Hello all
I bought a house recently and it needs a whole new central heating system, i.e., boiler, radiators and pipes etc. I would like to get a multi-fuel stove that would heat the water (and some radiators) via a back boiler. I was told by a plumber that it is not possible to use a back boiler with gas central heating, it can only be done by using oil. I know little or nothing about central heating systems. Can anybody tell me if this is true?
I would appreciate any advice.
System waters from 2 heating sources should not be mixed, but as with many things people still do it.
Your plumber is correct, if you combine a back boiler and a modern condensing low water
content gas boiler, you will quickly 'sludge' the heatexchanger leading to boiler failure
(most heatexchangers in modern condensing boilers are cost prohibitive to replace) and
the manufacturer of the appliance will usually void the warranty because of the mixed
heat sources.
While the practice is still not recommended for oil boilers, as the heatexchanger passageways in a oil boiler are large in comparison, and the boiler it'self acts as a heatsink it usually does not become an issue.
Gas boilers have never been designed (as far as i know) to work with a secondary heat source like a back boiler on the same circuit, they have never been tested or passed to work like this, in the UK which most instructions are taken from, installations of this type wouldn't be attempted, i never saw a back boiler on the same circuit as a boiler in the UK and as far as i am aware UK regs don't allow it, a twin coil cylinder would be the advised installation with UK regs, i have not seen any installations in Ireland with one of my boilers on the same circuit as a back boiler where it has not ended in tears and the back boiler being ripped out, that doesn't mean it can't be done, just boiler manufactures won't support it, if you fit a system link and it goes wrong then you would have to go back to system link as it's their installation instruction you are following and not the boiler manufactures, also with my boilers the warranty would be null and void which would have a impact on any insurance claims if there was a need to make any, Gary.
I suppose a good Irish gas boiler installation analogy would be the so called 'semi-sealed system', yes it works (not without pitfalls) but it is not as per installation instructions, so the manufacturer is within their rights to null and void the warranty,
all be it that the customer warranty would still lay with the installer at the installers cost.
Its all a case of can, could or should!
If it is done any other way inc semi sealed way I would accept that
the warrenty may well be null and void.
If however I design a dual system and am told it may void warrenty, I want to see where it says I can't do it.
getting back to the original poster, a stove is not difficult to fit into a heating system.
To prove i was right all along i have found this: [broken link removed]
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