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We have an aquaPLUS 280-7 r3 Valliant gas boiler. It heats the water nice and all, but it has an annoying habit of turning on overnight to preheat the water in the storage container.

The problem is, the bathroom is next to our bedroom and the noise of the igniter lighting up the gas wakes us up even when the door is closed.

I have been turning it off in the evening using the power knob. But unfortunately I am a forgetful person and thus have been woken up anyway several times. I have searched both the installation and user manuals, but there is nothing about timing the preheating so that it does not happen overnight.

If I bought one of the socket timers, would that be dangerous for the heater, if it switched the heater off every night at midnight?

I really need an automatic solution for this.

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    Boilers are supposed to cycle on and off throughout the day and night to keep the water in the tank at spec temperature (i.e. near 60C to kill dangerous bacteria). If that is not a feature you want, then you need a tankless. – Harper - Reinstate Monica Sep 15 '20 at 18:50
  • It does not sound like a good idea. I don't like the idea of a timer that would be interrupting at times of it starting up and opening the fuel valve, and during a heat cycle in general. I would not recommend it at all. Is the system you have getting old? You could see if you can find a HSI model (Hot Surface Igniter) to replace it. HSI is quieter than spark ignition, which I suspect you have. Spark ignition makes a snapping noise when it starts, an HSI uses a glowing red ignitor rod to light the burner, as in gas ovens. Many forced air furnaces use this, but I don't know about boilers... – troubleshooter Sep 17 '20 at 3:56
  • An alternative to turning it off would be to turn it up higher during the day (say maybe 165F/75C), and turn it DOWN (not off, at night) the tank will probably hold it temp a long time. You could experiment to try different settings: let it warm up (to the higher setting) and shut off, then turn it down and start timing until it fires again at the lower setting. I'm not addressing scalding hazard if you go too high. Is the tank internal or outside? You could put in a larger tank (if mfgr ok's it), or add extra insulating wrap. (found some foriegn PDFs, is this have a digital control panel?) – troubleshooter Sep 17 '20 at 4:29
  • @troubleshooter I am renting my place so buying different boiler or making big changes to it is out of question. I was looking for an automatic solution. I am personally not overly concerned about bacteria growth given that day old tap water in a bottle is perfectly safe to dring in my location. – Tomáš Zato - Reinstate Monica Sep 17 '20 at 13:59

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