jdr

Don`t forget electronic ignition as it`s outside.

tony

The two most common types of boiler here are gas and electric,

The gas type turn on and heat the water only when you open a tap , the most common flow rate is 11 litres per min.

Electric cylinders, heat and store water to a pre set temperature, and that is controlled by a thermostat, if the thermostat is not working and is not turning the heater element off the water will boil and vent from the safety valve on the cold water inlet.

As some one else said maybe you could fit a timer, to limit the daily heating.

Michael74

I have just fitted a 11 ltr gas water heater outside on my kitchen balcony (on the 1st floor) and it supplies my 3 storey house perfectly. In fact the water pressure in both bathrooms on the top floor has improved.

bobd22

I have an electric water heater which is in the bedroom. When we moved in the whole water system was fed from tank on terrace gravity and pressure was rubbish had to chase around for a shower to get wet although the mains pressure into the house is quite high. I was advised how to put a loop in by someone which allows mains pressure but also in case of failure of mains water supply then you have back up of storage tank on terrace. I was advised and did put a pressure reduction valve in the supply pipe where it enters the house set to around 3 bar and the whole system works fine. As I don't seem to be able to regulate the thermostat on water heater I have it plugged into a simple plug in timer and set it to come on early morning and late afternoon which is fine for us obviously can override timer if hot water runs out. Don't know if this saves much electric versus having water heater on all the time? All in all the system I have been using now 3 years without any complaints good pressure for shower and not that difficult to do yourself.

jimenato

That is a very good question and I would love to know how it can be worked out. We have two electric boilers and we tend to leave them on all the time. Would it be better to turn them on an hour before we need to use them? Our electric bill is around 300 Euros a month

tony

Hi Jimenato,

300 per month !!! it is worth considering pre heating the water via a solar water heater before enters the electric boilers, you will save a fortune !!!

Tony

Domino

at €300 sounds like very large amount of water there, not being thermally insulated.
I hate to say it but some of the old UK ideas come to mind, smaller tanks (do you need 100L + for the household (?) and thermally insulated, after all do you need it for 12m (?)

would suggest a timer schedule for all day only or 3-4hrs each morn and nite.

but you know your needs better than me or anyone else here

rgds

Fred James

Put a timer on them set to run for 3 hours before you need the water in the morning. Also set the thermostat to a lower temperature. This could save you at least 50% of the cost compared to leaving it on all the time.

If you find that you don't have enough hot water later in the day then just set another hour on the timer for late afternoon.

Unless you have a 100% insulated tank keeping water hot when you don't need it wastes energy.

bobd22

Yes that's how I work it must admit though our boiler does seem pretty well insulated. Probably only takes about an hour and a half to heat ours up. I'm afraid can't help re comparison as we only visit a couple of weeks at a time. Mind from basic standard charge when not there bill has never gone above 10 euros more wehn out there for 2 to 2 1/2 weeks. Plus if you set timer right you can heat water at convenient time ie not meal times etc when drawing power thus preventing tripping system.

Lynn R

My OH did exactly the same, Bob, and the results have been fine for us too. Our electric water heater is in the patio - there was originally a gas boiler there but the pilot light kept going out and we got fed up so replaced it with an electric heater which, like you, we use with a simple plug in timer. Our water bills are around 35€ for 2 months, and electricity bills between 30-35€ per month.

snikpoh

A lot of the new electric boilers do NOT have thermostats that the user can adjust - they are pre-set. They are also pre-insulated and so can be mounted outside without the need for additional insulation.


We have a 300l boiler which is on all the time, is mounted outside and is EXTREMELY efficient.

We used to have the gas (on-demand) type but we (well my wife mainly) got increasingly fed up with the gas running out half way through a shower! Also, it used to take ages for the hot water to get from the boiler to the various bathrooms. We considered installing other gas boilers nearer the bathrooms but were persuaded to go electric due to their improved efficiency.

The shower pressure is, of course, mains pressure which is akin to a power shower

jimenato

I should point out that it's not only water heating. We have two very large freezers and five commercial fridges.

I might consider solar water heating but ours are rented premises.

Incidentally our rubbish collection and water bill is over 500 Euros every three months - the vast bulk of which is for rubbish - which I take myself to the punto limpio.

Domino

that shows the difference between the ordinary home and a business where fridges and freezers are probably running a fair bit because of continual access losing temp and having a lower setting to maintain it.

see, all these "hidden" costs that people do not take in to account when they want to come and "live the dream" playing "mine host" to all the touristico's looking for roast beef, tatties, yorkshires and gravy.

amideislas

This is another pet peeve of mine. It seem this and lots of other little taxes and tarifs are imposed for services you have to perform yourself. I pay over €300 per year for rubbish removal - but we have to collect it (and sort it) and drive it to the punt verde.

Another, more petty example which I think illustrates the point is at the ajuntamento (here, anyway), when they need a copy of some document (e.g., your passport), they refuse to use the copy machine that's sitting over in the corner. No, you have to find a local copy shop and pay €1 to copy your passport, and return and stand in the queue again.

Seems to me that they would WANT to make the copy themselves. Otherwise you could easily forge the copy. But I suppose it saves a cent or two.

But then again... similar logic seems to be the basis for everything - the locals around here will spend a fortune digging a drainage system into their floor to drain the water from their house when it rains, while completely ignoring the hole in the roof.

BristolGirona

I want to install an unvented indirect hot water cylinder, with the water being heated from a back boiler on a wood burning stove (imported from UK). These cylinders cost £500 to £1000 in UK, but I can't find on any Spanish web pages. Any ideas if they can be obtained in Spain? - including a decent translation of "unvented indirect hot water cylinder". thanks