Hot water

follyfoot

Hi I need to replace my gledhill pulsacoil hot water cylinder which is faulty after 8 years - they do not seem to be built to last. I would like your opinion on unvented cylinders please. Which are the best makes that are unlikely to leak like my gledhill? Why would I choose an unvented cylinder over a vented cylinder?

Heedtheadvice

For sealed system rather than a vented system.......?

GDB2222

Unvented is if you don't have a tank in the loft.

Market leader in these cylinders is Megaflo. We've had one 20 years, and it's been faultless.

You definitely need, a new one, do you? Not just a repair? Where's it leaking from?

GDB2222

Just to add: Have you had any quotes for replacing the cylinder?
Depending on size, you could be looking at the best part of £1k for a decent new cylinder. Plus fitting, which could be much the same again. These things get buried in cupboards, which makes fitting a pain.

A repair, even an expensive repair, may be an awful lot cheaper.

follyfoot

Thanks for responding. Gledhill said it was beyond repair since the leak is internal and the cylinder is sealed - the header tank keeps filling up and I have to remove water every 4 hours.



GDB2222 - you are correct the costs about £1000. I have had a quote for Megaflo, Telford Tempest and Joule. Joule supply and install is about £1600 the others all £2000+. A new Gledhill is also similiar price. I am annoyed that Gledhill has not lasted longer and is now unrepairable. I am told I can have a vented or unvented cylinder and that with unvented there is more choice.

coffeehound

Assuming you heat with electricity, follyfoot, you might like to look at this

https://www.advanceappliances.co.uk/product/153-electric-thermal-store-hot-water-only/

It is different from other DHW cylinders giving similar operation as your pulsacoil but without the complications of an unvented system. (In theory you should have an unvented system inspected annually for safety reasons.)

Here's a thread where a member (mmmmikey) has installed one - perhaps worth giving him a message if you have questions

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=75583726

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5974093/hot-water-cylinder-questions

follyfoot

coffeehound wrote: »

Assuming you heat with electricity, follyfoot, you might like to look at this

https://www.advanceappliances.co.uk/product/153-electric-thermal-store-hot-water-only/

It is different from other DHW cylinders giving similar operation as your pulsacoil but without the complications of an unvented system. (In theory you should have an unvented system inspected annually for safety reasons.)

Here's a thread where a member (mmmmikey) has installed one - perhaps worth giving him a message if you have questions

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=75583726

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5974093/hot-water-cylinder-questions

I do just heat with electricity. It all seems confusing. Some say it is better to just have a vented system like my Gledhill and others have said go for unvented.

coffeehound

Vented are nice in that you don't require all the safety devices that an unvented tank needs. However, most vented systems need a cold top-up tank in the loft; the difference with that one linked is that it has its own cold cistern built in. It's like a best of all worlds - mains pressure hot water without the complications of an unvented system.

.

follyfoot

coffeehound wrote: »

Unvented are nice in that you don't require all the safety devices that a vented tank needs. However, most unvented systems need a cold top-up tank in the loft; the difference with that one linked is that it has its own cold cistern built in. It's like a best of all worlds.

My Gledhill is vented and I have cold top up tank above it.

coffeehound

follyfoot wrote: »

My Gledhill is vented and I have cold top up tank above it.

Ah okay, I was thinking it was unvented.

fezster

I bought into the marketing hype of Megaflo. I wouldn't bother - there are cheaper alternatives, which are just as good. Megaflo market their internal baffle, negating the need for an expansion vessel, as a positive. In reality, it just needs recharging far too often and reduces the capacity of the tank.

If I was buying again, I'd go for a Joule.