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Cylinder Replacement: Straight Swap v Future Proofing

  • 08-05-2020 3:53pm
    #1
    Scoopsire
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭


    Hi,

    We need to replace the cylinder in our house, its not insulated and most likely was installed when the house was built in the 80s. We are a house of two adults and 2 young kids so our hot water needs are likely to increase in the future.

    I'm trying to understand what the options are, should we just do a straight swap, get something that's somewhat future proofed so a cylinder with x number coils or maybe go the SEAI grant route and get a new cylinder with Solar Thermal.

    Obviously cost will be a factor but happy to hear people's thoughts

    Thanks!


Comments

  • #2
    n97 mini
    Registered Users Posts: 8,295 ✭✭✭n97 mini


    Whatever you do, get a cylinder with a rapid recovery coil. These are much longer than the standard coils and heat the water much quicker if you're using oil or gas. The old cylinder has the standard (short) coil. Externally the cylinders with standard and RR coils look the same. All cylinders are insulated from the factory now.

    You'd want to do your sums with heating water by solar. We use mains gas, and the payback on solar would be much longer than the life of the system (last time I looked).


  • #3
    Scoopsire
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭Scoopsire


    Thanks n97 mini!

    I've been doing a bit more research on the current setup that's in the house. From what I can gather when the previous owner's switched to a gas boiler, an Ariston combi boiler was installed but the hot water direct to taps doesn't seem to have been implemented nor is there an option to just heat the water cylinder if that's even possible with a combi

    The whole setup seems strange.


  • #4
    garo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,874 ✭✭✭garo


    Get a large cylinder. Preferably 300l. I made the mistake of replacing my old small 120l cylinder like for like and now regret it. The newer pre-insulated cylinders don't lose much heat.


  • #5
    unkel
    Registered Users Posts: 64,725 ✭✭✭✭unkel


    garo wrote: »
    Get a large cylinder. Preferably 300l. I made the mistake of replacing my old small 120l cylinder like for like and now regret it. The newer pre-insulated cylinders don't lose much heat.

    Replaced my 120l with a high insulation 360l cylinder as part of my subsidised solar thermal install. The latter is not supposed to lose more than 1C heat per day


  • #6
    Scoopsire
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭Scoopsire


    unkel wrote: »
    Replaced my 120l with a high insulation 360l cylinder as part of my subsidised solar thermal install. The latter is not supposed to lose more than 1C heat per day

    Thanks @Garo and @Unkel

    I got a quote in the past few days to install 30 tube system with a 300L twin coil stainless steel solar both by joule for just under 5k with grant from a company in Dublin with a few vowels in their name.

    Our roof is hipped so limited roof space, trying to weighing up if it's worth doing full thermal or just replace cylinder with twin coil and go PV as don't think we'd fit both on the roof, hopefully we could add the other if we ever get round to adding an extension!


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  • #7
    wexfordman2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,540 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    unkel wrote: »
    Replaced my 120l with a high insulation 360l cylinder as part of my subsidised solar thermal install. The latter is not supposed to lose more than 1C heat per day

    Hi,

    Any idea how much this cost you, and could you share the details of the tank you got ?


  • #8
    garo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,874 ✭✭✭garo


    Scoopsire wrote: »
    Thanks @Garo and @Unkel

    I got a quote in the past few days to install 30 tube system with a 300L twin coil stainless steel solar both by joule for just under 5k with grant from a company in Dublin with a few vowels in their name.

    Our roof is hipped so limited roof space, trying to weighing up if it's worth doing full thermal or just replace cylinder with twin coil and go PV as don't think we'd fit both on the roof, hopefully we could add the other if we ever get round to adding an extension!

    If you don't go solar thermal and just go PV you don't need a twin coil. You could still opt for one through for future-proofing and leaving your options open. With PV you would be better off getting a cylinder with twin immersion elements or a long element that heats to the bottom of the tank. Solar thermal is more efficient at heating water. But PV is more versatile and will save you more money assuming you currently use an oil or gas boiler as electricity is more expensive that natural gas or oil.


  • #9
    Scoopsire
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭Scoopsire


    Currently on gas but there's no proper controls or zoning so rads get heated as well as cylinder or I just switch on the immersion, need a proper upgrade

    Just working through what that looks like usual problem lots of options limited budget!


  • #10
    garo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,874 ✭✭✭garo


    Look at this thread for home heating options:
    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057758281

    Some form of zoning should be a priority. I went insulated cylinder, zoning and PV in that order.


  • #11
    Scoopsire
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭Scoopsire


    Thanks garo....some bedtime reading!

    Will update once figured out.


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  • #12
    n97 mini
    Registered Users Posts: 8,295 ✭✭✭n97 mini


    Scoopsire wrote: »
    Currently on gas but there's no proper controls or zoning so rads get heated as well as cylinder or I just switch on the immersion, need a proper upgrade

    Just working through what that looks like usual problem lots of options limited budget!

    There is a grant for zoning. Our house is ~40 years old, originally with just one zone, i.e. everything. Got it split into 3 zone about 10 years ago (up, down, water), along with a new condensing boiler. One of the best investments in the house I've made. I've added €25 worth of Sonoff smart switches to the system too, so have complete control via the phone from anywhere I've internet, and stuff like "ok google, turn heating upstairs on" works a charm.


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