Oversink Water Heater.

[Dave.B]

I have had a read through at the type of questions being asked and responded to and non are similar, so this is different.

Now having retired, I am looking to save as many pennies as possible. We have a new combi boiler serving heating and domestic hot water. I would like to be able to change to a water meter later on as well.

The water meter change means savings in water and is relevent to my question.

Because the boiler is in another room, it takes some time from turning on the tap to usable hot water coming out, so I have been thinking of an oversink water heater. This would save not only on the amount of water going down the drain and being wasted while waiting for the hot water, but for a kitchen bowl or handbasin, a big combi boiler flashing up seems a waste of gas as well.

I don't think we use the basin or sink enough times per day for a storage type and was thinking of an instant type more like in a shower. Would anyone like to give me an idea of the running costs of both the storage and instant type. Obviously it will depend on the amount of usage, so just an estimate would help.

Any other ideas or suggestions would also go down very well.

 

[Andy™]

assuming a 3KW instant heater:

for a full hours use this will use 3 unit. at 12p/ unit (yours may be more or less), this will cost a max of 36p per hour.

although i would just stick with the combi

 

[kme]

With due respect.

Stick with the combi. The cost of installing, and running an oversink water heater would take centuries to recoup in water savings. The delay inherent in some combi boilers (without store) is comparable to the delay from the old copper tank delay - it is simply the water in the pipe between the boiler and tap.

Cost of a 9.5 KW water heater - approx

 

[Dave.B]

That is superb responses. I didn't think of the recouperation time. Thanks so much.

I should have thought of that because I did when someone said 'have solar panels', and I realised it would take about 200 years to pay for them.

 

[kme]

That is superb responses. I didn't think of the recouperation time. Thanks so much.

recouperation

I like this word. Pretty sure it isn`t technically a word, but nevertheless............

 

[Dave.B]

recouperation
I like this word. Pretty sure it isn`t technically a word, but nevertheless............

Oops - recuperation. It wasn't me it was the keyboard, honest.

 

[kme]

No, au contraire.

The time taken to "recoup" the initial outlay - hence "recoup eration"!!

It fits better, under the circumstances

KME

 

[AAAMUSEMENTS]

I keep seeing these advertised in the Telegraph supplements:

http://www.quooker.com/07_uk/site.html

Silly price though.

 

[Apache]

I keep seeing these advertised in the Telegraph supplements:http://www.quooker.com/07_uk/site.html

Silly price though.

Would love one

 

[kme]

Agree about the price - TLC do `em too.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Water_Heating_Index/Zip_Hydro_Tap/index.html

For info - andy mentioned a 3KW unit - that is usually a thermal store, with pre-heated water. Fills under mains pressure, therefore required a 3 bar PRD with blow off. The instantaneous units are effectively electric shower modules, with a flow sensor. However, they`re rated similar to showers - 8-10KW

 

[batty]

I keep seeing these advertised in the Telegraph supplements:http://www.quooker.com/07_uk/site.html

Silly price though.

Yes I did the electrics to one on my job in London recently as said they are expensive.

 

[NozSpark]

That Quooker look awsome...

All the over sink handwashes (vented) that I've wired up have been 3kW... that's with a spray nozzle or spout

 

[kme]

Yes, the "oversinks" are giant kettles (vented or not), with a tap & spout.

The O/P was covering those AND instants, the way I read it.

KME

 

[GreekIslandLover]

I have heard of others in this predicament. If the water meter will save you money, then it might take forever to pay for any additional equipment to heat water. You might be better off just accepting there is a little waste until the hot flows. The others that I have spoken to tend to use a kettle for washing up, and that represents a saving on th water meter for them.

 

[kme]

Another option occured to me today.

If the pipework for hot water between the boiler & kitchen sink takes a circtuous route - which may have happened if it was a conversion from an old copper storage tank - you could have the kitchen hot tap pipework altered to a more direct path; thereby saving heating up time.

Also, as Mrs. KME has just said, if you put the plug in, collect the initial cold water, then let the hot run onto that (i.e. without using the cold tap), you would end up with a sink of warm water. That would save running half a sink of hot water, then running cold in afterwards. Or fill the kettle with it, or something else......

 

[green-hornet]

I keep seeing these advertised in the Telegraph supplements:http://www.quooker.com/07_uk/site.html

Silly price though.

Having seen it I now want one.

My kitchen is in the proccess of being "done" hopefully before Xmas.

However I have not told the wife which Xmas.

 

[Dave.B]

Some good replies and thanks for that. That 'Q' thing is nice, but what a price for a cuppa tea.

Catching the cold water before the hot appears don't work as there is too much cold, we tried that. If we looked at just 3 gallons a day, that's over a 1,000 per year and that's a lot of water not forgetting the gas that has been used to heat the water before it arrives and then all the wasted heat and gas of the hot water left in the pipes to go cold again.

I think I will go as the cheapest option for an instant heater, they are only

 

[Apache]

I think I will go as the cheapest option for an instant heater, they are only

 

[kme]

I agree with `pache here. It would not be my solution of choice. Come to think of it, it wouldn`t be my solution at all.

But, if that is what you want, then I hope it works as well as you want it too.

KME