GEC Compact 45

[Ursula]

Hello all,

I have just moved into a house (built in 1995) with an Economy 10 meter and an electric "GEC Compact 45" boiler downstairs, with a big hot water cylinder upstairs. I have no experience of using this sort of system and it doesn't come with a manual. There are no timers on either appliance. The boiler has just an on/off switch, a boost dial and a radiator temperature dial. The hot water cylinder has 2 switches on the wall next to it, at the top and the bottom, which I presume are 2 separate elements? I am worried about the costs of electricity so only been switching these on for an hour or so at 8 p.m just to warm the house and get some hot water for a shower. It's fine at the moment, I just put on an extra jumper but when it gets cold I think I will need to heat the house a little more than I am now. 

Does anybody know how to run these boilers and hot water cylinders efficiently, or even better, able to provide me with a manual?

Your help would be very much appreciated!

With thanks,

Ursula

 

[ProDave]

To get the best use, time the boiler operation to match the cheap times of the E10 tariff which are

3 hours in the afternoon (1.30pm - 4.30pm)

4 hours in the evening (8.30pm - 12.30am)

3 hours in early morning (4.30am - 7.30am)

Times may vary a bit from area to area o check with your energy supplier the exact times of the cheap rate.

So heat the house in the morning before 7:30 and that's done at the cheap rate.  Heat the house again in the afternoon up to 4:30  and that's the cheap rate. 

Then see if you can manage without any more heating until 8:30 pm. If you need to top it up early evening evening it would be at the higher rate.

Ideally you want a bolier timer to set it to come on at those times, with a boost button should you need neat outside the cheap times.

 

[Ursula]

Thank you, ProDave.

So it would literally be a case of putting the plugs on to a timer to ensure the lower rate use? And any recommendations for boiler timers?

In my old house with a combi boiler I had a Honeywell system which worked very well but it relied on the boiler being on at the wall at all times, whereas in the new house if I switch the boiler on at the wall it seems to be permanently on ..I worry it will use electricity all the time?

And do I keep the boost dial off until I need extra heat? It only seems to whirr into action if I turn the boost up until the red light comes on. 

Many thanks again,

Ursula

 

[Rob_the_rich]

I cant find a manual, but found a site where they say a control panel is fitted near the boiler http://www.phgreefelectrical.co.uk/products.html with a timer. Perhaps in a cupboard?

Also found http://www.hes.co.uk/compact-c-249.html

If you ask either company nicely, they may be able to send you a pdf of the instructions.

Sounds like a good system, but definitely needs some form of control, as during the off peak times it heats the bricks inside as a thermal store, then it uses that heat to heat the cylinder and radiators when needed.

This guy seems to like them http://www.miketheboilerman.com/GECnightstor.htm

 

[Ursula]

Thank you very much.

I found the thermostat on the wall on the staircase. I thought it was part of the door bell! How embarrassing. And I managed to contact HES who very kindly sent me a manual so hopefully now I'll be able to work out how the system works.

Best wishes

Ursula