Hi, can someone please tell me what is a "heatstore". Can it work with evacuated tubes, air source heat pump and wet radiators in same system. Would you reccommend a "heatstore" over vented cylinder with accumulator.
Thanks Al.

Almost what Tony said...

However, a "proper" heatstore will tend to be far better insulated than a "mere" cylinder. This extra insulation, plus the fact that a larger volume of better insulated stored water (i.e. a proper heatstore) will stay warmer for longer than a smaller (and less seriously insulated) volume of water makes a proper heatstore the logical choice if you have the space and load-bearing capacity (at 5 degrees centigrade, water weighs approximately 1kg/litre)...do you have the space, and can your floor take the strain?

Perhaps most importantly...to heat a volume of water in a specific timeframe requires a certain heat output. And if you have this available output, what will it cost to deliver this output? And how does the heat loss from said heatstore equate with the faster heat loss from a mere cylinder that is quicker to heat up than a large heatstore? The larger the water volume to be heated, the greater the heat output required (think large kettle-v-small kettle). Factor into this the actual time needed to achieve the desired water temperature. Time/output...then factor in the fact that you also need to factor in the fact that the large kettle-v-small kettle argument needs to be adjusted to account for the heat output at your disposal...;)

Lots of issues to consider, methinks. Seems as much of a lifestyle choice as anything...i.e. what do you need, when do you need it, and what will it cost?

Good Morning Al,
To be honest my line of work deals with design/supply of your sort of installations on a daily basis, there is a thermal store cylinder which can take the ASHP, evacuated tubes and allow you to plumb in a radiator system, a full control system can also be incorporated into this for thermostatically controlling individual areas with domestic hot water priority of the heating circuit.
Another aspect to design into your system would be an integrated back up boiler to assist the ASHP when the unit struggles to achieve the required temp.

Check this website out mate www.chelmerheating.co.uk

Hope this helps mate

Hi, everyone who replied, thanks.
I have now decided to drop the ashp as it would most likely have to run 24/7. Apparently my best option appears to be log boiler stove [sized to suit], 2 solar evacuated tube panels, connected to radiators via a very large cylinder with 3 coils in it. One for boiler, one for solar and one for radiators. I assume that the cylinder manufacturer should be my first port of call to design a functioning efficient system.

Could anyone with experience this type of project please help.

Thanks Al