Combi boiler and water softener together?

Greatgimp

I am about to buy a house fitted with a Worcester Greenstar Heatslave 18/25 combi boiler. The property is also fitted with a Permutit PS53 water softener. Is this a compatible setup?

Any comments please, good or bad - I've read all sorts of conflicting stories about the boiler being eaten alive by the soft water!

DVardysShadow

A lot will depend on where you are in the country and how the water is if it is softened. Personally, I would not have a water softener unless the combi was actually heating an indirect HW cylinder - and the combi would be plumbed in upstream of the softener.

Greatgimp

Very hard water area - Norfolk. This system has been working for a number of years. Do you think there is a need to change it?

Mankysteve

DVardysShadow wrote: »

A lot will depend on where you are in the country and how the water is if it is softened. Personally, I would not have a water softener unless the combi was actually heating an indirect HW cylinder - and the combi would be plumbed in upstream of the softener.

A combi by definition wouldn't be heating a hot water tank. A Condensing boiler is another story altogether;)

Greatgimp

That's right, there's no HW cylinder. Your opinion?

DVardysShadow

Mankysteve wrote: »

A combi by definition wouldn't be heating a hot water tank. A Condensing boiler is another story altogether;)

Absolutely no reason why a combi could not be used to heat a hot water tank. Whether a boiler is condensing or not is actually the red herring here, because while the primary heat exchanger would be corrosion resistant, it is the secondary heat exchanger of any heating system which is subject to softened water issues

Greatgimp

Would somebody like to answer my original question, rather than score points?

DVardysShadow

Greatgimp wrote: »

Would somebody like to answer my original question, rather than score points?

There may be point scoring, but the points being scored are relevant to your query. If you are not happy with this, put up a yes or no poll.

mbga9pgf

from bitter recent experience, I would get the boiler checked out. for the sake of 100 quid, you could save a fortune. we have just outlaid 5K on pretty much replacing the CH system and hot water pipework, if you are in a hard water area and they are plumbed in 8 or 10mm microbore, I would DEFINATELY get the system checked through.

Do you have a COMBI or a condenser? there is a difference. if its a combi, turn on the hot water tap and see how long it takes for hot to come out, and is it sustained over say a minute? what is the flow rate like? These pointers will indicate a good/bad system. as for the exact combination of softener and boiler, go to https://www.diynot.com and ask in the plumbing forum.

Do you have young kids or babies or plan to? softened water is REALLY bad for babies and formula, as it has raised levels of sodium (salt) in it.

Mankysteve

Terms people terms

A condensing boiler is boiler that extracts as much heat as possible out of it exhaust gasses. Usually to the point where some of the water condenses out of the gases meaning you have to water a water drain. All new installs in the UK are required to be condensing boilers.

A combi boiler is system without a hot water tank and instantly(ish) heat the water to supply to tap and CH

A non Combi boiler has a hot water tank that is periodical topped up with hot water as it the hot water is used up/looses usually according to a timer.

A combi and non combi boiler can both be condensing.

The only experience I have with water softerns are that with the resin bead types one if the cartridge bursts it can cause all types of problems to anything plumbed into it.

Greatgimp

mbga9pgf wrote: »

Do you have a COMBI or a condenser? there is a difference. if its a combi, turn on the hot water tap and see how long it takes for hot to come out, and is it sustained over say a minute? what is the flow rate like? These pointers will indicate a good/bad system. as for the exact combination of softener and boiler, go to www.diynot.com and ask in the plumbing forum.

Do you have young kids or babies or plan to? softened water is REALLY bad for babies and formula, as it has raised levels of sodium (salt) in it.

It's certainly a combi boiler (Worcester Greenstar Heatslave 18/25). We've no children (snip-job), so that's not a consideration..