seems such a shame to have a woodburner with a backboiler and not use the heat it produces to heat the rads as well.
There will also be times in the late autumn [or summer if its anything like this year!] when we will only have the woodburner lit. We have an electric hob when its not cold enough for the Rayburn which even on cooking only gives out loads of heat.
Don't give up on getting a Rayburn, they aree a fab beast both for heating and cooking, they do what it says on the tin................................ a bit like a landy really
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If you're going to buy a woodburner makes sure that the output is sufficient to heat the water and the room. You lose a lot of room heat when the fire is trying to do both.Comment
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Hi Veggie Chicken,
It is quite complicated but possible. it is also possible to blow the boiler up!!!!Comment
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3 bar safety valve will take care of that. Much depends on whether your system is open vent ie has a feed and expansion tank. Or if its a sealed system no tanks.Originally posted by minskey View Post
ColinPotty by name Potty by nature.
By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.
We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.
Aesop 620BC-560BC
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Potty, you remind me of the Cavalry, riding over the hill just at the right moment..........
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The only thing I would add about a Rayburn is that if you burn only wood the riddler wheel and cradle that holds it burn out very quickly and need replacing. Not difficult just take the old ones out and replace with the new ones, no tools needed. The best fuel is a mix of wood and anthurcite. I had one for years and they are wonderful and the only thing I miss out here.Gardening requires a lot of water - most of it in the form of perspiration. Lou Erickson, critic and poetComment
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You obviously have a hot water cylinder so technically doing just the hot water supply would be a fairly easy job using a hot water immersion coil heat exchanger.
Connecting the radiator circuit however is another matter it really does depend on what there now and where things are in relation to the two appliance's.
ColinPotty by name Potty by nature.
By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.
We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.
Aesop 620BC-560BC
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Potstubsduspins; I have an open vented system with a Rayburn which is gravity fed. The central heating is pumped with an injector tee on the return pipe.
Is it not possible to simpley tee the woodburner into the flow and return pipes from the Rayburn. There is no risk of pressure build up as its an open vented gravity system.Comment
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I will have a think on that, this time of night not the time to get the sketch pad out, but with the correct use off non return valves it may be possible.
So let me get this correct. you have a gas fired Rayburn with 2 28mm gravity circs to your cylinder, a 22mm central heating flow from the Rayburn with a 22mm return into a low level injector tee back into the 28mm gravity return.
Is the heating pump on the heating return just before the tee?
Plus how many rads do you have and do you know the output from the wood burner?
ColinPotty by name Potty by nature.
By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.
We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.
Aesop 620BC-560BC
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I'm back.
I have been speaking to a friend who is an HETAS registered engineer.
It can be done but it really does depend on what type of appliance you have. In the main its output, is it worth trying to connect the rads when the appliance isn't up to the job. What temperature controls does it have in order to prevent over heating etc.
Some thoughts for you. If the work is not done correctly you may be heating the solid fuel heat exchanger when its not in use and your gas bills could rise. During this process there is a good chance that condesation will be produced and corrode your solid fuel appliance.
A really good link is Solid Fuel Association - coal, coke and smokeless fuels go to literature there is a pdf file called link up with tons of info, diagrams and advice.
A further thought we had was do you have thermostatic radiator valves? The thought being is that if you have them and leave the door open to the room with the solid fuel appliance this heat will circulate through the house and shut off the TRV's early saving you gas.
ColinPotty by name Potty by nature.
By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.
We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.
Aesop 620BC-560BC
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