Radio4 "Home Planet" does Combi pros and cons

[Doctor Drivel]

You really don't have much of a clue.

[Doctor Drivel]

I don't think they know their elbows from their bums. A condensing MAN infinitely continuous combi with long flue pipe lengths reducing heat loss from the heat exchanger, will be very efficient and deliver all the flow the average house needs. They even have a 76kW version. Heating the water as you use it (on-demand) using full condensing technology has proven to be the most efficient energy-wise as their are no standing losses. UK cylinder insulation is dire compared to Germany where 100-150mm is common. Standing losses in the UK are high.

[Phil Addison]

Well yes, that WAS the consensus of a group of pros.

Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at

Google uk.d-i-y archive is at NOSPAM from address to email me

[Doctor Drivel]

Who don't even know what is on the market. Some pros.

[Phil Addison]

First you say diy'ers haven't a clue, now its the pros turn. You must think you are the only one with the answers. Take a look at

uk.d-i-y FAQ is at Google uk.d-i-y archive is at NOSPAM from address to email me

[Doctor Drivel]

Most don't that is true.

These clearly don't.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

The 'emphasis' was on common affordable systems. Not the esoteric types you're so fond of recommending but not actually buying yourself. Remind us again of the system in your flat...

[Dave Plowman (News)]

For one who claims to be a heating engineer, dribble is remarkably lax at quoting any hard sums money wise. Probably because they don't give installation costs in catalogues...

[Doctor Drivel]

Will you please eff off as you are an idiot.

[Doctor Drivel]

Will you please eff off as you are an idiot.

[marvelus]

In the summer maybe.

[ARWadsworth]

A combi is a lifestlye choice in my case.

I have no idea what time I will be back from work or even if I will come back and not stop elsewhere. I may also only want a shower not a bath. The

15 mins to fill up a bath with the combi is not a problem as the alternative is to either heat up stored hot water that may be wasted if I do not come home or wait for stored hot water to get hot.

One drawback is that there is 3 meters of 15mm pipe cold water wasted before hot water comes through to the bathroom if you just want to wash your hands in the sink and there is a definate time lag compared to the old gravity fed system (where just as much water was wasted).

Adam

[Doctor Drivel]

That is the same for any system.

There are instant versions with a small water storage vessel that makes the water at the taps far quicker. The lag is because of the flue fan proving control before the burner fires. I hear there are some versions of fan/burner control that don't require this time lag. I don't know the details and only in the labs at the mo'.

[Andrew Gabriel]

When converting a vented system to a mains pressure system, you may well find thicker pipework was originally used to reduce flow resistance. This can generally be replaced by

15mm pipework. Each pipe size increase doubles the volume of dead water in the pipework, and hence the amount you need to run off to bring the hot through (i.e. about twice the amount for a 22mm pipe run than the same length of 15mm pipework).

[Dave Plowman (News)]

They are eminently suitable for some - just not the panacea dribble makes them out to be.

[ARWadsworth]

Exactly. My friend replaced the combi in his new house (new to him, not a new build) with an unvented system. A four bedroom house with 2 ensuites and

3 kids would not work with my combi.

Adam

[Doctor Drivel]

Will you please eff off, you are an idiot.

[Doctor Drivel]

It would work with a MAN combi (wall mounted), Gledhill Gulfstream and ACV HeatMaster (floor mounted).

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Think it's about time you lost your ISP again...

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Prices?