DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi, can anyone offer advice on this please. I will start at the beginning. My son has recently moved into a 2 bed mid terrace house and his uncle in law is installing central heating, rads and two pipe system only. He wants us to install electric boiler for rads only and keep hot water tank seperate. I need advice for pipe system reqirements only as although he is a competant diyer he is unsure of system requirements. I have done some research on web and found that a magnetic filter is recommended, with lock valves on flow and return and also an auto bypass valve is required. Can anyone advise if this is all that is required or if not what else is needed.
My son and I are both quallified electricians but know nothing about central heating systems or requirements/regulations. Any advice will be very much appreciated. Thaks in advance Paul.

There are loads of central heating systems with fuel from electric, gas, solar, oil etc. And if we keep to water in radiators systems Combi, S, W, C, and Y systems. Honeywell web site will help. Then open vented and closed systems and mains pressure domestic water which again has open and closed systems and old system with cold water tank and copper cylinder. If you talk to domestic electricians those who are honest will tell you central heating was the hardest bit of domestic electrics and a night mare to fault find since no one ever left plans as to what they had done. The Combi boiler has been a god send with everything combined as the name suggests into the one box. Only needed external parts are pipes radiators lock shield valves and thermostatic radiator valves. You can add bits like frost stat and room stat the latter is normally only used to switch it off in summer. I am an electrician you may get something different from a plumber.

Thanks for your input ericmark. Hopefully I will recieve a plumbers input.
Paul.

Good job it was not an exam I didn’t answer the question. Think that was reply for someone else! OK you say electric boiler and hot water separate. Not sure why separate I’ll start on hot water. Electric instant hot water has very low flow rate and if you’re using off peak power you will want storage. Mains pressure vented system will give storage and good show performance.
Central heating if off peak power is to be used again some storage system is required. Something like the “ElectraMateâ€