Priority domestic hot water PDHW

[Southsealee]

Hi everyone,

I have a customer who needs a new system boiler, currently has a 22kw which I've roughly calculated as enough heat output for the heating (its a 6 bed victorian terrace house), but this doesn't take the 200l unvented cylinder demand into account. Currently the system is setup on S plan, with no priority domestic hot water. When I fit the new boiler, I would like to try and set it up with PDHW for obvious reasons, but I'm not sure if this is possible with the existing two x 2 port valves (both normally closed).

I know PDHW is a hot topic at the mo, but I've not delved into it as yet (mostly combis in my area). I've found a wiring diagram for W plan using a three port (2 position) valve, but can't find any wiring diagram for a two x 2 port valve arrangement. I've found a little info on X plan, but again, not much info out there and it looks like it's something to do with Intergas boilers. I will be fitting a Vaillant on this particular job.

If any of you guys can point me in the right direction that would be great.

Thanks, Lee.

 

[Southsealee]

Have you looked at the Viessmann’s 4 pipe system?

if you must go with vaillant you will require there controls best speak with your local rep they should have a drawing and will help you to set it up

Thanks Shaun, will give Vaillant a buzz. I know their Exclusive Green IQ system boiler is 4 pipe. I didn’t appreciate that PDHW delivers higher flow temp to cylinder compared to heating, so makes sense that it will only work using a 4 pipe system boiler. Just need to convince the customer to fork out a bit more for PDHW rather than keeping the existing S plan arrangement and standard system boiler.

Thanks for the replies all.
Lee.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Let us know how you get on

 

[fixitflav]

Thanks Shaun, will give Vaillant a buzz. I know their Exclusive Green IQ system boiler is 4 pipe. I didn’t appreciate that PDHW delivers higher flow temp to cylinder compared to heating, so makes sense that it will only work using a 4 pipe system boiler. Just need to convince the customer to fork out a bit more for PDHW rather than keeping the existing S plan arrangement and standard system boiler.

Thanks for the replies all.
Lee.

Hello Lee
I’ve come up with a wiring diagram giving HW preference. Assume spring return 2-port valves, boiler and pump powered from auxiliary contacts in the valves (the usual way). Sketch attached. I think it works but any comments welcome.

If using a programmer, it might not be convenient to bring the wire from the cylinder stat to the room stat through the programmer, depends on the house layout. But it’s not a big problem, if you don’t want heating, just turn the room stat down.

This is for a conventional boiler, heat-only or system. I can’t see how the make of boiler makes a difference. If the boiler has different flow temperatures for HW and CH I assume it has an input to tell it which is calling. If it takes 240 volt, that could be from one or both of the stats. If weather compensation is used there would have to be different temperatures as the flow temperature might be turned down below the cylinder stat setting.

 

[Scott_D]

On the ideal logic and vogue you can have weather comp on the heating and full temp if hot water is calling for heat.

 

[fixitflav]

On the ideal logic and vogue you can have weather comp on the heating and full temp if hot water is calling for heat.

I assume the boiler needs an input to tell it which is calling.

 

[Scott_D]

here is the wiring diagram for a logic

 

[fixitflav]

here is the wiring diagram for a logic
View attachment 43843

Could be wrong, but I don't think either of them gives PDHW. The Y-plan doesn't, and if you want
PDHW you would go for W-plan with either/or diverter valve. Cheaper and simpler.
With S-plan as shown there, if CH and HW are called, both valves open.
Interesting that there's now talk about PDHW, as that was the system way back, as in my first house in 1973, but then Y-plan and S-plan came out, presumably thought to be an improvement as no need to wait for HW to be satisfied before CH available.

 

[SJB060685]

As above, neither of them look like they give PDHW

 

[EvilDrPorkChop]

Have quite a bit of experience of PDHW on systems;

Firstly you can make any traditional system PDHW without any changing of valves with a NC DP contactor quite easily. Basically on a HW demand the DP contactor opens the circuit and kills the power to the Heating zone valve, closing that and reheating the HW. When the HW stat is statisfied the DP resets to NC and the heating fires back up - simple. Dependant on how many zones you've got will determine which DP contactor you require. This is obviously a solution for a traditional system with one set flow temperatures.

The advantage to this is that you can have CH without HW on the clock, where as most PDHW systems require you to have HW & CH on at the same time.

I have this on my own system and it works well - I have it on a switch so you can knock it on and off as required.

Secondly; Vaillants systems will use HW priority when using their controls & wiring centres. You don't just need the GreenIQ 4 pipe boiler to do it. Any other their heat & system boilers will do it when using the Wiring centre and Vaillants control. You can either use a diverter or 2 two port valves, and I like to use the Probe on the tank too (VR10 I think). You can set DHW temp then, along with DHW flow temp (For reheat) and maximum time spent reheating DHW.

I don't have as much experience with Viessman but from my limited experience their system is very similar to Vaillants.

Thirdly; external controls will offer the same solution. Honeywell Evohome are just in the process of adding it to the next firmware update which does HW priority software based. I'm sure there will be a couple of other controllers that will do the same.

HW priority IMO isn't right for every system, it some situations it can be work really well. In other's I don't think there's much advantage.

 

[John.g]

Is there any simple way that you can also increase the DHW flow temp on a weather compensated boiler which may be only running at 40C when the hot water needs a boost, say maybe by having a additional resistor (controlled by another relay) wired into the outside air temperature sensor to fool it to increase the boiler SP temp.

 

[SJB060685]

My understanding John is its preset in the PCB, so when you have a HW demand it ramps up boiler output and flow temp for fast recovery times. When the cylinder sensor is satisfied it will close HW zone valve and re open CH, which then reverts back to temperature curve set for weather compensation

 

[John.g]

OK thanks, so (does) that implies that all boilers with weather compensation also have PDHW.

 

[SJB060685]

As you know I'm an oil man, I'm not the one to ask about gas. What I know is what I've recently studied and PDHW is still fairly new. Whether its done with two 2 ports and the CH a normally open with cylinder thermistor, or with the now 4 pipe option from some gas manufacturers which has a heating flow and return and a flow and return for HW, each with their own pump i believe, or a way to separate the flow direction? Its not something I'm aware of in the oil industry as we are still technically a long way behind gas.

 

[EvilDrPorkChop]

OK thanks, so (does) that implies that all boilers with weather compensation also have PDHW.

In theory they should do, but some of the control systems don't implement this and always work. I know there's been issues with Opentherm and determining a CH and HW demand with some manufactures.

This was why when the new ERP energy laws with new controls only came into force on Combi systems - traditional systems where there is stored HW there was a concern where if the Flow temperature was limited due to a weather compensation system or Open Therm then there was a slim possibility cylinders may not be heated to the required temperatures to kill off legionella.

Is there any simple way that you can also increase the DHW flow temp on a weather compensated boiler which may be only running at 40C when the hot water needs a boost, say maybe by having a additional resistor (controlled by another relay) wired into the outside air temperature sensor to fool it to increase the boiler SP temp.

In short no. Some boilers have a terminal where you can wire a live in on a HW demand where the boiler goes into full load. Others are software based when used with their own controls.
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As you know I'm an oil man, I'm not the one to ask about gas. What I know is what I've recently studied and PDHW is still fairly new. Whether its done with two 2 ports and the CH a normally open with cylinder thermistor, or with the now 4 pipe option from some gas manufacturers which has a heating flow and return and a flow and return for HW, each with their own pump i believe, or a way to separate the flow direction? Its not something I'm aware of in the oil industry as we are still technically a long way behind gas.

The issue with the 4 pipe systems is that they aren't always practical to do, especially retro fitting in existing properties. On a standard system you're always only going to have a flow and return back to the airing cupboard/cylinder usually then CH pipes from there to rads.

 

[John.g]

You & others above mention where the boiler goes to full load, if the boiler is directed to full load and if its output is higher than the coil output, then what controls the boiler before it reaches its hi limit safety stat limit, does it cycle on/off until the cylinder temp is achieved.?.