New Boiler Installation

Hi,

Thinking it's time to replace my 21 year old boiler, this summer.

It's been very good, just two thermocouples and a new pump in all those years.

The plan is to get a CORGI man to disconnect the gas from the old boiler and then do the rest myself, after all I am an electrician.

I did ido the complete original installation.

The boiler supplies to sets of manifolds, each one controlled by a two port motorised valve, each valve controlled by a room thermostat, one for upstairs and one for downstairs, essentially a two zone system, 3 if you include the hot water system.

My proposed plan is to keep the two zone system as it is, each radiator is fed from the manifolds with 10mm copper pipe, with normal valves, not TRVs.

So replace the boiler and flue, provide new 15mm cold water supply, new 15mm hot supply to existing hot water distribution in the house.

Get CORGI man to reconnect.

At the moment the wiring is, live to the thermostats, then to the end switches of the motorised valves, so if any of the valves open a supply is sent to the boiler/pump.

Will I be ok to reuse my existing system?

Am I allowed to do all the non CORGI work myself.

Not sure which boiler to go for yet, any suggestions/recommendations, three bedroom detached, boiler in garage.

thanks for reading, any help/suggestions appreciated

al

Reply to
al simpson
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I am a plumbing and heating engineer. Should be OK to do my own consumer unit then?

Building regs will require addition of TRVs to at least some of the rads. I'd do all except the one(s) in the room(s) with the thermostat(s).

No can do (legally anyhow). It's against the law to connect (& leave connected) a gas supply to an appliance that hasn't been commissioned. So who's going to do the commissioning? If the CORGI man does that he's basically accepting liability for anything in that installation that may turn out to be wrong. Some installers value their ticket more than to do that. Suggest you discuss with your installer now exactly what they're happy for you to do and what they need to do, rather than trying to get someone in after the event.

You know, like you'd want a customer to discuss with you before replacing their CU just what it is you're going to sign an EIC for :-)

Reply to
YAPH

I'm a groundworker who lays drives for a living but it didn't stop me fitting a new condensing boiler in my house

Or he could just fit the entire thing himself? - if he's capable of turning off the gas at the meter and soldering a few joints, he's capable of doing all the work and bollox to CORGI.

Reply to
Phil L

quite a few of your questions are covered in the GasFitting and Boiler Choice FAQs.

Reply to
Ed Sirett

Yes. You can even do all the gas work.

What is the pressure and flow of the mains water? How many baths, showers, etc.

Reply to
Doctor Drivel

You are either one or the other. Not both. The two are very different things.

Please point to the law?

Not so. He connects the pipe. Tests and then leaves. On his bill he states what he has done. He left a gas tight pipe only.

Reply to
Doctor Drivel

GSIUR regulation 33(2) and corresponding ACOP

which you're famaliar with, I take it?

Reply to
YAPH

Not that bit. I doubt it actually states that.

Reply to
Doctor Drivel

If you are competent at gas work there's no need to get in a CORGI to disconnect and make safe the gas supply. And anyone who is competent at working with copper tube should be competent to cap off a gas pipe.

However, in practice you may well need one to commission the new boiler since this might be a condition of the warranty.

But if you go down this route make sure *everything* in the installation complies to current regs.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Depends if you're competent. Plenty of DIYers are. Not much point in this group if you think these sort of skills must be left to a pro.

However, to answer your actual question probably not - if most of the wiring I've seen done by 'heating engineers' is representative. ;-)

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Hi,

Thanks for all the replies, did not intend to start an argument about the installation.

The 'I am an electrician' was meant as a joke!!

I am very capable of doing the whole installation, but would not do the gas, even though I feel confident about it.

My main point of the email was to see if the existing 2 zone, motorised system would be suitable, or should I do away with it and fit TRVs to all (except one) radiators.

Legally I am allowed to fit the boiler and do all the pipe-work?

Gas and commissioning will be done by a CORGI man.

Only two of us in the house, so only one hot tap would be in use at any one time.

Is 15mm hot from the boiler ok, or would 22mm into the house be better, boiler is on the outside wall of the attached garage.

Not sure of the MCWS pressure, seems to be very good though, we live in a built-up populated area.

thanks

al

Reply to
al simpson

So an individual can only have the one skill?

Explains your foibles nicely.

Care to give us details of which qualifications you possess?

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Please eff off as you are an idiotic plantpot.

Reply to
Doctor Drivel

Just ask a qualified and registered gas installer :-)

GSIUR

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33

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(1) Where a person installs a gas appliance at a time when gas is being supplied to the premises in which the appliance is installed, he shall immediately thereafter test its connection to the installation pipework to verify that it is gastight and examine the appliance and the gas fittings and other works for the supply of gas and any flue or means of ventilation to be used in connection with the appliance for the purpose of ascertaining whether -

(a) the appliance has been installed in accordance with these Regulations;

(b) the operating pressure is as recommended by the manufacturer;

(c) the appliance has been installed with due regard to any manufacturer's instructions provided to accompany the appliance; and

(d) all gas safety controls are in proper working order.

(2) Where a person carries out such testing and examination in relation to a gas appliance and adjustments are necessary to ensure compliance with the requirements specified in sub-paragraphs (a) to (d) of paragraph (1) above, he shall either carry out those adjustments or disconnect the appliance from the gas supply or seal off the appliance from the gas supply with an appropriate fitting.

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"Safety in the installation and use of gas systems and appliances" APPROVED CODE OF PRACTICE AND GUIDANCE, HSE BOOKS ISBN 0 7176 1635 5

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193 Once the commissioning of an appliance is started, it should be either completed in full, leaving the appliance in a safe working condition, or the appliance should be disconnected or the gas supply to the appliance sealed off with an appropriate fitting, until tests and examinations can be fully completed at a later date. See also definition of 'appropriate fitting' in regulation 2(1).

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Reply to
YAPH

... and gas installations by electricians? ;-)

Reply to
YAPH

Indeed. I watched the 'HE' fumbling with the wiring and just took over - I wanted some semblance of correct circuitry. They also had a hammer drill that cut out intermittently, so I rewired it by removing about 8" at the drill end and they were really pleased. The drill had been in that state for several weeks and they had no idea of the cause - took me a few seconds of wire-wiggling to find the place.

Reply to
PeterC

And I thought I was tongue in cheek ;-|

I just passed my 16th -> 17th upgrade with one out of 30 answers wrong. I think that makes me theoretically competent to do my own CU/rewire ... but I know I don't have much practical experience.

TRVs to all but one, def-o. Zoned is good if it makes sense for you or if it's mandated by the size of your house (over a certain floor area, can't remember how much off the top of my head but basically swanky-sized houses).

Definitely not the gas pipework (even before it's connected to gas), grey area on the flue & maybe even hanging the boiler. Water works OK.

I strongly recommend you find a CORGI man first, one who's happy to work with you doing some of the work (some CORGIs are, some aren't) and agree who does what. I've worked with people on this basis. Basically asking someone to come in at the end of the job and commission a boiler you've installed is like asking you to do an EIC for something I've installed.

The boiler will be the limitation on the HW flow rate, not the pipework:

15mm is fine.
Reply to
YAPH

I've done the same around at a friends. The HE was clearly very relieved when someone else dived in and took over the electrical wiring. (Unfortunately, he'd already done the room stat before I arrived, and that's got some T&E going into the back of the room stat but flex coming out of the wall at the boiler, so I've no idea what he's hidden behind the wall for that;-)

Some years ago, my parents had their boiler replaced (and I wasn't around at the time). The HE in that case knew he didn't have a clue about the wiring, and had an electrician he knew who came in for a few hours to do all the wiring, who actually did a good job (and fitted some missing service bonding for what seemed like a very low fee at the time, although he was already there I suppose).

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

Dunno - in the normal course of events a sparks wouldn't need to touch gas. Unlike a heating engineer installing a system - they will all have at least some electrics. And given that most are pretty similar you'd think they'd soon pick up the basic skills required - it's hardly rocket science. Anymore than making a sound connection to copper tube.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

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