Hotter heat pumps

[Joeboy]

Worth ensuring the most current tech is installed in this developing market?

Would not be happy to have a new install and its 20degC behind the leaders. Due diligence required.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67511954

[Yuff]

Worth ensuring the most current tech is installed in this developing market?

Would not be happy to have a new install and its 20degC behind the leaders. Due diligence required.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67511954

So is it worth swapping the refrigerant to achieve higher temps more efficiently ?

[John_S]

I have never heard of any suggestion is swapping the refrigerant in an existing heat pump. Aren't heat pumps designed for specific refrigerants? Seals, lubrication etc?

Please correct me if I am wrong.

[robl]

There’s a few specific examples where a newer refrigerant can be swapped out - generally as the original old one has a high GWPe. In general though, they are never changed out, and the compressor oil is only suitable for certain ones. There is not a huge difference in COP at low temp between refrigerants - more that some can still operate at higher temperatures. R290 (propane) has been around for 100 years as a refrigerant - it’s really not new!

[HML]

Worth ensuring the most current tech is installed in this developing market?

Would not be happy to have a new install and its 20degC behind the leaders. Due diligence required.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67511954

High temperature heat pumps are largely a marketing exercise to try to convince readers of the Mail that they can actually work. To be efficient the still need to operate at as low a temperature as possible.

The "high temperature" heat pumps they are talking about use R290 (propane) as the refrigerant. It's got advantages but it's not hugely better in performance than the other refrigerant that you're likely to come across, R32. Good R290 heat pumps perform better than R32 ones at low temperatures, less than 2C. Higher than that there's not much difference in performance, but there can be quite a difference in price.

My cheap R32 heat pump can operate up to 65C, more than high enough for most domestic heating purposes.

[Joeboy]

I fitted a few aircon systems offshore and they were either r32 or r410a. No changing to another gas on depletion.

Maybe there could be retro compressor & gas refits/upgrades?

I hoped by posting this one up we'd catch some New Year HP customers while the money is still in.pocket.

I like the idea of the HP and having the same tech (inverter aircon) in our Turkish place I love the reality of the cold air blasting out of the external unit in heating mode as it scavenges the heat from air. I am waiting on the retrofit HP unit to existing CH system that can work for me at home.

Not quite there yet but good to read about the improvements ongoing.

[Stinsy]

I fitted a few aircon systems offshore and they were either r32 or r410a. No changing to another gas on depletion.

Maybe there could be retro compressor & gas refits/upgrades?

I hoped by posting this one up we'd catch some New Year HP customers while the money is still in.pocket.

I like the idea of the HP and having the same tech (inverter aircon) in our Turkish place I love the reality of the cold air blasting out of the external unit in heating mode as it scavenges the heat from air. I am waiting on the retrofit HP unit to existing CH system that can work for me at home.

Not quite there yet but good to read about the improvements ongoing.

In your situation with your SHs and WBS, you could plumb in any low-power HP. It’d only need to provide background heat. Doesn’t matter if the HP or your pipework isn’t up to the job when it is -10℃ outside cos you have aux heat sources for that.

[Fintray]

I hoped by posting this one up we'd catch some New Year HP customers while the money is still in pocket.

My deposit is paid and install is due in March (Vaillant aroTherm 10kW).

[Joeboy]

I hoped by posting this one up we'd catch some New Year HP customers while the money is still in pocket.

My deposit is paid and install is due in March (Vaillant aroTherm 10kW).

That looks like a clever solution, nice one. Looking forward to the photos. I like the one unit, pregassed 1day install

[richbee]

I hoped by posting this one up we'd catch some New Year HP customers while the money is still in pocket.

My deposit is paid and install is due in March (Vaillant aroTherm 10kW).

Exciting - how did you find a good company to install it - were there many to choose from in your area?