Need to know what is the best bundle to buy to my 20 years old boiler and cylinder

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Hi Experts,

I am planning to move to tado. I kindly need to know which tado system would work best to control hot water and heating to the maximum benefit.

I have a 20 years old heating system. This consists of:
- Potterton kingfisher MF LTX0346 Boiler
- ⁠Vented hot water cylinder 1500 X 500 + Honeywell L641A1039 Cylinder Thermostat
- ⁠6 Horizontal Panel Radiators + 1 vertical towel rail (They appear to me having manual valve - non thermostatic)
- ⁠Honeywell st6400c 1003 programmer (wired)
- ⁠Honeywell T6360B1028 Room Thermostat (wired)

Your advice would be much appreciated.

Best,
Omar

Answers

  • wateroakley
    wateroakley ✭✭✭
    edited January 6
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    @Omar0 The question is: What are you trying to achieve and what's your budget? ... Remote control? Energy/cost savings? Comfort? Reliability? Floor space for a new kitchen? Assuming a typical S-Plan or Y-plan setup, possible options:

    1. The Potterton Kingfisher MF is a non-condensing boiler, about 80% efficient. It should have an external bypass on the pipework. A new condensing boiler is 92% efficient and should save circa 13% on gas consumption. A 'typical' ofgem household would save around £110 a year at 2024 prices. A Gas Safe engineer job and not ££cheap.
    2. The Tado wireless starter kit will replace your Honeywell controls and room stat. That would give you a flexible smart schedule for CH and HW from your phone/tablet/PC. £85 on offer at Screwfix. A relatively a simple option for a competent DIYer. Any savings would depend on your personal circumstances and how you use it.
    3. Dumb TRVs. You'll need a plumber or heating engineer to change to thermostatic valves on the rads. Need to keep one rad without a TRV as the Potterton boiler bypass.
    4. Tado TRVs. You could add these after doing 3. On offer around £180 for 4 at Screwfix.

    Personally, I'd start the list with 2. The Tado wireless starter kit to control your CH and HW schedule. Best return for the least ££ invested.

    A close second would be 3. Add 8 dumb TRVs for more comfort. Keep one rad or towel rail open as your Potterton boiler bypass.

    Third is 4. Add up to 8 Tado TRVs. You could do these individually as your budget allows.

    Last would be 1. Make a plan for replacing the old Potterton boiler sooner rather than later.

  • hugbilly
    hugbilly ✭✭✭
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    Until recently I had an elderly Ideal Classic gas boiler similar to yours running a Y plan system. I added tado (including the TRVs) to it about 4 years ago. I bought the kit from Costco who had a special offer on tado kit at the time. They are running a similar promotion at the moment.

    More recently I've updated the boiler to a Greenstar but the rest of the system remains unchanged. I continue to be pleased with tado aside from the RF weakness and the need for internet access for the schedule to run . . .