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Original poster

How does my central heating and hot water work??

15 replies

Fordian · 28/08/2022 16:47

This isn't something I've had to give to much thought to, but it's time I did.

It's a 4br 20 year old detached.

Radiators in every room with a dial but one central thermostat in the hallway.

HW is a Megaflo in the loft.

The CH/HW controller is in the utility. I believe I control when the CH and HW go on and off, but do I set the CH 'trigger point' here?

The thermostat in the hallway also has the ability for on/off times to be programmed (and I think temp 'trigger' levels). I don't understand which one overrides the other?

The gas 'boiler' is in the back sitting room (white metal box/ blue flame). Does it heat my hot water or does my Megaflo heat it, up in the loft??

Any description welcome. Pretend I'm stupid about this and you won't be far off the mark. 😂

OP posts:
ThisIsNotAFlyingToy · 28/08/2022 17:01

Can you post a photo of your thermostat?

I don't think it's dumb to find it confusing. My old boiler had a manual dial where I could set it to come one at particular times twice a day. I could also override that to set it to 'Constant'. But there was no wall thermostat. We now have a wifi thermostat which I hate as I also forget the setting instructions for it to come on at particular times and the print is tiny (I realise I could probably look it up). And there is no 'Constant' switch. So if you come in when it's freezing and the heating is not on, I have to faff with the thermostat to force it to come on.

SunflowerSue · 28/08/2022 17:12

I'm watching with interest but am going to ask about mine too if that's ok.
I have a round thermostat in the hallway with just temperature on it.
A non-combi boiler in kitchen
A water tank in the bathroom cupboard along with a control panel for the central heating which I've never managed to work out and is still on the settings the plumber put it on when we moved in.
A header tank in the loft

I want to know if I can turn the hot water off as we've given up baths.

catfunk · 28/08/2022 17:13

I'm not sure as I don't have a mega flow but don't you get your boiler serviced ? Your plumber should be able to explain to you.

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Home improvement
Original poster
Fordian · 28/08/2022 17:15

First photo is the controller in the utility; second is the thermostat in the hallway; third is the gas 'boiler' in the back sitting room.

How does my central heating and hot water work??
How does my central heating and hot water work??
How does my central heating and hot water work??
OP posts:
prettybird · 28/08/2022 17:17

@pigletjohn is good at explaining this sort of thing Smile

Original poster
Fordian · 28/08/2022 17:18

We keep both HW and CH on all year around, but set the CH temperature (the 'trigger on') high so it never kicks in, in the summer.

We've been told it's cheaper to keep the Megaflo on, as in, 'hot water available', all the time.

OP posts:
Original poster
Fordian · 28/08/2022 17:19

Yes, pigletjohn is good at this!

OP posts:
Original poster
Fordian · 28/08/2022 17:21

Our outdated systems just aren't finessed enough to cope forensically with the micro-adjustments needed, are they?

I wish that it was possible to strategically heat rooms for given periods for set temperatures 24/7. Without a complete overhaul.

OP posts:
WeAllHaveWings · 28/08/2022 17:27

Does the bottom of the first control flip down to allow access to programming keys to select when it comes on/off? Our old one was like that.

WeAllHaveWings · 28/08/2022 17:30

https://docs.rs-online.com/6ea6/0900766b813d26af.pdf

LBOCS2 · 28/08/2022 17:30

Right, this sounds like ours and this is how ours is set up.

On your main controller (located near the boiler), set your on/off times for heating and hot water. If it's reasonably new it will have three time periods for on/off. We do an hour in the morning, an hour at lunchtimeish and a couple of hours in the evening. This controls when the boiler is 'on'.

The thermostat will control whether the heating will fire up. Ignore the timing settings, and just set it to the temperature you find comfortable. If you've got valves on your radiators, turn the one in the room where your thermostat is all the way on. When the temperature in the room drops below your chosen temperature the heating will come on, provided it's within the times set on your boiler. Use the radiator valves in the other rooms to adjust your comfortable temperature - I have the ones in our bedrooms on 'half' and the ones downstairs mostly on full except in the kitchen which tends to get quite warm anyway.

This should also give you plenty of hot water - it sits in your HW tank and then comes through at mains pressure; it's a storage tank to use with an unvented system (so probably no header tank).

This also works for a vented system. With a combi boiler system I believe that you don't have to worry about making sure you have HW available so don't need it to turn on/off during the summer as it's produced 'on demand'.

LBOCS2 · 28/08/2022 17:33

@SunflowerSue you won't get hot water at all if you turn it off - the HW sits in your tank and waits for you to use it. I'd change it to coming in for an hour first thing and an hour early evening and that should do you.

LBOCS2 · 28/08/2022 17:33

*coming ON for an hour

Original poster
Fordian · 28/08/2022 21:37

I will pull up my big girl pants tomorrow and look at this, armed with all this welcome input.

Thank you.

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