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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Plumbing Questions >> Large fan-assisted wood burner/accumulator https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1472808994 Message started by londonman on Sep 2^nd, 2016, 10:36am

Title: Large fan-assisted wood burner/accumulator
Post by londonman on Sep 2^nd, 2016, 10:36am

Looking at possibly purchasing a house that's heated by a large fan-assisted log burner (not pellets) feeding a humungous accumulator.

No experience of these sort of systems, reliability etc. Thoughts ?

Water also is fed from a spring down into large settlement tanks in the cellar, filters, UV lights, negative pressure large pumps etc....almost 'industrial' !! Again, any thoughts from anyone ?

Title: Re: Large fan-assisted wood burner/accumulator
Post by thescruff on Sep 3^rd, 2016, 8:56am

Have you got any Pics, landscape with detail will be better than close up.

Where abouts are we talking, sounds irish or country manor.

The Accumulator is more likely a pressure tank connected with the spring water/pumps, American it could be a pressure tank for the furnace or the spring water.
Need information and pics in other words.

As an aside will there be a ready supply of cheap wood.

Do you have a make/model for the burner and approx age.

Title: Re: Large fan-assisted wood burner/accumulator
Post by londonman on Sep 3^rd, 2016, 2:09pm

Hi there and many thanks for getting back to me. I don't have at the moment nor able to take any until I go back up North to the house.

I guess I was generally after a 'gut-feel' viewpoint. Yes, logs are not a problem.

Title: Re: Large fan-assisted wood burner/accumulator
Post by thescruff on Sep 3^rd, 2016, 10:49pm

At this time I wouldn't worry about it until you can give us more details, it sounds a professional install just by the bits you mention.

I suggest you do a google on the UV Lights if anythings to see if any nastys come up.

Title: Re: Large fan-assisted wood burner/accumulator
Post by woodsmith on Sep 4^th, 2016, 8:24am

Is it an auto feed log burner or do you have to manually feed it? Could be an awful lot of work and hassle.

Seen a few houses with their own water systems and they don't complain about it so I assume it's not much of a problem. I think they have to get the water tested regularly though. And get them to confirm the water runs 12 months a year, some houses near us ran out of water a couple of years ago during the dry season.

Title: Re: Large fan-assisted wood burner/accumulator
Post by Lectrician on Sep 4^th, 2016, 9:32am

Private water systems are quite common around here. UV, filters, chlorine doser, salt. It depends on the chemical make up of the water as to how it's treated. Whoever installed the setup is likely to supply filter media and service it all.

Title: Re: Large fan-assisted wood burner/accumulator
Post by londonman on Sep 4^th, 2016, 6:46pm

One downside that I can see is if one went away in winter. Mind you, the walls are about 4 ft thick and so providing it's all up to temperature, should be OK.

Title: Re: Large fan-assisted wood burner/accumulator
Post by thescruff on Sep 4^th, 2016, 10:10pm

A few oil filled electric radiators in the at risk areas should do the job.

Title: Re: Large fan-assisted wood burner/accumulator
Post by CWatters on Sep 5^th, 2016, 7:30pm

I grew up in the 1960s in a house that had a solid fuel boiler. Every day my parents would have to empty out the ash, hump coal in etc. They were very happy when it was replaced by a gas boiler.

Does the system quality for the "Renewable Heat Incentive" ?

Title: Re: Large fan-assisted wood burner/accumulator
Post by londonman on Sep 6^th, 2016, 6:11pm

CWatters wrote on Sep 5^th, 2016, 7:30pm:

Thanks for that suggestion, it would have but it's too old, I think. Worth bearing in mind though.

Had a chat with a chap down the pub last night and he's got something similar. I asked him what he did in winter if he was away and he told me that he also had a gas-fired boiler that could be used instead of the log burner. You should have seen the look on my wife's face when I told her that...one of pure relief!

Title: Re: Large fan-assisted wood burner/accumulator
Post by CWatters on Sep 7^th, 2016, 1:33pm

Check if mains gas is available in the road. Perhaps they installed the wood burner because gas doesn't go past?

Title: Re: Large fan-assisted wood burner/accumulator
Post by londonman on Sep 7^th, 2016, 1:44pm

CWatters wrote on Sep 7^th, 2016, 1:33pm:

Check if mains gas is available in the road. Perhaps they installed the wood burner because gas doesn't go past?

LOL...if you knew where this house was located, you wouldn't have asked that question !! ;) :D

That Renewal Heat Initiative is very good. I wonder if it still applies if you replace the existing biomass boiler with a newer one ? Not time to research that at the moment.