Linking Multi Fuel and Gas Boilers

[KayA]

I have a Parkray solid fuel/multi fuel central heating/domestic water heating system with solar powered domestic water system. The Parkray is only 2-3 years old and I have just spent money re-lining the chimney. Whilst I like this heating system, I recognize that as I am getting older, the manual effort makes it less attractive. Hence, I am about to have installed a gas boiler (by British Gas) to take over most of the central heating/domestic water heating but do not want to abandon the Parkray system, but keep it as a back-up (for gas boiler break downs or interruptions in gas supplies) and "feature" system.

I know it is feasible to join up the systems, e.g using H2 panel, a heat store system, etc, but I am having problems finding any plumbers/ heating engineers prepared to advise/undertake this work. British Gas say they are not prepared to undertake the work, and I am concerned about back up to the H2 panel as it seems too specialized (only one person designing, installing and maintaining them) and too expensive!

 

[maisie the ugly]

Hello, yes you can link your boiler using a dunsley neutralizer, web site here www.dunsleyheat.co.uk/linkupsys.htm .
Have done my multifuel stove and my brothers, works very well, I am not a gas safe plumber but have done the water side to the central heating myself.

 

[tamz]

As Maisie said a dunsley is the easiest way to do it (correctly) but BG won't do it. Find an independent plumber/heating engineer and they will sort it out.

 

[KayA]

Thanks Maisie & Tamz. I did look at Dunsley but then I found a lot of negative feed back on the web so was not sure what to do.

Also, I have been unable to find a plumber/engineer in this area (Bedford) who has even heard of Dunsley, let alone installed one! And Dunsley do not provide a list of approved installers.

So, if anyone knows of a qualified plumber/engineer in the Bedford/Milton Keynes/Luton even South Cambs area that does this work, I would appreciate a heads-up.

 

[maisie the ugly]

Hi KayA
I brought mine of ebay, you my find some heating installers will not install the dunsley as it`s not as straight forward as a normal boiler install, my brother inlaw who is a heating engineer laughed when I told him what i was going to do, but when I completed it and showed him, he was quite impressed, I`m in Northampton so if you want to have a look you are more than welcome.

 

[Robtheplumb]

As Maisie said a dunsley is the easiest way to do it (correctly) but BG won't do it. Find an independent plumber/heating engineer and they will sort it out.

Easy? You think?? I have fitted 2 and both were a pain. Why don't you look at a thermal store, lot easyer to fit, mains pressure hot water and you don't get a cupboard full of pipes.

 

[moony]

thermal store would be the easiest but most expensive - ive done a couple of neutrilisers and centralisers - both on pressurised and vented systems - theres a lot to it and not for the faint hearted imo and definately not for the diyer - heat leaks - pipe stats - n/o divertor valves - pumps etc etc - although the dunlsey neutrilser would be cheaper than the thermal store in materials - it depends on the labour costs.

anyway find someone who specialises in rayburns, log burners etc and then ask them if they dont do it they should know someone who does.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

you could also have a twin coil cylinder but i dont know if that would work with solar

 

[Robtheplumb]

you could also have a twin coil cylinder but i dont know if that would work with solar

You would need three coils, Thats a lot of coil in a cylinder!!!!

 

[tamz]

Easy? You think?? I have fitted 2 and both were a pain. Why don't you look at a thermal store, lot easyer to fit, mains pressure hot water and you don't get a cupboard full of pipes.

No more difficult than anything else to fit and you get the same cupboard full of pipes with a heat bank.
Heatbank (thermal store) is possibly the best set up but it depends on the budget.

 

[mark_mc]

you could use a triple coil cylinder albion do one called a eco cylinder and they are a good job available in 50x18 and 60x18, i installed one with a oil boiler, wood burning stove and solar.
the dunsley things are ok but would do it with a thermal store its a far better install option i know its cheaper the other way.

 

[KayA]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far.

Maisey - I would like to take you up on your offer of looking at your installation - how would you like to make direct contact? Also, I wondered if your brother-in-law, having been impressed with your installation, would be interested in the job of installing one for me, assuming he is HETAS registered, or equivalent, and lives locally to you. BG say they are happy for me to have the "add-on" done after the installation and say it will not affect my warranty provided the installer is HETAS or equivalent registered.

 

[CopperAndSolder]

Hello – I see discussions like this cropping up on various forums. I’ve been working on a simple solution called the Fan Boiler, which safely connects wood burning stoves directly to existing central heating systems. Apart from being very easy and cheap to install, this system allows the user to turn ‘on’ and ‘off’ the heat transfer at the flick of a switch.

It’s not yet available commercially (I’m talking to various Stove manufacturers), but I’d welcome feedback from members of this forum. Take a look at the Products page of my website – www.kinxerg.com . If you like the idea, please tell others – I need as much feedback as possible. Thank you.

 

[ecowarm]

You need a thermal store, the best way to link all together. [DLMURL="http://www.newarkcoppercylinder.co.uk/cylinders/solar_thermal_store/"]Solar Thermal Store | Newark Copper Cylinders[/DLMURL] give them a ring. Not to expensive and very helpful.

Eco

 

[SoxandMax]

HI a year on from this thread but to Masie the ugly can you give any advice on fitting the neutraliser we are looking into it and have the system here ready to fit....

 

[CopperAndSolder]

Not yet in commercial production, but take a look at the FHT Stove technology www.fhtstove.com - linking wood burning stoves directly to central heating systems - no back boiler, no gravity fed loop, no neutraliser tank, and you can choose when/if you want to transfer heat - a switchable system. Feedback much appreciated.

 

[maisie the ugly]

HI a year on from this thread but to Masie the ugly can you give any advice on fitting the neutraliser we are looking into it and have the system here ready to fit....

Hi soxandmax
what would you like to know,will post some pictures if that helps.

 

[CopperAndSolder]

Oops - link to FHT Stoves was incorrect - should be www.fhtstoves.com - sorry.

 

[SoxandMax]

HI Masie thanks for replying

Just typed all this once and clicked reply instead of post so will try again grrrr

We have an oil fired central heating system working on an old but goodie Camray boiler. We have bought a generic Dunsley neutraliser to hopefully link a log burner with back boiler into the system.

We quite a distance from the burner to the hot water cylinder (which is vented) where the neutraliser is to situated and although the cylinder is upstairs a fair bit of the run is horizontal because of the way we are having to run the pipework. So to help out on this we have bought a grundfos ch pump. (We are hoping to use 28mm pipe from the log burner to the pump 22mm after the pump with reducer at the neutralizer to take it back up to 28mm)

now for all the questions

1. How far from the log burner do we site the pump and should it be on the out hot line or the return line.

2. DO we just connect the pipes into the neutralizer and then the hot out of it to the cylinder

3. (bearing mind our oil system is already installed) do we need the sunvic and all the other electronics that are on the diagrams for the neutraliser.

4. We have a distinct shortage of local plumbers who have heard of a neutraliser (i.e. zero) and when you ask any of them in this area they say not heard of that will check it out give me your phone number..... and never come back to us and when we ring back they say oh yeah sorry only deal with gas...

5. The diagrams we can find are all by Dunsley baker and appear to be quite complex does it need to be this complicated.

All advice is really appreciated

 

[SimonG]

You shouldn't be having a pump on the feed from the log burner, should be gravity, where's the heat going in a power cut?

Yes it does have to be as complicated as the diagrams show, unfortunately. It's got to be safe!

Whereabouts are you located, there maybe somebody on here close enough to have a look and see where to go from.

 

[SoxandMax]

Thanks for your answer, We are near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.

Fully understand the powercut scenario but am a little confused as my neighbour paid out over £5000 had a solid fuel only system installed professionally and that is pump driven we did contact this plumber and he wasnt interested because we have already bought the log burner etc... and he only works on the basis that he supplies and fits.

 

[dancinplumba]

probs pump on c/h only not on hot water

 

[SoxandMax]

dancin are you saying that the pump should be on the return pipework? Which is what we thought but have asked just in case

 

[SimonG]

Solid fuel only is different to linked in with neutraliser. Solid fuel only will be pumped central heating and gravity hot water with heat leak.

 

[dancinplumba]

dancin are you saying that the pump should be on the return pipework? Which is what we thought but have asked just in case

NO !! listen to SimonG.
i am saying that on the system you have mentioned that the pump will be on the radiator circuit and not the circuit for domestic hoit water