H2 Panel.

[SimonG]

Been wanting to try one of these for quite sometime and finally the opportunity arose.

Purchased from Heating Innovations, it was the 22mm version. I thought the purchasing side was a little weird as I had to write to them with a cheque. I had to answer 5 basic questions and state how soon I needed it. I needed it asap (dont we always) andcthought the order process would slow it up. It didnt though, the panel was received in less than a week of me posting the letter, so its 10 out of 10 for this part.

My biggest surprise was how small, or shall we say compact, the panel actually is. It is very well built with very comprehensive instructions for installation, commissioning and use. It also comes with the dry pocket stat for the solid fuel burner and a cylinder stat.

I had the luxury of installing in a decent sized location and mounted it on the wall on a couple of strips of 3 x 2 to give some clearance behind the panel.

It was easy to pipe and wire, but the only down side is the position of the cylinder flow. It comes out of the centre of the panel at you. Have to be careful in the routing the pipework so that you dont affect the wiring centre or ability to change any of the motorised valves.

I cant comment on its overall performance as the stove has not been installed, but is working fine through the external heat only oil boiler.

I will be using it again.

 

[Roger Welton]

I've been looking for a chance to try these also, will be interesting to hear how it gets on when working with stove also.

 

[Gray0689]

Been wanting to try one of these for quite sometime and finally the opportunity arose.

Purchased from Heating Innovations, it was the 22mm version. I thought the purchasing side was a little weird as I had to write to them with a cheque. I had to answer 5 basic questions and state how soon I needed it. I needed it asap (dont we always) andcthought the order process would slow it up. It didnt though, the panel was received in less than a week of me posting the letter, so its 10 out of 10 for this part.

My biggest surprise was how small, or shall we say compact, the panel actually is. It is very well built with very comprehensive instructions for installation, commissioning and use. It also comes with the dry pocket stat for the solid fuel burner and a cylinder stat.

I had the luxury of installing in a decent sized location and mounted it on the wall on a couple of strips of 3 x 2 to give some clearance behind the panel.

It was easy to pipe and wire, but the only down side is the position of the cylinder flow. It comes out of the centre of the panel at you. Have to be careful in the routing the pipework so that you dont affect the wiring centre or ability to change any of the motorised valves.

I cant comment on its overall performance as the stove has not been installed, but is working fine through the external heat only oil boiler.

I will be using it again.

I've wanted to fit one of them for ages too
Will
You please keep this updated mate

 

[SimonG]

A piccie i took whilst work was in progress. Not very good one though.

 

[Gray0689]

A piccie i took whilst work was in progress. Not very good one though.

Looks good simon

 

[M77]

Just came across these as I'm after a way of linking solid fuel, oil boiler and solar. Only looked at the job today so I'm after options but must say these look really good!
Might be after abit of advise soon SimonG?

 

[M77]

Just came across these as I'm after a way of linking solid fuel, oil boiler and solar. Only looked at the job today so I'm after options but must say these look really good!
Might be after abit of advise soon SimonG?

 

[wetdrip]

Simon, can you please keep us informed of your progress with this install, as I was and am looking to connect it with multi fuel burner with back boiler, integrated with a Worcester bosh greenstar 28i junior.
Any and all install info would be greatly appreciated.can you give us a blow by blow on the install with pictures and pitfalls/what to look out for?
I posted a thread on one of these panels when I joined the forum.

 

[SimonG]

Just came across these as I'm after a way of linking solid fuel, oil boiler and solar. Only looked at the job today so I'm after options but must say these look really good!
Might be after abit of advise soon SimonG?

No problem.

 

[SimonG]

Simon, can you please keep us informed of your progress with this install, as I was and am looking to connect it with multi fuel burner with back boiler, integrated with a Worcester bosh greenstar 28i junior.
Any and all install info would be greatly appreciated.can you give us a blow by blow on the install with pictures and pitfalls/what to look out for?
I posted a thread on one of these panels when I joined the forum.

Ill see if I can scan the info I have and drop it on a post.

 

[kimbo]

How does the panel work if the solid fuel boiler starts to boil

 

[M77]

Customer where I want to fit one of these wants to run the stove on gravity only! The only system I can see that would work like this would be to fit a thermal store although I'm not keen. Would I still need a heat leak? Also I presume the only way to stop the thermal store from getting to hot would be to fit a high limit stat to activate the central heating pump? This would be my first solid fuel install so I'm looking for pointers. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[ADM360]

Just came across these as I'm after a way of linking solid fuel, oil boiler and solar. Only looked at the job today so I'm after options but must say these look really good!
Might be after abit of advise soon SimonG?

I believe if you go to the heating innovations web site they have a full range of panels to cover many types of installation to include more inputs and i think even underfloor!

I fitted one a while ago, and as Simon says, comprehensive instruction which are easy to follow making the install simple as well. as with all jobs that go to plan I've had no call backs in the few years its been in so I have to assume all is well.
The panel can be a bit of a hard sell as they are not cheapest compared to some of the neutralizer on the market, but I liked the fact that you can see how and why it works, and why it isn't!!
I still struggle with how the neutralizer work, I get the what the neutral point in a system is, but if all the pipes arrive at the same point, whats to stop it going round the bit you don't want it too??
anyway thats another post!!
Great work Simon.

 

[wetdrip]

Simon, how did this job go, and what were your conclusions?

 

[Best]

Customer where I want to fit one of these wants to run the stove on gravity only! The only system I can see that would work like this would be to fit a thermal store although I'm not keen. Would I still need a heat leak? Also I presume the only way to stop the thermal store from getting to hot would be to fit a high limit stat to activate the central heating pump? This would be my first solid fuel install so I'm looking for pointers. Any help would be much appreciated.

No problem doing a stove on gravity only - a neutraliser or a thermal store system you can do this with, but obviously a pump will still be used for the rad circuit leaving the neutraliser or store.
As long as the 28mm gravity pipes are rising & falling correctly & vent & feed piped, then they will work. Need heat leak though & stat control.

 

[Dotty]

I'm closing this thread for now as this forum really is meant to be for reviews, not general discussion.

But when I get in later I'll perform some modding magic and split the discussion bit away into a different forum.

Cheers guys.

 

[Dotty]

Had a think on this, thread moved and reopened.

 

[Killy Bing]

Hmm parents place we are about to redo all the downstairs floors in underfloor heating.

having a large wood burner with a back boiler already i'm considering this!?

 

[Ermintrude]

Woodburner and ufh! Need a whopping thermal store Kb . Bit like a bio mass ? Huge volume store on gravity to fire and then a plate to plate for the domestic or an unvented on gas or oil for DHW?

 

[Killy Bing]

Looks like the beauty of this system ermi

H2 UFH layout

 

[Ermintrude]

But the economic benefits are low if using solid fuel intermittently and topping off with oil or gas? You have both boilers and a h2 panel and lots of other bits. Expensive way of harvesting a little heat? If stove on house will be hot and ufh stops circulating and then when house cold u use oil to heat. Thermal store stores heat till it's useful?

 

[Gray0689]

But the economic benefits are low if using solid fuel intermittently and topping off with oil or gas? You have both boilers and a h2 panel and lots of other bits. Expensive way of harvesting a little heat? If stove on house will be hot and ufh stops circulating and then when house cold u use oil to heat. Thermal store stores heat till it's useful?

Or just put in a buffer don't need a huge one
A direct cylinder18x36 usually is fine

 

[Ermintrude]

http://heatweb.com/Wood/index.htm

 

[Killy Bing]

Well i want to read up on the design but i was thinking a buffer tank.

i do have a spare 3000 litre thermal store though..........

 

[Gray0689]

Well i want to read up on the design but i was thinking a buffer tank.

i do have a spare 3000 litre thermal store though..........

Lol you will need a bloody big stove then lol

 

[SimonG]

Simon, how did this job go, and what were your conclusions?

Still waiting to complete it. Its been running a while just on the oil boiler. It will probably be the summer before they can afford the stove.

 

[wetdrip]

Still waiting to complete it. Its been running a while just on the oil boiler. It will probably be the summer before they can afford the stove.

Thanks for getting back Simon.Looking forward to hearing your final conclusions.

 

[Pipes Plumbing]

H2 panels are good at what they do, and I have fitted a fair few over the recent years. I am using them less and less now though, as I find I can make a better system for less cost (more profit) by doing it differently...

If the property already has S or Y plan fitted, it works out a lot cheaper to use a low loss header or even one of the neutralisers from Dunsley.
This works well where a stove is to go gravity only too, so long as the llh is sited and piped right... The stove's gravity flow goes to the header with a heat leak in parallel and is then pumped off from there to where it's needed.
My business is 90% solid fuel and biomass, I'd be happy to help with any questions anyone has too but don't get a lot of time to be on here so drop me a PM if I can help...

 

[Dotty]

H2 panels are good at what they do, and I have fitted a fair few over the recent years. I am using them less and less now though, as I find I can make a better system for less cost (more profit) by doing it differently...

If the property already has S or Y plan fitted, it works out a lot cheaper to use a low loss header or even one of the neutralisers from Dunsley.
This works well where a stove is to go gravity only too, so long as the llh is sited and piped right... The stove's gravity flow goes to the header with a heat leak in parallel and is then pumped off from there to where it's needed.
My business is 90% solid fuel and biomass, I'd be happy to help with any questions anyone has too but don't get a lot of time to be on here so drop me a PM if I can help...

Now that's an interesting post!

 

[Gray0689]

H2 panels are good at what they do, and I have fitted a fair few over the recent years. I am using them less and less now though, as I find I can make a better system for less cost (more profit) by doing it differently...

If the property already has S or Y plan fitted, it works out a lot cheaper to use a low loss header or even one of the neutralisers from Dunsley.
This works well where a stove is to go gravity only too, so long as the llh is sited and piped right... The stove's gravity flow goes to the header with a heat leak in parallel and is then pumped off from there to where it's needed.
My business is 90% solid fuel and biomass, I'd be happy to help with any questions anyone has too but don't get a lot of time to be on here so drop me a PM if I can help...

But in an unvented cylinder it's either a h2 panel or a buffer as far as I'm made aware
I've fitted a few with buffer but never h2 but I'd deffo like to try it at some point

The way you do it is a pretty standard practice over here

 

[Pipes Plumbing]

But in an unvented cylinder it's either a h2 panel or a buffer as far as I'm made aware
I've fitted a few with buffer but never h2 but I'd deffo like to try it at some point

The way you do it is a pretty standard practice over here

You can do unvented cylinders off a stove without an H2 or buffer, so long as you make sure that you can maintain 3 tiers of safety control to prevent boiling.
The easiest way is to have a NC 2 port in the flow to the cylinder wired to the cylinder stat and cut-out stat to close when satisfied, along with the TPRV & PRV on the cylinder you will satisfy regs. A high limit stat on the flow to bring the heating / additional heat dumps will help matters.
You will need to consider how to dump the heat produced once the cylinder's closed, as the heat load on the system will dip, so you'll need to have a high limit stat on the solid fuel pipework to kick the heating into life when the flow temp gets to 75 - 80 from the stove. Heat leaks will need to be sized carefully too, in order to make sure that they can cope.
In some cases you can put additional gravity heat leaks in, where a large boiler stove on apumped system may go down in a power / pump failure. We have done a couple of these where we have put a heat dump array into the loft of a property with a N.O 2 port inline, which will spring open in the event of power failure or an overheat stat breaks.

The H2 panel is simply a few valves and stats wired in interlock, which doesn't give any more control than you can get on your own, it just makes it a lot easier to put it all together on a smallish system.
To be honest you can do a lot of things in real life that many people say are a no go such as linking a stove into a pressurised system or Linking into a Combi Boiler... It all just takes a bit of planning and the right kit

*Edit*
A buffer / accumulator tank is a great addition to a solid fuel system, so you can smooth out the heat delivered from the stove boiler
Thermal stores work brilliantly too with solid fuel, they make it much easier to live with as there is heat available when the stoves not roaring away.

 

[Gray0689]

Building control won't let you put a stove into an unvented cylinder in our area unless it's on a buffer
H2 would be allowed as it is recognised by building control
Anything else on unvented will not pass in our area of Northern Ireland

 

[Pipes Plumbing]

Ah, fair enough that's always interesting to know Makes it a bit of a pain to work around then I guess...

 

[Gray0689]

Ah, fair enough that's always interesting to know Makes it a bit of a pain to work around then I guess...

You said it mate

 

[Bunker]

I wish I had an idea what you are all talking about