Converting from domestic heating oil to LPG

[Simon Jones]

Already got the Bongo running on LPG and now I'm thinking of doing the same to the house .

Anyone got any experience of converting from oil to LPG for running domestic boiler and cooker? We've recently moved into a cottage in the sticks and the current oil tank and boiler are on their last legs. Cost of replacing looks to be in the region of £4k and I've noticed Calor are offering free LPG tank installation which looks interesting: https://www.calor.co.uk/home-energy/new ... h-from-oil

Only two potential downsides: quarterly standing charge and a two year tie-in to buy the gas from Calor. They quoted £2500 to supply and install a boiler but were keen to tell me I could source my own which tends to suggest there is a saving to be made by shopping around.

The current cooker is run from a couple of 47kg propane cylinders and we're going to replace the oven regardless so it would be no problem to get one that can run on LPG. Also on the potential shopping list is a gas-powered woodburner stove. We have got a proper woodburner but as it's a thatched cottage, we're a bit nervous about using it as the flue and chinmey do not confirm to current safety standards.

In our last house, we persevered with a 30 year old boiler until it finally died, but with hindsight we should have replaced it sooner to a modern version as the running costs were noticably cheaper and it would have paid for itself within a few years. So, there's some logic and hopefully cost savings to having LPG installed and then getting new efficient boiler, oven and stove to suit.

[Bob]

If you're running a few appliances a bulk tank will be cheaper than cylinders, and a 2000 ltr one can be installed under ground.

[Northern Bongolow]

biomass.

[helen&tony]

Hi
I don't know about UK regulations, but over here you have to site a cylinder more than 200 metres from any other house?...We looked into gas, because we are off-grid for a few things. For heating, people are looking to pelletised wood in auto-feed boilers...very efficient, and I guess less spark risk depending on which type you choose. There are plenty of wood stoves around that burn the exhaust fumes and produce clean and very low emissions or particulate final exhaust. Germany and America have used them for years . Wood is pretty standard for heating across Europe, and here they plant far more than they consume. I guess in most countries it's still the cheapest form of heating. We did look at wood supplies in the UK, but you'll be more up-to-date. Another fuel is "Eco-briquettes" made from sunflower seed waste....I don't like them, but they do produce a lot of heat.
If you're at all interested in the pellet fires, I can ask our guy here (he's English), as he's installing them now. The idea is old but re-vamped. I used to work for the Coal Board 50 years back, and they had coal-fired auto-boilers back then with Archimedian screw-fed boilers, chain-grate, spray-fed dust and so on, but now, pellet fuel is the latest stuff (again )....
We would live totally off-grid if we were 30 years younger, as there is huge scope over here....plenty of scope in the UK too...
Cheers
Helen

[Northern Bongolow]

this gives an over view simon.

http://www.baxi.co.uk/renewables/biomass.htm

i work in the same yard as this company simon, they have been in gas for years and years, they have recognised the benefits of biomass they are going big into supply and coming away from there old core business.

http://www.bdsfuels.co.uk/

[helen&tony]

Hi
Ady...
Ah...that's what they call the pellets...biomass....They seem pretty good from a first look...how efficient are they?....does the total product produce less ash, and how is the ash ejected? Supposedly they can be automatic and timed, but I haven't seen them in the flesh.I have a nagging doubt about 50 year old technology suddenly re-vamped.
How available are the pellets, and what's the likelihood of price increases when the fuel gets more popular?...probably safe to assume that prices will remain reasonably stable in the UK , but over here, there's no real regulation, so it's not viable for us...we are sticking with logs at the moment, unfortunately, but the pellets look a lot less hassle
Cheers
Helen

[lpgimports]

You could also get a pipe put in and a filler and fill your Bongo from the same tank... at err Domestic prices.

[Northern Bongolow]

helen they are said to be more efficient and a really clean burn, so less ash. there is a problem with bulk storing them, several ships crew have died going into sealed ships holds, the silent killer gets em, carbon monoxide poisoning. other than that there ok. .

[helen&tony]

Hi Ady
When I saw the pellet stoves over here, I thought "that sounds good"...as you say, a lot cleaner...BUT the storage issue came to mind...We burn approximately 8 tonnes of wood in our winter, and whilst the pellets will obviously burn hotter, more efficiently and use less by volume, the quantity we use equates to 12 cubic metres, so lets say we have 8 cubic metres of pellets to stack...it still means constructing bin storage, and handling the storage in the house then becomes an issue. Realistically, it means a boiler-room has to be built on, and a new chimney...not hard, but we eventually stayed with the idea of logs...we are up-grading , hopefully , to a bigger boiler after the cold weather. I think we'd go for pellets once we'd seen how regular the supplies become. Obviously not in England, but here you have to factor in the chance of extortionate price increases once the organised crime syndicates get into the supply chain, as most people will stick to logs, meaning that there will be a lucrative market for pricey pellets , holding those people who go for "biomass" by the curly bits.
I must say that in the UK it's very tempting to look at wood pellets, but I would go for a multi-purpose stove with a "unitised" combustion area which could be removed and converted to gas or waste oil if it doesn't work out!
Cheers
Helen

[mikeWalsall]

You could also get a pipe put in and a filler and fill your Bongo from the same tank... at err Domestic prices.

I don't think you could Paul ...

Domestic usage is taken from the top of the storage tank as gas.. for vehicles it's is taken from bottom of the tank as liquid ..

Unless you keep records of your Vehicle assuage and pay the fuel tax ..you would be evading Vehicle fuel duty and from what I read on an LPG Forum .. the LPG supply company also have a legal obligation to notify customs and excise ..

[Simon Jones]

While the idea of cheap Bongo juice on tap at home does sound appealing, I won't be messing with the plumbing if I get a tank . The biomass boilers look interesting but they look quite bulky & almost certainly won't fit in the space under the stairs where the current boiler & all associated plumbing is located. We do have a rather handy double garage / workshop where it could go but it would take some creative pipework underground to get the hot water back into the house. Ground source heat pump is another possibility but would be more suited to a new build where the infrastructure could be fitted more easily.

[Bob]

Have to agee with Mike.

Cheap fuel is attractive but HMRC would take a very dim view and penalties are draconian, like running on red diesel.

[helen&tony]

Hi
Simon....
Creative pipework ....well, if the pelletised fuel is easily available, the garage sounds like a good bet for a boiler!....and the boilers sure are bulky from what I have seen....The only thing I can see wrong is the continuing supply of pellets??? Gas also might have insurance ramifications....and I have always a few nagging doubts about gas.
Regarding ground source heat pumps, I wish I had the information still, as I've seen some damning evidence against the long-term viability of such installations, and completely logical when you read it!
Anyway....good luck with your choice!
Cheers
Helen