Clueless! New house no idea on heating/hot water system

[KerryHaz]

hi all,
Not sure if this is allowed here but I'm just looking for advice
I was left with no manuals in my new house, I moved in this April.
It's a modern 2 bed house, built in 2010.
Anyway, just inside the front door I have a ICOS HE12, next to it is a control panel to set timers for hot water and heating. In the hallway is the thermostat...
Upstairs in the wardrobe is a small white cylinder with a black box above it, I think this links to solar panels.
In the neighbouring cupboard is one large Range Tribune HE and two 2 small cylinders, one red mounted higher up and one White, also higher up.
I have no clue what any of this does and my curiosity is sparked mainly by receiving a large electric bill, with minimal gas use (since April). I hear the things fire up and seem to do something but I've no idea what! Is it an immersion heater? I googled it all and its seems like it might be, along with a condensing boiler... I'd really like a basic understanding on what this all is... I've never seen so much going on in a few cupboards, there's pipes and switches everywhere! Thanks to anyone who may care to shed some light!

 

[Scott_D]

Sounds like an unvented cylinder (heated by the boiler and maybe solar)
You will probably have an immersion for backup, make sure its not switched on

Post some pictures if you can

 

[townfanjon]

As Scott says make sure the immersion heater is nt turned on. The immersion heater is covered by a round plastic cover approx a foot off the floor , just follow the wire back to a switch .
The smaller red and white cylinders are expansion vessels , you have a standard setup there apart from the PV panels .

 

[KerryHaz]

Thank you both so much for replying to me!
So, the off switch is the one that's looks like a light switch, in the cupboard next to it..? Leave it off permanently? Will I still wake up to warm water? Plus have some left to bath a toddler each evening...?

 

[KerryHaz]

A better photo...

 

[ShaunCorbs]

is that a light switch above the white rectangle box?

if it isnt turn it off

 

[townfanjon]

Without getting too technical , as long as your programmer is set correctly and the silver box with H/W is working ok it should fire the boiler and give you hot water .
Have you just one / two panels on the roof or several ?

 

[KerryHaz]

Thanks.
I've turned it off now! It's still making a whirring noise like its on which is one reason I was unsure... Unless it takes a while to power off...
I'll see how we do tomorrow for water and check the settings downstairs.
I have 2 solar panels.

 

[townfanjon]

Ok cheers, i just wondered if you have solar pv ( provides electric ) you have solar thermal ( helps provide hot water assuming the suns out lol )

The noise you can hear will be the pump , it should turn off when both your HTG and HW turn off .

 

[townfanjon]

You will also have some more boxes / controls / vessel etc for the solar , maybe in the loft.
Or out of the picture maybe

 

[Chuck]

Piecing together how the system works by playing twenty questions on an internet forum is going to be a pretty painful and drawn out process. Your system needs servicing annually preferably by the heating engineer that installed it, who has thoughtfully left a sticker with their contact details attached to the cylinder. Give them a call, explain the position, ask them to come and service the system ASAP and ask them to add say 30 minutes to their standard visit for the engineer to take you through how the system works and how to use it properly.

Systems like yours have the potential to save a lot of money if they are set up and used correctly, They also have the potential to waste a lot of money when they are not.

Strictly speaking the documentation that is missing should have been handed over when the house was sold to you. The original installer should be able to give you a copy of the Benchmark datasheets and you can normally download pdf copies of the user manuals from the web.

 

[KerryHaz]

Thanks townfanjon.
Yes there are some extra controls next to the solar panel cylinders in another cupboard...
It's good to know I may have stopped my high electric usage!

I'll get someone over to service it now and try and get a quick lesson in what it's all doing.
I was quite alarmed at my lack of knowledge when EDF energy asked me if I had a combi boiler or an immersion... I have no clue what it all is...
Anyway, thanks again everyone!

 

[KerryHaz]

Piecing together how the system works by playing twenty questions on an internet forum is going to be a pretty painful and drawn out process. Your system needs servicing annually preferably by the heating engineer that installed it, who has thoughtfully left a sticker with their contact details attached to the cylinder. Give them a call, explain the position, ask them to come and service the system ASAP and ask them to add say 30 minutes to their standard visit for the engineer to take you through how the system works and how to use it properly.

Systems like yours have the potential to save a lot of money if they are set up and used correctly, They also have the potential to waste a lot of money when they are not.

Strictly speaking the documentation that is missing should have been handed over when the house was sold to you. The original installer should be able to give you a copy of the Benchmark datasheets and you can normally download pdf copies of the user manuals from the web.

Thank you, will do