calorifier circuit advice sought.

[turnbuttonboy]

Having received sound advice about plumbing on the forum previously, I was wondering if any techies might be able to help with the latest dilemma. We run a kerosene Rayburn in our barge and rarely turn it up above tickover. This means that we do not have masses of hot water and it fails to keep a radiator warm and heat the calorifier. Last summer I changed the plumbing so that there was a dedicated loop that just fed the calorifier coil and this has worked well but it does take 18 hours to get the water truly hot. The trouble is that once the water has got to the temperature needed I have to remember to open a valve to the radiators otherwise the pressure just builds until it would eventually blow a hose. I have considered fitting a 24 volt gate valve and a thermostat but this would need power and still has potential for problems and is horribly expensive. Another option was to fit a small pressure relief valve of the type that is used for boiler circuits (0.6 psi) which would open once the system had pressured itself and allow cold water into the boiler from the radiator circuit. I am not sure where to go and wondered if I am missing something very obvious so any advice would be most welcome.

 

Cheers Giles

[chris w]

The trouble is that once the water has got to the temperature needed I have to remember to open a valve to the radiators otherwise the pressure just builds until it would eventually blow a hose.

Cheers Giles

Gles

 

You really must fit a pressure relief valve on the top of the calorifier of about 3bar (42psi) or you could have an almighty (and expensive) bang one day.

 

Chris

[turnbuttonboy]

Gles

 

You really must fit a pressure relief valve on the top of the calorifier of about 3bar (42psi) or you could have an almighty (and expensive) bang one day.

 

Chris

 

The calorifier has a 3psi PRV - it is the coil circuit that is in need of sorting.

 

Giles

[denboy]

have you got any room to put anther small radiator in line after the clarifier to act as a heat sink

[chris w]

The calorifier has a 3psi PRV - it is the coil circuit that is in need of sorting.

 

Giles

Do you not have a vented header tank to take care of the expansion on the coil circuit?

 

Chris

[david and julie]

Giles, I did say I wouldn't post on here again, but you did do a nice job of our cratch and pram cover in January.

 

What do you think of this on Ebay?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/24-VOLT-WATER-SHUT-O...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

I am thinking calorifier and radiator on the same circuit and cylinder or pipe stat to open this valve into the radiator.

 

I don't now your set up, you may think of something else with it, eitherway its looks cheap enough to have a play with.

Edited April 24, 2008 by david and julie

[turnbuttonboy]

Giles, I did say I wouldn't post on here again, but you did do a nice job of our cratch and pram cover in January.

 

What do you think of this on Ebay?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/24-VOLT-WATER-SHUT-O...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

I am thinking calorifier and radiator on the same circuit and cylinder or pipe stat to open this valve into the radiator.

 

I don't now your set up, you may think of something else with it, eitherway its looks cheap enough to have a play with.

 

thanks for that David - If I can somehow fiddle with it so that it flows with out power and when the power is off then it could be the business - a 24 volt gate valve from Vetus is well over £200 (!!!) but, as you say, I can afford a fiddle with this without destroying the bank.

 

We did have the circuit through the radiators as well but, with the rayburn only ticking, the heat loss is such that the calorifier never gets hot - the only way to make it work is to put all the heat into the calorifier coil only but then I want something (like the above) to control the temperature once the coil is properly hot. The addition of some power through a pipe thermostat should work nicely.

 

Many thanks

Giles.

[Smelly]

Don't suppose you've got a link to that boiler style PRV? that'd be right up my street.

 

I'd think about putting one between my coil and expansion tank to keep the pressure up a bit, that is, so long as it'd fail open... You might want to think abut that as it's improve the circulation around your calorifier coil... so I'm told by a pro plumber who's advised me a bit on my installation.

 

I've never seen a low pressure PRV before, i've been looking in th wrong places it seems, but have fantasised about them for a while now!.e

[dove]

Having received sound advice about plumbing on the forum previously, I was wondering if any techies might be able to help with the latest dilemma. We run a kerosene Rayburn in our barge and rarely turn it up above tickover. This means that we do not have masses of hot water and it fails to keep a radiator warm and heat the calorifier. Last summer I changed the plumbing so that there was a dedicated loop that just fed the calorifier coil and this has worked well but it does take 18 hours to get the water truly hot. The trouble is that once the water has got to the temperature needed I have to remember to open a valve to the radiators otherwise the pressure just builds until it would eventually blow a hose. I have considered fitting a 24 volt gate valve and a thermostat but this would need power and still has potential for problems and is horribly expensive. Another option was to fit a small pressure relief valve of the type that is used for boiler circuits (0.6 psi) which would open once the system had pressured itself and allow cold water into the boiler from the radiator circuit. I am not sure where to go and wondered if I am missing something very obvious so any advice would be most welcome.

 

Cheers Giles

 

I used to fit a 3 way thermostatic valve with remote sender ( no electric ) Once the calorifier it up to temp. it diverts the water to the heating circit or back to return. contact BSS ( British Steam Specialities )

 

Andrew

[david and julie]

thanks for that David - If I can somehow fiddle with it so that it flows with out power and when the power is off then it could be the business - a 24 volt gate valve from Vetus is well over £200 (!!!) but, as you say, I can afford a fiddle with this without destroying the bank.

Giles, the valve from BSS which Dove mentioned sounds a better solution. The one on Ebay is beginning to look a bit too dear to me. Heres a link to the firm that makes them though in case there any good to you.

http://www.shades-technics.com/aftersales/fittings.html

[turnbuttonboy]

Giles, the valve from BSS which Dove mentioned sounds a better solution. The one on Ebay is beginning to look a bit too dear to me. Heres a link to the firm that makes them though in case there any good to you.

http://www.shades-technics.com/aftersales/fittings.html

 

 

Thanks again to all - the e bay part is way to dear - I can get a normally open valve for similar money that would prove easier to fit and would be safer. I will now have a look at Dove's suggestion which looks very interesting. I do at least know that, one way or the other, I will get there this summer which should mean the last drain down for a few years (hopefully).

 

Smelly - you can get the low pressure type release valve from screwfix for about £20.

 

Cheers to all

Giles.

[Ray]

We have a twin coil calorifier with the upper coil used as back-up and connected to the Alde boiler when we've not had the engine running. The lower coil is connected to the engine (so to speak) and everything is plumbed in Hep2O.

 

The water is usually cool by the morning when heated from the engine and it doesn't seem to stay hot that long when heated via the Alde.

 

We fitted a bog standard NRV when we first plumbed everything in and that was so good that it didn't let water flow from the engine or back to it so we took it out (yes, it was connected the right way).

 

The valves liste don the Aquafax site don't appear to suit 15mm plastic piping (unless I don't understand the terminology correctly) and it would not be too easy to add a "U" of any size to the circuit as it stands at present because there is hardly any space, unless a drop and rise of about 4 inches would suffice.

 

Does anyone know if there is a plastic NRV that is suitable and where can they be bought from?

[david and julie]

The valves liste don the Aquafax site don't appear to suit 15mm plastic piping (unless I don't understand the terminology correctly) and it would not be too easy to add a "U" of any size to the circuit as it stands at present because there is hardly any space, unless a drop and rise of about 4 inches would suffice.

 

Does anyone know if there is a plastic NRV that is suitable and where can they be bought from?

 

You can find plastic NRV's on google, but I'm not sure why you think they would be any better than the brass versions and they seem quite expensive for what they are, particularly so if they don't work. I am also not sure why you would connect one to plastic pipe, surely it would go in a rubber engine hose?

 

Just a thought, I haven't tried this one personally. If NRV's won't suit your particular installation could you possibly use a solenoid valve, like this one I linked from Ebay instead?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/24-VOLT-WATER-SHUT-O...1QQcmdZViewItem

The one on the ad says "no flow without power". Therefore If you powered one from the relevant ignition switch terminal, it would automatically open and close as you turned the ignition on and off.

I can't see why this wouldn't work.

Those valves are available through this companies dealer network and you may need the 12v version.

http://www.shades-technics.com/aftersales/fittings.html

 

Alternatively, google or Ebay "solenoid valve".

 

Editted because I have just noticed that there is also a plastic NRV on the "shades-technics" site, Don't know anything about them though, perhaps a phone call may help.

Edited April 27, 2008 by david and julie