New oil heating advice

sgun

coffeehound said:

Ignore my earlier post sgun, they do make a heat-only version so it will have a separate pump:

https://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/products/boilers/directory/greenstar-danesmoor-utility

Thank you, that points me in the right direction for some more research.

wwally

You have an S Plan controller in the specification. I've recently upgraded from a timer to a smart thermostat. It gives a lot more control, inc remotely, and can control the TRVs individually. Worth a look at getting the most up to date solution on Day 1. (My controller is from Tado, not sure if S Plan is similar)

Qyburn

wwally said:

You have an S Plan controller in the specification. I've recently upgraded from a timer to a smart thermostat. It gives a lot more control, inc remotely, and can control the TRVs individually. Worth a look at getting the most up to date solution on Day 1. (My controller is from Tado, not sure if S Plan is similar)

S Plan (originally Honeywell's term) refers to the plumbing arrangements, a fully pumped system with separate two-port valves one for heat and one for hot water. As opposed to "Y Plan" which uses a three port three position valve. Nothing really to do with what sort of stat, programmer, etc controls the heating. Although S Plan gives more options as the logic is simpler.

Kiran

I've got the external version of this oil boiler and it was installed just under 12 months ago. My old one was 23 years old, I had done a fair few repairs on that to keep it going but the time had come to change it. I assume you have an existing hot water cylinder, what is the condition of  that like? I put in a new cylinder so I could have additional heating coils (this allows me to use solar thermal to heat the hot water and means I use nothing from around April to October)

The boiler itself seems very good and has been faultless, it does have an internal circulation pump so the one in the quote is additional or surplus to requirements.

Also worth considering is your controls, what kind of thermostat you want to use, if you want smart then how smart? Do you want to be able to zone each radiator individually? If so then you need different TRVs.

gm0

Try to size new fit radiators with plumbing for heat pump operating temperature - or accept they are "temporary".  DeltaT20 tables.  Not 40. (So water 35c/15c room vs 55c/15c).  Clearly this will cook a room while on the oil boiler if you don't turn the flow valves right down while using the "too big" radiator with the hotter oil boiler and of course the TRV

Avoid microbore for new fit as this is heat pump and low temperature operation unfriendly.  If the current project is all tactical exploiting what is there - then it doesn't matter as you know now you will rip and redo emitters and plumbing later in larger works.

Active components - pumps, mag strain, motorised valves should (arguably) have isolators so they can be replaced/serviced without draining. It's better.  But it takes a tiny bit more time to fit.  So don't ask won't get applies according to your particular plumber and space available etc.

HL365

Check out a sapphire boiler which have modulated output (only oil one on the market) which helps with oil consumption ( 17% reduction in a test house program) and is HVO ready, so you may not have to go down the heat pump route later on, as HVO cuts CO2 emissions up to 90%

FreeBear

gm0 said:

Try to size new fit radiators with plumbing for heat pump operating temperature - or accept they are "temporary".  DeltaT20 tables.  Not 40. (So water 35c/15c room vs 55c/15c).  Clearly this will cook a room while on the oil boiler if you don't turn the flow valves right down while using the "too big" radiator with the hotter oil boiler and of course the TRV

Fit bigger radiators (and larger bore pipes if/where needed), and turn the flow temperature down. Would also need a controller that can do Priority Domestic Hot Water - With a PDHW aware control, the flow temperature is automatically increased when the tank needs reheating. Some tweaks may be needed to the S plan wiring & plumbing to make the most of it.

running lower flow temperatures (even with oil) will increase efficiency with a modern condensing boiler.

JonnySegway

Do some people on here think this is a heat pump? Looks a decent price for 8 rads as well. Sapphire boilers are a good make but there’s not that much between them and others such as Grant, they’re pretty basic kit compared to gas & electric heat boilers; better getting one the plumber knows best and most comfortable with.

lohr500

JonnySegway said:

Do some people on here think this is a heat pump? Looks a decent price for 8 rads as well. Sapphire boilers are a good make but there’s not that much between them and others such as Grant, they’re pretty basic kit compared to gas & electric heat boilers; better getting one the plumber knows best and most comfortable with.

My understanding is that the Sapphire oil boilers are quite different from others such as Grant.

As @HL365 points out they are capable of modulating their output dynamically to match the required heat demand. In much the same way as a modulating gas boiler. Arguably not a pretty basic piece of kit.

As far as I am aware no other domestic oil boiler manufacturer offers such a feature.

Kiran

FreeBear said:

gm0 said:

Try to size new fit radiators with plumbing for heat pump operating temperature - or accept they are "temporary".  DeltaT20 tables.  Not 40. (So water 35c/15c room vs 55c/15c).  Clearly this will cook a room while on the oil boiler if you don't turn the flow valves right down while using the "too big" radiator with the hotter oil boiler and of course the TRV

Fit bigger radiators (and larger bore pipes if/where needed), and turn the flow temperature down. Would also need a controller that can do Priority Domestic Hot Water - With a PDHW aware control, the flow temperature is automatically increased when the tank needs reheating. Some tweaks may be needed to the S plan wiring & plumbing to make the most of it.

running lower flow temperatures (even with oil) will increase efficiency with a modern condensing boiler.

Do this! It will also give you an idea of how your heat pump will be performing