Outdoor hot water cylinder

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Shoes2468

785 posts

Ultimate Geek

#293793 13-Feb-2022 22:35

Hi all,

After some advice about having a hot water cylinder (hwc) outdoors.
This is for a holiday home in Hanmer Springs, so an alpine climate, with freezing conditions in the winter.
The current setup is the hwc is in a cupboard in the kitchen. With a planned kitchen renovation we are looking to create more room, moving the hwc somewhere else hopefully. The current cylinder is old ~30 years so probably due for a new one anyways.

The house is a pole house so there is ample room underneath and could be positioned close to existing piping.

We were told that outdoor cylinders are fine in warmer climates but no good in the cold, is this true?

Also after any other experiences of people putting a hwc outdoors in a cold climate. Where annual snow and icing occurs.
Also recommendations on hwc makes/models that are good for outdoors.

JeremyNzl

359 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2867933 13-Feb-2022 22:47

Get a califont installed, run it off a 9kg bottle, frost protection comes from electrical supply.

Then u can have hot water within minutes of arriving.

Nightmare installing/insulating/frost protection a hwc in an alpine climate.

Not a plumber just my 2c,

Shoes2468

785 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2867935 13-Feb-2022 23:04

Thanks for this, just to clarify this home is also rented out through a holiday rental company and so regularly occupied meaning that everything is left on.

So gas would be an option but would need to go down the double large bottle route as the holiday makers would not be able to change bottles etc. With the additional costs of bottle rental and there not being any other need for gas currently would prefer to stay away.

JeremyNzl

359 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2867957 14-Feb-2022 07:55

Best way would be marine ply enclosure insulated with roof bats, Gets you into a standard cylinder. (no idea of the legality )

Only downside it would need to be large enough to service hwc and pipework and structurally support hwc.

Have a reverse thermostat in there on a lightbulb for frost protection in the event its winter and your element goes.

As your effectively letting this building, It will need sign off, start with Plumber,Builder, Sparky

Shoes2468

785 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2868266 14-Feb-2022 16:19

JeremyNzl:
Best way would be marine ply enclosure insulated with roof bats, Gets you into a standard cylinder. (no idea of the legality )

Only downside it would need to be large enough to service hwc and pipework and structurally support hwc.

Have a reverse thermostat in there on a lightbulb for frost protection in the event its winter and your element goes.

As your effectively letting this building, It will need sign off, start with Plumber,Builder, Sparky

Thanks for this. We would absolutely be engaging with the appropriate professionals to carry out all of this work but wanting to get ideas/ opinions on outdoor hwcs.

An enclosure seems like a good idea, seeing there poles which hold the house up and enclosure could be built into/around that

wally22

504 posts

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#2868295 14-Feb-2022 17:53

Triple the insulation for the outside hot water room. Much cheaper than dealing with frozen or leaking pipes later in emergencies.

MadEngineer

4271 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#2868296 14-Feb-2022 17:56

It's not traditionally recommended but could you move it to the roof space?

Is it gas or electric?

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

timmmay

20574 posts

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#2868338 14-Feb-2022 19:07

We moved our cylinder to the roof space, it works fine. It needs a drip tray underneath and a good solid wooden frame around it that will survive an earthquake. Our builder didn't do anything complex like consents (which we weren't impressed with) but said he complied with building regulations of the time.

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SomeoneSomewhere

1802 posts

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#2868343 14-Feb-2022 19:18

I'd agree with an enclosure, even if only to keep the wind off. Consider wrapping batts around the cylinder itself (excluding or removable around element cover) instead of the whole room. Obviously insulate all pipes, hot and cold.

Heat trace tape is great stuff. Talk to your electrician about just getting some slid in between the piping and insulation, and maybe gutters + downpipes too. Probably want it on a thermostat if you're using any significant quantity.

Does the location suffer power cuts in very cold weather often?

Shoes2468

785 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2868344 14-Feb-2022 19:18

MadEngineer:
It's not traditionally recommended but could you move it to the roof space?

Is it gas or electric?

Interesting idea, it is electric currently, we would replace it if we were going to do anything, I’m not sure that the roof has enough pitch but I’m guessing you can get stubby fat cylinders.

SomeoneSomewhere

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#2868351 14-Feb-2022 20:05

Horizontal cylinders would be the preference.