In a joint initiative, HETAS has worked with the Hot Water Association to develop a new standard for hot water storage designed to be used with solid fuel appliances.

The first HETAS listing has been awarded to Advance Appliances for its SFUTS multi fuel thermal store. With all the plumbing, controls and wiring pre-installed the unit is easy to install in any multi fuel system.

Using the SFUTS (Solid Fuel Universal Thermal Store) makes it easy to incorporate a wood burner with other appliances such as gas or oil boilers, solar thermal or PV roof panels, off peak electricity and other inputs for heating and hot water.

Each input has a thermostat control pre-wired to a junction box to control all inputs.  Solar thermal is not pre-figured as panel suppliers usually supply a control package.

The SFUTS unit can be specified in three domestic sizes – 210, 250 and 300 litres capacity – and can be supplied as suitable for sealed heating systems so underfloor heating and modern sealed system boilers can be incorporated. .  The sealed system unit meets G3 safety requirements with three levels of safety so wood burners can be safely installed on a pumped circuit. The unit is CE marked in addition to the HETAS listing.

The store’s solid fuel pump also acts as a re-circulator to ensure that cold return temperatures to the appliance are avoided.  This prevents condensation, helps the heat up profile and aids efficiencies. It also helps with maintaining even store temperatures.  A flue stat is wired into the system to detect when the woodburner is lit.

Hot water is always mains fed in these systems for power showers and fast bath filling, using an internal high output coil as a heat exchanger through a thermal mixing valve.  A small expansion vessel is used as a shock arrestor and a service valve is fitted.

More information at www.advanceappliances.co.uk