Anyone here using LPG for central heating?

[MartDude]

Does anyone here use LPG for their central heating & hot water?

Our solid-fuel boiler stove - the one GregD was so helpful with last winter - is about to give up the ghost - leaking again, and now has a hole in the bottom. We had been looking at replacing it with a similar stove, but a good friend in the heating trade has put us touch with an installer who can install a LPG combi boiler, & cap off the stove so it can still be used as a wood-burner, for very little more than the cost of buying & installing a new multi-fuel stove (Baxi are doing a deal at the moment, apparently). A combi boiler would have obvious benefits - no more layers of dust from the ash, no raking out , no more fetching coal/wood in on a freezing night, etc etc.

Has to be LPG - no mains gas here. The price of installing an oil tank & its base would add significantly to the project's costs, hence the attraction of LPG

If any of you lot have any experience of such systems, I'd be grateful for your comments - any pitfalls, running costs, reliability issues etc.

Thanks in advance.

[blinkey501]

Not used lpg in our heating, but Baxi boilers are good and parts are readily available.... We have one
Woucester boilers are supposed very good but a bit more expensive

[Willopotomas]

Chap I knew a few years back converted his to LPG as he was able to get the gas cheap (fall off the back of a lorry cheap). When he was no longer able to do it (got caught) he converted back. From what I understand it's a simple case of changing the gas jets to suit the type of gas being burnt. But I'm no gas fitter.

[MartDude]

Another issue is the ease & convenience of gas. I'm 58, Gill's 64. I'v got worsening problems with arthritis, f**ked back & various joints; got surgery coming up for some of this. As this would be, hopefully, a long-term investment, I'd like to get away from humping bags of coal & wood around.

[fatboy]

You can save a few bucks by using 47kg cylinders, 2 linked together with an auto cross over & level guage. This means no bulk tank reqd but moving fairly bulky cylinders & always having a spare. Theyare easy to move with a sack truck & a little bit of knack. My mate lives in Arse end of Forest of Dean reckons this is still cheapest way round it. It has to be said there are cheaper suppliers than Calor ( Flo gas, check yellow pages ). He reckons to use 47 kg in 2 weeks in winter, heating,hot water,cooking, 47kg a week minus 5 or below. Dont forget Calor spells monopoly, Paul
ps forgot to mention Calor can supply a bulk tank but this was uber expensive to refill so some homework rqd

[snapdragon]

we use 4 x 47kg cylinders on a 2x2 turnover (as ^ )(currently on one only as I'm checking the mileage)
had LPG first about 15 years ago and a new uprated boiler/pressure cylinder put in two years ago - the new boilers are way more thrifty - saved a packet - in fact i reckon we've saved the cost of the whole work already, in less gas usage.

I havent a suitable place for a large tank so the 47's are great and available through different outlets and suppliers.


Oh and avoid man/woman-handling - get a supplier that delivers and fits 'em properly

[BikerGran]

I don't know anything about LPG but I DO know about making life easier for yourself when it becomes a necessity, just do it! And go for the bulk tank cos you don't want to be wheeling a sack truck around with a heavy cylinder when there's ice on the ground - and you know that's what would happen!

[snapdragon]

I don't know anything about LPG but I DO know about making life easier for yourself when it becomes a necessity, just do it! And go for the bulk tank cos you don't want to be wheeling a sack truck around with a heavy cylinder when there's ice on the ground - and you know that's what would happen!

Bobbi - there's no handling needed , the supplier should bring it and change over, you don't collect them yourself like camping gaz

[BikerGran]

So how does that work? Presumably you don't wait till both are empty before calling the supplier? So what happens about the unused gas?

[Willopotomas]

Am now wondering what the difference in price would be between LPG and piped-in supply. If it's a significant reduction, I may seek to convert to LPG. Hmm..

[snapdragon]

So how does that work? Presumably you don't wait till both are empty before calling the supplier? So what happens about the unused gas?

4 cylinders paired, two in use and two in waiting
When the first two are empty the change-over valve shows a red arrow, so you close those two off and switch the valve to the other two, (the system automatically starts taking gas from the other cylinders) then you phone for a delivery and the man comes and changes the empty two for two full ones

[snapdragon]

Am now wondering what the difference in price would be between LPG and piped-in supply. If it's a significant reduction, I may seek to convert to LPG. Hmm..

Not sure if it's cheaper than piped gas Willo - it's about £1.20 a litre ish depending on area

edit
£1.17 per litre delivered and fitted, I just did the sum properly

[flatlander]

on a lot of appliances such as ovens veryu often the main difference is the valve I think?

[MartDude]

Many thanks for all this helpful input. Lot of food for thought.

Installer coming in the next few days to do a survey

[fatboy]

most recent appliiances can work on both natural gas or lpg, the critical differences are in the internal regulator and jet size ( yes like a carb ! ). There are many places that do conversions so advice isnt hard to find, in fact most new cookers come with 2 sets of jets. Simples ?