Telford tempest unvented hot water cylinder - Solar option or not?

[1671ben]

evening all,

I am hoping to get some advise on an issue I have with my shower in a house I have recently bought.

After moving in this house I soon discovered that I had a major issue with the shower fitted, the system utilises a mixer tap with mains pressure cold and gravity fed hot water. after being either froze to death or scalded I soon realised that the cold pressure was over coming the hot as the differential pressure was greater across the shower head as it was to the hot water cylinder, my concern was that it was back filing the hot water cylinder will cold water. i installed an NRV on the hot water but this obviously caused a further pressure drop and with chocking the cold water flow on the isolation valve i still couldnt get the flows to balance. After getting some quotes from local plumbers I initially thought that putting a pump on the hot would be the best solution. I then had the problem of an electrical supply and as I dont have an RCD consumer unit, I was then told I needed an new consumer unit! I came to the conclusion that this was going to be a very expensive shower! The pump option also seemed to have its falws with concerns over noise when running and on going maintenance as I hear they do last all that long, this has led me to my current option of installing an unvented indirect hot water cylinder, I have had a reasonable quote for installtion of a 170ltr Telford Tempest indirect hot water cylinder, with options for a solar coil.

I would like some advise on the following:

Is 170ltrs enough for a 4 bed house with 3 occupants, 1 bathroom 1 cloakroom?

Does anyone have any feedback on the Telford Tempest?

Is it worth having the solar coil? I wont have the funds to fit the panel on the roof at present but is it worth having it just in case.

Any help on this would be appriciated.

Thanks,
Ben

 

[lame plumber]

if your going for solar eventually min of 210 better 300litre as its free heat and the more the better, also 210 good for a busy family. soalr water cheapest form of free enrgy and best imho

 

[Ray Stafford]

170 litres is probably enough for now, but I would agree with Lame Plumber - for the (relatively small) price difference, and if you have room, then upgrade to 210 or 250 litres.

Going for the solar coil (even if you don't use it for a while) is sensible forward planning, but as LP says, if you go that route you want as much capacity as you can - 210, 250 or 300 litres.

 

[Whyme]

If you can afford it then why not, its future proof and you'll have the best hw system anyway with an unvented. like lame says bigger if poss.

 

[peteheat]

For sizing a solar cylinder the average is calculated as 50 litres per person per day.

Might as well fit the second coil now it future proofs your home for solar.

You can also split the flow and return between the two coils so you have a full
cylinder of hot water using the boiler (until you fit solar).

Make life easier (cheaper) by fitting service valves on the flow and return to the
cylinder so you don't have to interfere with the boiler circuit when fitting the solar
connections.

 

[1671ben]

Hi Lame Plumber, thanks for the feedback, as the solar element of this install is a retrofit, would I not be better going for a smaller tank, say 170ltrs? My thoughts are that if the house does not require any more than 170ltrs then why pay for the extra fuel to heat a larger tank? I appriciate that when I do eventually fit solar it will be free to heat but I assume that during the winter solar is useless?

 

[1671ben]

Peteheat,

Thank you for your comments, I like the idea of splitting the coils, I guess the re-heat time would be much better. As I understand it (correct me if I am wrong) but the reason for the highier costs of Megaflow etc is due to the reheat time being much better? I cant understand why else they demand such a high price. The concept is the same for all manufacturers but with differences in materials used. The Telford Tempest offers a lifetime guarentee on the cylinder which is great. Havent had much feedback on this particular model so I assume its adverage as no one has come along with major issues or coversely great things to say about it!