Fiting a Hot water cylinder with gravity coil

[gassafe]

After a mix up at the merchants I have been left with a regular 36x18 copper cylinder, but the one I was after one suitable for a gravity fed coil!

The manufacterer said it might work, as the coil does fall thoughout the coil ( which i can see thru the immersion hole ), but I just wondered what the chances were, has anyone ever fitted a regular one before on a gravity circuit & had no problems??

I cant see why it would not work, obviously a gravity specific coil would be better but if i get no air locks on fill up maybe it will work, the vent comes off near airing cupboard tee, would an additional air vent help also?

Or am I just worrying too much, and plumbers just fir the modern equivalent with no worrys!?

Thanks for any advise or input!

 

[SimonG]

I fitted a plumbcenter standard cylinder on a gravity circuit. There was a label on it saying only suitable for pumped, but the bloke who one of the counterstaff phoned swore blind it would work. I told him that if it didn't he was paying. It worked.

 

[gassafe]

thanks for that, it has made me feel slightly more optimistic!

Im hoping it will work okay, if not im working satarday changing it! I will update to let peeps know... just incase other people get this problem one day

 

[AWheating]

its likely to have less flow rate through the coil and gravity coiled cylinders tend to be designed for higher temps/ with thicker copper walls (grade 1).

will the warrantee be effected?

 

[SimonG]

its likely to have less flow rate through the coil and gravity coiled cylinders tend to be designed for higher temps/ with thicker copper walls (grade 1).

will the warrantee be effected?

That's a very good point AW, never even considered that when I installed it.

 

[Best]

The coil will have to be rising to the top or at the very worst, be dead level in places. An extra vent will do no good.

 

[chris watkins]

Just a reminder of an old post, the replacement of a hot water cylinder (controlled service) under Part L requires that the system be up graded were ever possible to a fully pumped one.
More & more of the modern cylinders have a double coil heat exchanger to get the required surface areas to achieve the 30min recovery, these of course are very unlikely to work on a gravity system.

 

[stevetheplumber]

ive done it myself and it worked if the boiler is a floor below the cylinder it should be ok if its a borderline system anyway with the cylinder on top of the boiler maybe not