LMSC Re-the HW Knob on the boiler, I have taken it to 5.5. The gas engineer did tell me makes no difference to the temp of the water irrespective of where it is set.

However, the temperature control on the hot water bank may be important. I have slightly put it up, which helped. My wife did say this morning the water is hotter than yesterday.

I’d be wary about what the gas engineer says (unless the knob has always been in the position on the photo). That knob looks set to make 70C max, with 60 being the top of the normal range. I’d assume your cylinder stat is set to 60, unless you changed it…you can look and check. As winter approaches and water temp drops 50 may not have been enough for the length of time it was on, sure you moved it up to 55, now try 60 (or 6 on the dial).

P.S The gas engineer might be thinking it will reach what the tank stat is set to. But it won’t if the time is too short and incoming water too cold.

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  • LMSC replied to this.

      DavecUK I’d assume your cylinder stat is set to 60, unless you changed it…you can look and check. As winter approaches and water temp drops 50 may not have been enough for the length of time it was on, sure you moved it up to 55, now try 60 (or 6 on the dial).

      I never had to change anything since Day 1. The knobs were as shown in the picture above (e) for hot water and at 55C at the cylinder. Either some valve isn’t working as it should or the perhaps we had been letting the hot water run a little longer in the past than we are atm. Perhaps, a sign of aging! 🤣

      Sure, I will raise the knob to 6 and/or 60 on the cylinder and see. Thx! 🙏🏽

      How does yours’ work please? Thx

          LMSC My cylinder stat is set to 60, my water temp (which affects HW and CH, only one control), is set to 55. When the cold weather set in I had to increase the time the HW was on. My intention once I start using the CH in November, is to have the HW on a bit longer still and overlap it with the CH, to get the lowest flow temp drop I can and maximise gas savings. This is for 3 reasons:

          1. Increased savings from condensing (due to flow temps)
          2. My boiler can only modulate down to 8.7kW, because like yours, mine is well oversized for the property. I could happily run on a boiler of 15kW, which would then modulate much lower and cycle less.
          3. Reduced boiler cycling

          I had no choice over the boiler size (cos it was free, long story)….had I a choice I would have gone for 15kW (6 bedroom house), for a relatively modern property and double glazing, a powerful heat only boiler isn’t required. Of course with Combis, they have to be more powerful because of the instant hot water….and I don’t like Combis really.

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              DavecUK Interesting and useful approach to energy and cost optimisations. Our approach is a bit different. Our hot water comes up for 30 mins for 2 of us in the morning. That’s all the hot water for the day unless my daughter is at home or have guests like my 83 years old MIL.

              I don’t remember changing the settings on the cylinder and the boiler at all. Perhaps, there is an issue that requires attendance. Keeping the HW knob at 6 helped as the water was very hot after 30 mins. My wife didn’t say anything. I had switched the HW on for 15 mins to ensure the grany doesn’t complain.

              Re-CH, it doesn’t come up until Nov. We usually set it at 18 for the winter between 7 am and 9 pm. It is set at 8 or 10 to avoid freezing of the pipes in the night.

              But, this season. we had to bring it on at 18 since yesterday as MIL is continuously complaining! We don’t want her to fall sick until she flies home on the next Sat. After that, we will revert the CH to 15C unless we really have to. 🤣

              We need to simplify the pipes. It’s too messy. Our thought why change it unless required. I don’t like Combi for the same reason. What about mega flow ? It is not worth it now as we are just 2 mostly and 3 for a few days a month.

                  LMSC I wouldn’t change a anything if you don’t have to. Wait until you need a new boiler or are forced to have a heat pump.

                  When/if you have a new boiler, you can get it properly sized and sort the system out then. Sure a megaflow might be good for you, depends on water pressure how many showers and the investment in them.

                  I have 3 computer controlled pumped showers, that only 1 of, would work with a megaflow. Plus baths one of which works from a pump, the other is gravity and mains fed.

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                      MediumRoastSteam They occasionally run to prevent pump siezing up. Flash an LED on the dial to tell me up to temp, too hot etc. Have a clicky dial for digital temp control, plus boost functions. Also manage and monitor pressure/temp of hot and cold in.

                      Oh and support an extra button in one of the showers to turn it on before you enter the cubicle.

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                        25 days later

                        🤫Gas boilers ??

                        A well known house builder is just starting on 154 dwellings near me, I noticed today they are installing substantial gas mains 🤫🤔

                        3 months later

                        i was browsing last night hotukdeals and spotted a deal about gas/electricity prices.

                        I jumped on it but will also keep an eye on whole sale prices. Apperently you can switch back to standart variable rates anytime. So for now this tracker comes cheaper. Have a VERY GOOD read and decide for yourselves.

                        https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/beat-the-energy-price-cap-with-a-tracker-tariff-at-octopus-energy-4078767

                        Also you can check previous prices from here apparently, click on tracker and choose your area from drop down menu http://mysmartenergy.uk/Tracker/North-Wales,-Merseyside-and-Cheshire

                          Been on the tracker for over a year… works well and tbh the cap (on the version I am still on) is very reasonable compared to the current prices.

                          Quite interesting how much swing there is in the electricity prices - gas seem pretty stable usually at the cap level of the tracker

                            MattH I just learned that such a thing exists last night. Yeah you are right. Electricity last month swung between 18p-32p and an average of 24.97p.

                              Inspector I shall check it out, although my fix, which is effectively current price cap is for another year and with a 100 exit fee per fuel. 🙁

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                                2 months later

                                New price came through

                                I just love how they dress it up like they’re doing us a favour. In reality for me and my family it means no proper holiday this year, any Savings we had will now go to some fat fuck in a suit

                                Decent De1pro v1.45 - Niche Duo - Niche Zero - Decent is the best machine ever made -

                                Amen to that Jake. We’re sitting on vast shale gas reserves but government won’t use them. French government banned shale gas in France but the French government has nationalised EDF which supports fracking. You couldn’t make it up.

                                Been reading a lot about heat pumps as we’re renovating a house and it needs a new heating system. I don’t trust the hype and anything pushed by politicians is, in my book, suspect. Anyone remember being urged to get rid of petrol cars and go for diesel because they were less polluting?

                                  Systemic The British gas chairman has done really well and had a massive bonus in addition to his already massive pay. I can see how hard he must have struggled to make a profit in an energy market that is now effectively a 5 company cartel.

                                  They have no incentive to have strategies and costs to:

                                  • Win customers
                                  • improve customer service
                                  • upgrade systems
                                  • reduce costs

                                  How brilliant…now they are just like the BBC.

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                                    I am glad I opted in to that wholesale prices tracker tariff with octopus earlier on. I also posted that on here on Feb. It massively helped reducing the cost over last couple of months. I am paying now 20p/kw for electricity and 4.8p/kw for gas. It has been floating around these rates for a while now.

                                    I must of missed that

                                    What annoys me the most is there is not competition between companies, you can’t move

                                    There’s nothing you can do

                                    Decent De1pro v1.45 - Niche Duo - Niche Zero - Decent is the best machine ever made -

                                    You need a smart meter

                                    Decent De1pro v1.45 - Niche Duo - Niche Zero - Decent is the best machine ever made -

                                      We are with Octopus on a fixed rate which will finish at the end of the month. Octopus have been in touch and offered me the following rates. I believe that there is a waiting list with a timescale of 6 months for the tracker rates. I am going to contact them and see if this is true.

                                      Hi Steve,

                                      Your fixed tariff is coming to an end on 3rd May 2023. While it’s still a little way off, we thought you’d like to know more about what happens next.

                                      Good to know: The Energy Price Guarantee

                                      The Government has introduced an Energy Price Guarantee that caps variable energy prices at £2,500 for a typical home.

                                      This represents a discount of around £1,000 for a typical home compared to the Ofgem price cap for October to December, and is in addition to the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme that will reduce all monthly payments between October and March, and the further support already announced for low income or vulnerable households.

                                      In light of these reductions, we’re not currently offering fixed price tariffs — they’re simply not a good choice right now.

                                      Instead, the best option for you is to roll onto our Flexible Octopus tariff at the end of your fixed term. This will happen automatically: you don’t need to do anything.

                                      Flexible Octopus
                                      Flexible Octopus is our always good value variable tariff. It has no fixed term, and prices rise and fall with wholesale costs, typically changing every 3 months.

                                      Flexible Octopus prices are protected by the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee, and Flexible Octopus standing charges are discounted slightly compared to the Energy Price Guarantee rates. Flexible Octopus

                                      £164.69
                                      Estimated monthly cost
                                      Electricity Electricity
                                      Daily charge 48.29 p/day
                                      Unit rate 31.87 p/kWh
                                      Gas Gas
                                      Daily charge 26.84 p/day
                                      Unit rate 10.20 p/kWh

                                      £1976.28
                                      Estimate for the next 12 months
                                      Your account information

                                      When comparing energy quotes, it’s important to base them on the same figures. Here’s our latest estimates of your annual consumption over the next 12 months — we’ve used these figures for your quotes above.
                                      Annual usage
                                      Electricity 2,912 kWh
                                      Gas 7,587 kWh
                                      Account
                                      Payments Monthly Direct Debit
                                      Billing Online
                                      In the current energy crisis, there’s not a lot of difference in prices between suppliers — this is why most comparison sites are not switching customers right now.

                                      In light of this, we recommend you choose a supplier based on the other things that matter to you. We will work hard every day to treat you fairly, help all our customers through this crisis, and accelerate the world’s transition to cheap, truly green energy.

                                      For free, independent advice on your rights and your energy supply, visit Citizens Advice at any time or call 03454 040506.

                                      Kind regards,
                                      Greg, Stuart, James, Rebecca, Jon, Pete, Tara and Mario
                                      The Octopus Energy Leadership Team