Small oil boiler for workshop ?

[flanajb]

I have been trying to find a small oil boiler that I can mount in the garage that will feed a couple of rads. It only needs to be ~ 6kw, but my search has uncovered nothing.

I think manufacturers are missing a trick here as there must be demand for such a unit.

Could be a direct flow / return to the boiler via the rads and the unit could have a built in thermostat and programmable timer.

If you know of one, please let me know as I "think" you can install an oil boiler yourself under a building control notice.

 

[beech1948]

Flanajab,

6Kw ain't much heat really from a boiler. Maybe consider alternative heating types such as 2x 3Kw oil filled radiators. Electric I know but they are easier to control than a boiler and arguably cheaper than oil and the cost of fitting/radiators/pipes/thermostat/flue/roofing repair etc etc. even if you do it yourself. Cost will be determined by how much time you spend in the workshop.

My three radiators cost me £55 each. Been running now for 6 years at about 5 hrs a day during winter.

Alan

 

[dickm]

There aren't many (any?) boilers that small, and their price would be almost the same as a 25kW+ model.

If you really want to use oil, there are some stoves which are a bit like an oil version of a multifuer/wood stove. There's been a couple for sale secondhand up here recently, which probably suggests they aren't that effective. Called Bubble/Buble, or something like that.

 

[flanajb]

I am trying to avoid using electric as I am conscious at how expensive it has become these days. I did consider a wood burner, but that is not any good if you want to keep the building above freezing during the days I am not there.

 

[Argus]

.


Have you considered a Heat Pump system?

6kW is well within the output range of an Air-to Air system (the simplest installation of all and it will cool in the summer as well) and you may even find an Air-to-Water unit that fits the bill, but you will need to think about lower water flow temperatures and oversize the heat emitters accordingly or use underfloor heating if you go for A-W.

Allowing for losses, and the usual industry hyperbole, a CoP of about 2.5 (Coefficient of Performance -the simple ratio of absorbed power in kW to output in kW) may suit your requirements, especially with the price of oil these days.

If you don't have hang ups about Total Carbon use (obviosly not if you are considerng oil) it might be worth looking at, given the insatllation costs.


Dokmestic oil is currently at almost 60p / litr and peaked at 78p in January this year and the prices will NEVER get cheaper. Those of us who use it do so because there is no other alternative.


.

 

[sparkymarky]

as a oil boiler engineer a 6kw boiler is probably not the best option if you could even find one (i`m pretty sure there are not any available) when i was a full time plumber we used to fit these http://www.heatandplumb.com/acatalog/Tr ... -_6kW.html . we fitted them mainly in small one bed flats with 3-4 radiators linked to a unvented hot water cylinder as well.

the installation costs of a oil boiler compared to a wet electric boiler will far out way any running costs for a good deal of time + no servicing / breakdown costs on the electric boilers (i`m doing myself out of a job :? )

i wouldn`t recommend a air to air heating system for a workshop environment as dust in the workshop could cause problems with the heater and could blow dust around when varnishing.

hope this helps, cheers, mark.

 

[sparkymarky]

as I "think" you can install an oil boiler yourself under a building control notice

you can install it your self but in my area it`s £120 for building control to inspect the installation and then a further cost to get a plumber / boiler engineer to commission the boiler which is absolutely essential for the correct operation of the boiler, they never come set up perfectly from the factory and if the boiler catches fire and it has not been properly serviced every year your insurance will not pay out.

 

[paultnl]

Another vote for a heat pump. I have one in my garden office and not only is it very effective, it is cheap to run.

 

[Ian]

Anyone have any links to the air to air system they are using?

cheers

Ian

 

[paultnl]

Mine is like this http://www.comfortableclimate.co.uk/Sam ... Pupmp.html

 

[Ian]

Many thanks for the link - can you tell me how the system works and how it is connected? also does it use much electric?

cheers

Ian

 

[dickm]

.
If you don't have hang ups about Total Carbon use (obviosly not if you are considerng oil) it might be worth looking at, given the insatllation costs.

Dokmestic oil is currently at almost 60p / litr and peaked at 78p in January this year and the prices will NEVER get cheaper. Those of us who use it do so because there is no other alternative.


.

OK, let me ride my hobby horse about heat pumps!
As another poster has suggested, they have a CoP of between 2 and 4 (if you are really lucky). That means, for every unit of electricity you put in, you get 2-4 units of heat out. Fine, BUT..... every one of those units of electricity used about 3 units of heat to generate it. So why not use those original 3 units of heat directly, especially if the real CoP is nearer 2 than 4????? It makes sense, even if you don't have hangups about carbon emission.
OK, I know, the economics of heat pumps makes apparent sense on a small scale, but I still wouldn't use one myself.

 

[Jamesc]

+1 to Dick M's comments.

I used to design AC systems (albeit very large ones) for a living and would only look at heat pumps if there was a definate cooling requirement. I have cololing in my home office but use elctric heating as the economics stack up for me.

James