What does Megaflow do?

[EggsandBacon]

Hi,

We've just moved to a new house and it has a Megaflow cylinder installed in the loft space. There is also a normal boiler in the kitchen.

I believe the boiler (gas) is providing all the hot water for the house, I've got it coming on for a couple of hours in the morning and couple of hours in the evening.

So what's the Megaflow doing? Is it just for extra hot water? Or just to maintain water pressure?

First time house owners....I'm a complete dunce at this....

sounds like that's a hot water tank

Ah, so it's not actually heating up the water, it's storing it?

ta!

Yes - it's a hot water storage tank. But it dispenses the water under pressure so good to have if you have a 3 storey, or otherwise large house as you won't get poor water flow at the furthest point from the tank.

That would explain it - the new house is three storeys!!

Great, thanks for explaining it in layman's terms.

Cheers.

They are fantastic, we have one in our current house and no matter how many showers are going at once we never run out of hot water or loose pressure. So good in fact, we will be putting one in our new house we are renovating!

notnearlyasblondasiwas- we have a megaflow boiler too and have just moved into the house. the previous owners had the water on for 40mins in the morning and hten again in the evening but when i had a shower in the morning after DH the hot water ran out, so we upped it to an hour, then to two hours but still the same problem. so now we have the water on continious which has solved the issue but i am worried that it might make our heating bill huge. does this sound right to you? how long do you have yours on for? thanks for the advise!

Sorry just realised you are asking me a questions (doh!)
We only have the boiler on for 30 mins in the morning around 6am and 30 mins in the evening around 6.30pm. We have never run out of hot water in 4 years and that is with the washing machine going full tilt and at least 3 showers and a bath a day.

Think you might need yours looked at

So we are having a loft conversion, and have been advised to get a Megaflow, who can recommend a good brand , to buy, please ? We have come from night storage heating, so have no idea. Our new house (Edwardian ) has a brand new Vaillant combo, which I have on from 6.30am until 23.00hrs, it heats water and radiators.

Megaflo is a brand. People use the name like saying "hoover."

They are more expensive as they have the name. AFAIK Santon are just as good, and there are other brands. They will be made of stainless steel and have a BS approval. They have very good insulation. Yes, you should get one with an upper and a lower immersion heater, for when the boiler is out of action, or if you might get solar panels one day.

They are usually very big, and heavy when full of water, so best placed on the ground floor. The water pressure will not be different if it is in the loft. It should go from cold to hot in less than an hour, and will stay hot all day. A 300 litre one will run three baths or several powerful showers before going cold, so it will be more economical on gas to time the boiler for an hour in the morning before you get up, and an hour in the evening before you get home. The thermostat will turn off the boiler as soon as it is hot.

Get the installer to measure your incoming flow from the water main before quoting. 20 litres per minute is the minimum. An old house may need a new larger water pipe run out to the pavement. If so get 32mm pipe. You will be amazed at the performance.

p.s.

A Megaflo is not a boiler. It is a (very super) hot water cylinder. Any competent plumber over 14 knows how to heat one from a gas boiler, even if it is a combi that does not usually need a cylinder. A special qualification is required to install an unvented cylinder.

Joule 250l here. Gives ~2.5 very powerful Drencher showers. If doing it again (& room) would go for 300l - or a slightly slower flow shower!

Should have added that it takes ~30 mins to reheat from the boiler, or ~20 mins if the immersion heater is on as well.

I love my mega flow! Second house with mega flo and the house we are currently buying will have a mega flo installed too when we upgrade all the plumbing etc.

Pigletjohn is correct its a fancy hot water storage device. It can act as an immersion or as a storage cylinder dispensing hot water at pressure.

Can't speak for other brands but it's a great useful invention.

Incidentally I don't ever use it as an immersion. It's connected to one of our boilers which supplies it with hot water (when timer is one) which stays hot all day.
I'd recommend them to anyone with 2 bathrooms or more (ie family home). Obv a bit pointless for a small flat.