Chauffe-eau

[Bridan]

Hi all you expert D.I.Y ers.Need to install hot water in my house in France.

I am going to buy from Brico Depot a 200 L 3000W Chauffe-eau serie acapulco.

Has anybody fitted one of these,if so are they fairly easy to install,Would one on a stand give enough pressure to feed a shower ,Basin & Kitchen sink.And also do they come with the fittings.

I have read the plumbing pages on this wed site, Which were very helpful ,but I just wondered if anybody has any more useful information,

Which would be gratefully received.

 

Thanks  Brian.

[sid]

Brian

I'm sure a plumbing expert will be along shortly, but the first thing I'd say is that you should find there is sufficient pressure (provided you use the correct diameter piping) because the hot water systems here in France operate at mains pressure. There is no separate hot water tank as in UK.

The chauffe-eau when full of water will be very heavy. I think that substantial wall bolts plus the stand are recommended, although we just have it fastened on the wall without the stand. [Www]

Sid

[Gluestick]

Welcome, Brian, belatedly.

In France, water heaters (Ballons), operate from mains cold water pressure and thus, the siting is unimportant in terms of hot water pressure for showers etc.

I would recommend sitting the ballon on the stand, mainly since the all up weight when full, is significant and despite the rawlbolt type fittings, they do have a nice habit of falling over! (Despite the bolts and mainy due to poor fitting and/or crumbling old French walls!).

No they do not usually come with the fittings. You need a dedicated "Kit" ideally, which will include the waste fittings and the Main Water Inlet On-Off valve and with BricoDepot, the wall mounting bolts.

Once mechanically plumbed in, you need to consider the question of electricity supply.

Probably, your best bet is to ask EDF for a new "Computer" compteur  which will allow the option of Heures Creuse and Heures Pleine, or in old money, Day Rate and Night (Cheap) Rate.

Then you need a dedicated switch Contacteur Jour/Nuit,in the Tableaux, Consumer Unit, which is wired into the sparkling new EDF meter box and will  - with a following Mistral - automatically switch itself on at circa 12.00 midnight and off again, at 08.00 AM, when set in the pulse position.

There is quite a lot on this forum about such subjects: try the search facility and good luck, or if you like,

Bonne Chance !

 

[Gluestick]

Great minds think alike, El Sid.

Funny: your post was not up when I started to type mine.[blink]

BTW: Don't stand under your ballon if the weather is damp! [Www]

 

[sid]

Excellent post, Gluestick! Just what I like to see, all the info and to the point.

Sid

What happens in damp weather? Are you saying the fixings are weakened? [:-))]

[suein56]

Has anyone mentioned the 'groupe de sécurité' ? A venerable device.

I only mention this as our ballon is coming up for 12 years old and, according to the info I have read on the internet, our groupe de sécurité might well need changing - 10 years seems to be the recomended time span for use. As we are living in a rented house this might need delicate handling as our landlord is 'careful'  [in the extreme] with his money and I don't want to upset him unnecessarily.

Sue

[Gluestick]

Thanks, Sid.

Damp weather: I was just teasing. I have a chum whose new ballon was professionally fitted by a French plumber, sans tripod, and we are all waiting for it to fall off the wall. The fixings look none too safe...................

Sue, Groupe de Securité is the whole kit, including the pressure safety valve and waste drain fitting. € 23 to €29 from Brico Depot.

Good point that you mentioned it, though.

Brian: I omitted this! [:$]

All these type of water heaters, have a safety valve which dumps pressure and water if the internal pressure rises above a set limit. The valve comes complete with a plastic waste fitting. It is all in the fitting kit.

 

[Bridan]

Thanks all you wonderful people,very helpful.

 

Bien Amnicalement  Brian.

[Gemini_man]

post deleted due to having had second thoughts!! [:)]

[Anton Redman]

[quote user="Gemini_man"]post deleted due to having had second thoughts!! [:)]



[/quote]

With a sobriquet like that is it supprising ?

[Gemini_man]

[quote user="Anton Redman"]

[quote user="Gemini_man"]post deleted due to having had second thoughts!! [:)]

[/quote]

With a sobriquet like that is it supprising ?

[/quote]

[:D] [:D] [:D]   [8-)]

[Payrac-man]

Hi

Have you thought about solar? You dont say where in France the house is but it will save a lot on the elec costs

I am installing a UK cylinder and using the heating coil to connect to the solar panel try this link for more info

http://www.imaginationsolar.com/

[Gyn_Paul]

[quote user="Payrac-man"]

Hi

Have you thought about solar? You dont say where in France the house is but it will save a lot on the elec costs

I am installing a UK cylinder and using the heating coil to connect to the solar panel try this link for more info

http://www.imaginationsolar.com/

[/quote]

Make sure you use a pressure reducing valve on your incoming mains

then. UK hot water cylinders aren't designed to cope with more than

about 3 - 4 bar. Nothing like the 7 or so which is quite common here in

France.

p

(I can see why you would go down this route though.. the price for a

chauffeau with an indirect heating coil in it sourced here is

astronomical!  -- almost as much of a rip-off as buying a direct

feed hot water cylinder in the UK ! )

[Payrac-man]

Hi Glyn Paul   

Sorry I didnt put enough info in original post. I am going to use an indirect cylinder with a feed tank in the loft the same as I have in the UK

Have spoken to French plumbers and although not the norm could see no reason why not.

Reason is I dont like the idea of a large volume of hot water under high pressure sitting in my cupboard 

 

[powerdesal]

So the 3, 4 or even assuming 5 metre head is going to give you a hot pressure of 0.5 bar (on 5m head) and you mix it in a shower with cold water at mains pressure of 4-7 bar (realistically its likely to be nearer 4 than 7)........interesting set of controls.

"dont like the idea of a large volume of hot water under high pressure sitting in my cupboard," the Groupe de securite safety valve is your protection for an overpressurisation leak ( ps 4 - 7 bar is not high pressure).

Have you considered the possible future resale effect of having a non-standard system in your house, one that does not conform to the normes?

[Anton Redman]

Payracman -- Not sure how tall your house is or where you are putting your tank but you will need at least 22 mm feeds from the tank to the shower. Make sure you buy any thermostatic shower mixing valves in the UK. French ones are designed on the premis that hot and cold water are under similar pressure.

I was a lot more worried about a large non presurised iron tank of uncertain vintage sitting in my loft in the UK than I ever was about the C d E in my cellar in France.

( Edit for typos - clavier seems to dislike beer )

[Chancer]

Which is why I now have a French BDC in my UK property.

[Payrac-man]

Hi

It's called a Trevi Boost. Have one in UK and it's great, Redrow fit them as standard

 

All the best

Paul

[Nick Trollope]

[quote user="Payrac-man"]

Hi Glyn Paul   

Sorry I didnt put enough info in original post. I am going to use an indirect cylinder with a feed tank in the loft the same as I have in the UK

Have spoken to French plumbers and although not the norm could see no reason why not.

[/quote]

I know that it is probably a bit late to mention this, but isn't the use of open (domestic) water storage illegal in France? It is specifically interdit in the DTU's, I fear.

[Gluestick]

Probably yes, Nick.

Personally, if I was going solar, I would still use a Ballon, but I would use a Dual-Fuel type with a calorifier coil and connect the solar source to this.

Such would be quite legal in France.

Again, from a personal standpoint, I prefer to not have a large tank of water exposed to the air.

Yes, I know one can cover it: however, without a direct and unimpeded vent to air, the system will not function.

 

[Pierre ZFP]

That's a great idea to use a dual fuel ballon.  If I were to mount solar panels (not P-V but the overgrown radiator type for hot water) to say an outbuilding that has a roof pointing in a suitable direction, would I need planning permission?  It could just about be seen from the road but could hardly be called intrusive.  Not going to get around to this anytime soon, just curious.