Cost of the boiler running without heating on?

Hank_Marvin

Can some tell me if i turn my Worcester Greenstar 37CDI combi boiler off from the main button will it harm it. I leave at 8-am and come back at 6pm so it's not on waisting money, but was wondering if it was ok to do this??. It seems to go through a mini test when i turn it back on.

macman

What do you mean by 'main button'? Why don't you just turn down the room stat or set the times using the programmer?
How does it waste money if the boiler is not firing during the day.

Hank_Marvin

MacMan i didn't say it wastes money if it's not firing on during the day. I said i turn it off daily to stop it wasting money.
Big main button on the boiler which turns it on/off, it's behind the pull down panel. This model off boiler doesn't have any
sort off programmer on it.

aelitaman

Hank_Marvin wrote: »

MacMan i didn't say it wastes money if it's not firing on during the day. I said i turn it off daily to stop it wasting money.
Big main button on the boiler which turns it on/off, it's behind the pull down panel. This model off boiler doesn't have any
sort off programmer on it.

No it wont wreck it.

Your boiler can have a programmer fitted, it just has not been fitted.

lozzaman

The boiler should not fire up if there is no call for heat, so set the timer appropriately - don't turn it off at the mains. The standby electricity use is very minimal and modern boilers have frost protection which will kick in at 5c.

To the OP: There should be at least one radiator on in the system to act as a heat dump. If the one without a TRV isn't producing any heat, are you sure it's not got air in? Otherwise it sounds like the lockshield may just not be open (I've seen some new systems totally out of balance before)

Probably better to use music to drown out traffic noise rather than a heating pump.

lozzaman

Hank_Marvin wrote: »

MacMan i didn't say it wastes money if it's not firing on during the day. I said i turn it off daily to stop it wasting money.
Big main button on the boiler which turns it on/off, it's behind the pull down panel. This model off boiler doesn't have any
sort off programmer on it.

Ah so is it a switch to turn the heating on and off? (i.e. does hot water still activate in this mode?)

Do you have a thermostat?

macman

Hank_Marvin wrote: »

MacMan i didn't say it wastes money if it's not firing on during the day. I said i turn it off daily to stop it wasting money.
Big main button on the boiler which turns it on/off, it's behind the pull down panel. This model off boiler doesn't have any
sort off programmer on it.

But unless it's firing, it won't cost any money at all! Turn down the room stat (I presume you have one of those) and it won't come on in the day.
Does it not have any kind of timer on it?
One of the main benefits of a modern CH system is that it switches on and off at predetermined times of your choosing, and regulates the temp by means of a room stat or TRV's. If you have to switch it on and off manually it's pretty pointless.
Why not just fit a programmer?

Hank_Marvin

LozzMan yep hot water kicks in, i suppose i could leave it on but turn the dials for heating/water down to to min setting which is 1. Yeah i have thermostat in hallway, and when i use the heating when i'm home, i control the heating by that.

macman / aeliteman I will get a programmer fitted soon, when i get round too it.

macman

So it's pointless turning it off at the main switch, or even turning the DHW/CH temp controls down. The DHW side can't fire the boiler while you are out (unless your cat decides to run itself a bath), and if the room 'stat is down below the ambient temp then neither can the CH side fire it.
A modern combi doesn't have a pilot light either, so it's costing precisely zero in gas while it's idle. I'm still puzzled as to why you think it's money-saving to turn it off?
The only overhead is a fractional amount of electricity to power the ignition circuit etc.

lozzaman

Hank_Marvin wrote: »

LozzMan yep hot water kicks in, i suppose i could leave it on but turn the dials for heating/water down to to min setting which is 1. Yeah i have thermostat in hallway, and when i use the heating when i'm home, i control the heating by that.

macman / aeliteman I will get a programmer fitted soon, when i get round too it.

You could just turn the thermostat down to 10c or so when you are out? This will effectively stop the boiler coming on unless the house gets very cool.