increase size of hot water direct vented cylinder

[fireboy]

Hi All,
Right.....Here's the problem

Moved into a house a few months ago and have a hot water storage problem in the top bathroom. The main house is fed by a conventional heating sysyem and works fine. The top bathroom was added later so is fed differently. It uses a direct heated hot water cylinder thats gravity fed from three 60 ltr water tanks in the loft above.
The problem is the cylinder is1050 x 400 mm and feeds a sink and a pumped shower. The hot water runs out after about 10 minutes!!
I need to increase the storage capacity but the height of the cylinder is a problem as theres not much room above. There is room to put another 2 cylinders the same size next to it though. Is this an option???? How would they be connected????? I was wondering if theyre all direct cylinders they could all share a feed from the tanks in the loft and go into one hot water feed pipe above????

 

[Gray0689]

You can get a copper cylinder made to your required size
Don't know what area your in
But I'm from northern Ireland and here I use a company called copper industries there great make anything for you

 

[fireboy]

Hi there,
Im in london. Am guessing joining multiple cylinders is a no go then? i'll look into custom made cylinders. If i could get something the same height but alot wider would fit and give me the desired capacity.

 

[Gray0689]

If no one near you try copper industries they on net will be more than helpfull to you and I guess they will ship

 

[Blackcatgas]

nothing wrong with linking multiple cylinders.

 

[Gray0689]

nothing wrong with linking multiple cylinders.

But a lot of work for little return one is better

 

[verdigrey]

Personally I agree with Blackcat, It would surely be easier to install another cyl of the same size next to it as height is an issue . You could buy an extra large custom made cyl , but that could work out to be pricey .

 

[Gray0689]

It's upto you id say a bigger single cylinder
As you will have to take a new cold feed down split coils a new vent new high limit stat
At the end of the day it's upto you that is my opinion only

 

[Gray0689]

It's upto you id say a bigger single cylinder
As you will have to take a new cold feed down split coils a new vent new high limit stat
At the end of the day it's upto you that is my opinion only

Sorry disregard my post didn't read properly thought it was indirect

 

[kimbo]

Wouldnt it be easier to get rid of the pumped shower and replace with a mains fed shower such as a Mira Sport 10.8 kw shower straight off the mains then that should solve the problem.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

and probably cheaper than a new larger hot water cylinder.

 

[Blackcatgas]

Wouldnt it be easier to get rid of the pumped shower and replace with a mains fed shower such as a Mira Sport 10.8 kw shower straight off the mains then that should solve the problem.

And leave the cylinder to feed the sink?, not ideal but a possibility, also £250 for a new 10mm power run from the board which could wreck the decoration, possible board upgrade/sub board + cost of new shower £500+? etc.
Then again is the power supply up there man enough to run another 3kw imersion in another cylinder?

 

[Bartdude]

Is it a purpose made direct cylinder with immersion heaters at low and high level? I would have expected a cylinder that size to provide more hot water than you're getting. If it only has an immersion heater in the top then only half the cylinder will be hot. Just a thought.

 

[mark_mc]

ailbon superduty cylinder, standard size cylinder but has very fast heating recovery times if that is any help

 

[fireboy]

Hi people,
Thanks for all the excellent advice. I've decided to put in a cylinder 1200x600 to give me triple the amount of stored hot water. Will the cold water storage cistern in the loft being still the same size as before ( now smaller than the DHW cylinder) cause me any problems?? Am presuming if it coped before it will cope now.....

 

[Gray0689]

It will be fine mate

 

[Blackcatgas]

It will be fine mate

+1 happy days.

 

[shneld]

Will the floor take the extra weight?

 

[fireboy]

I'm gonna sure up the floor and strengthen the joists. Read it was 1kg for every litre apparently.
That seems to be the only issue now I know the capacity of the cold water cistern isn't an issue.

 

[stevetheplumber]

if the tanks coped before they will be ok now i assume it was hot wqater you ran out of not no water

 

[fireboy]

Yeah exactly right. Water goes cold rather than running out.