Maximizing Your Condensing Gas Boiler's Efficiency

#boiler #efficiency #condensing

In this video, we discuss why most gas condensing boilers are not running efficiently and what can be done about it.

If you find this topic interesting and would like to learn more about efficiency and heating system design and principles, I highly recommend those two courses below:

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[richardhanmer]

This is by far the most interesting and original heating related video I've seen in a very long time. ~My mind has been blown. A real eye-opener and give how insightful this info is I'm puzzled as to why other UK-based plumbers on YouTube haven't talked about it. Really glad you made you the video.

[irenemarwood]

This is the best vid on this topic ive ever seen. Discussing issues that virtually nobody talks about

[raimundassmalstys]

Probably the smartest engineer in this country!!!

[dermotnangle]

An excellent technical and professional presentation. This is by far the most comprehensive technical explanation of Condensing Boiler functionality I have viewed. Congratulations Czesc Szymon on a wonderful piece of work.

[HDEFMAN]

Am in the market for a new boiler so this was eye opening stuff ! This guy introduced topics I was completely unaware of. This allows us consumers to grasp the concepts and principles behind condenser boilers.

[DaanPol]

Thank you so much! There is a dire gas crisis going on in the Netherlands and this video is already saving me money. I also now know why my gas boiler dies every 10 years!

[schrodingerscat]

What an absolutely brilliant video, so much information to think about and so many ways to greatly improve efficiency on existing systems. My own boiler is hugely over rated for my home all because the installer talked me into having the much larger boiler. Now I know that all the steam I see billowing out of the flue is really bad for efficiency and essentially negates the whole point of a more expensive condensing boiler to begin with.

[CommercialGasEngineerVideos]

Excellent video. Had a long debate with a colleague on boiler efficiency and this settled it. Thanks, saved us a boxing match.

[jassinghIG]

Love the knowledge and ease of explanation. Very few are aware of this hence the epidemic. Especially amongst the older veterans that don’t want to learn.

[jamb]

Thank you so much for this information. I'm someone who puts a lots of care & attention into my work & expect other to give me that respect when doing work for me, unfortunately though in life most people are mediocre in their knowledge, skills & care. The number of plumbers who don't care enough to even make sure the boiler is the correct capacity, let alone talking to customer about setting the temperature controls to efficient settings or even understanding thermostats that work with modulation.

[rmsearle]

Excellent video. Stuff I "ought" to have known years ago.

There's a there's a lack of technical training in the UK: even if you go on the boiler manufacturers' courses you won't get this level of understanding as they're only interested in pushing their own products (in my experience).

Thanks for producing this.

[malcolmwatson]

Great, clear video. You're spot on about the over-sized boiler 'epidemic'.

[takearidewithme]

I have been in Heating and cooling for 20 years in the USA northeast and always love to see how things are done elsewhere. I think you have great knowledge in hydronic heating systems and heat loss.

[Ian-gfid]

I've learnt a huge amount from your excellent videos. Making sure that our boiler/water/heating are operating efficiency has become a bit of a 'thing' for me because I don't like waste, whether that be food / energy / money / time. My whole house heat loss calculations indicate that, using -3C outside / 21C inside / 1 air change per hour, we need 12KW for heating. We have a Vaillant EcoTec Plus 630 + 250L Megaflo and yesterday I called Vaillant Technical to talk through a few things. They guided me through the process to Range Rate the boiler and what did I find ? No prizes for guessing...boiler was set to 30KW. Yes it will modulate, to a degree, nevertheless it was set far too high. I've now set it to 12KW and will monitor the effect on temperatures and gas consumption. Keep up the good work 👍

[qbasz]

Czesc Szymon, great video. This should be a compulsory learning video for all boiler fitters. In regards to boiler size in Uk homes, I think the size is often related to the number of bathrooms and a possible number of taps with hot water open at the same time, where we all know that water flow in the network and pipe sizing is not good enough to manage that. Therefore, as you said over -sizing boilers is a plague in this country.

[imc]

What an informative video. I have just had a new heat only 24 kW gas condensing boiler fitted. Had I watched this video first I could have saved a heap of money by ordering one much smaller grrrr!

[SwedeEad]

Very interesting and useful. I know which direction to go now. I was kind of heading that way but you added a lot of information that will make sure I can make the right decisions about our heating system - which is a bit of a Frankenstein's monster as it has been added to over the years, like the house. Most people don't know what you say in this video so are easily sold systems that are inappropriate. The system we have came with the (old) house. Radiators get hot, water gets hot, what more do we need to know? Well, a lot! Thanks for this valuable information. BTW we have an Ideal Vogue C40 (we live near Hull where Ideal is based). When we lived in London the heat loss from the flat was so low we seldom turned the heating on had the windows open most of the time to cool the place down!

[hansv.d.p.]

Great info again, good subject again. I bought my self a vaillant boiler ecotec plus, the smallest because it can run/burn at low kw. So you are verry right in your video i hope peole will understand. But we need also to investing in isolate our homes...I just invest in isolate my apartment from the 60..good video..greetings from Rotterdam

[Kulvinder]

Hi there, thanks for your videos.

As a user, I have learnt a heck of a lot about efficiencies. I have now realised that I have been running my heating system way too hot. I love these videos, they are so informative.

Thanks again.

[valroberts]

Thanks for the very informative video. Although I'm not in the business, I needed a new boiler to replace my old Baxi solo heat only boiler open cylinder, everyone initially wanted to replace with a 30kW combi which I insisted I did not want for several reasons. Firstly I had already calculated that my heat loss was between 8 - 10kWhr, we have 2 showers at the same time and a bath and as I had solar power to my immersion heater I wanted to retain my open vent cylinder for the free hot water.
I initially looked at a Viessmann 12kW heat only boiler, but its turn down ratio was poor 12kW max 7.2kW minimum. This would as you say in this video mean it probably would not condense for most of its operation. In the end I went with the Vogue system 15kW (the smallest they do), its minimum is 3kW which as you say again in the video less that 50% (5kW) of my heat loss which should be fine.
The boiler has only been fitted a few days and is fine, but ASAP I will get the installer back to turn my Y-valve round and wire it to Hot Water priority, and fit a Weather compensator so I can run the CH at the lowest temperature to achieve heating requirements, and have hot water at the cylinder temperature of 65C.
You mention in the video, that for hot water priority it may be better to have this on continuous, is that correct?
I'm also looking at upgrading my thermostat to either Hive or Nest, but favoured Hive because my family are a little 'old school' liking the Hot Water Boost control which I think is easier to operate on the Hive than the Nest, but I guess if the system becomes Hot Water Priority continuous it matters less.
Thanks again for the vindication regarding my thinking over the years, now we just need boiler manufacturers to manufacture smaller system boilers with a minimum turn down ratio of 5!