Small things matter

[Andy]

We have a friend with a large bungalow which was all 22mm. The first installers approached wanted to install 28mm piping. The second lot said they’d install with 22mm and see how it goes. So far there hasn’t been a need for 28mm piping. I’m sure he could get better performance if he did, but the upheaval would have been huge.

[Joeboy]

We have a friend with a large bungalow which was all 22mm. The first installers approached wanted to install 28mm piping. The second lot said they’d install with 22mm and see how it goes. So far there hasn’t been a need for 28mm piping. I’m sure he could get better performance if he did, but the upheaval would have been huge.

Cheers Andy, much appreciated. Broached the subject yesterday here, a decent response. I am into doing my bit but there has to be limits. Sounds like your pal found a decent balance.

I've not yet looked to see what sort of efficiency gains are being had. Say with each 2 years HP development.

[Joeboy]

Isn't that just the way of it? Back everything off yesterday so the stack can charge from PV.

Then



Started the day with 35% soc. Washing machine run, multiple kettle, then cooking lunch on WBS and drying washing too.







PV is sitting around 600W with moments of 1.2kW. SOC is now at 38%, it is blowing a hoolie here. Optimism remains high though. Not sure if it's the smell of bacon or the Classic fm. The PV is getting it done very early indeed and in hostile conditions too


Looking forward to seeing where the battery ends up today almost as much as this roll to disappear.

[NoraBatty]

The ideal, and best way to maximise efficiency is to keep pipe runs to an absolute minimum, and have as many gradual bends in the system as possible, all in the biggest pipe feesible for the install.

A decent installer/designer ( i will tell you in PM, a southern aberdeenshire one to avoid like the plague) will know this, and be able to work with the pipe sizes that are impossible to change, designing the system around it to mitigate.

As i said, ours was installed on an eco grant. It is a catalogue of errors, installed most likely in speed and lack of care due to the nature of government contracts and needing to bash installs out in a day, or whatever.

But despite that, it does work, and has been "efficient". But i can do better.

I have excessive pipe runs, tight turns, pipes not supported in any way under the suspendes floor, just hanging in free air for 7metre spans, zones that are supposed to be upstairs/downstairs but are in actuality 1 upstairs rad, on the upstairs zone, and everything else in the house on the downstairs.
Ive had compression joints not tightened, speedfit joints not inserted properly, pipe not being inserted into a soldered joint, but relying on the strength of solder to work miracles.
Screws through pipe runs to secure floorboards, unneccessary pumps, buffer tanks where none are needed, and, no inhibitor in the system to deal with.
After finding 9 joints so far with issues, ive had enough.
I will be ripping the plumbing out this summer and doing it properly myself. I will be removing the excess pipe runs that are simply unexplainable.
I estimate i will be able to take out, 30metres of pointless 22m copper piping, and save even more with direct plumbing runs, and gradual bends.

Im glad we didnt pay for it, but as it was on an eco grant, the previous owner didnt either.
I cant say it is nice to know this is what our taxes pay for, nor that heatpumps will continue to have a bad rep with what i imagine is common for government installs.

The heatpump itself is fine. Its the internal plumbing thats messed up!

[Joeboy]

Wow NB that is quite a book of woes. Sorry to hear it went like that. I'm sure a few of us would be interested to hear efficiency figures as installed and once you,ve modified it. A hard won lesson learned but with handy info wrapped up in it.

I'll be honest and say that I'd only fit a HP if it could tie into the existing CH system and HWT. Which I'm pretty sure it will.

I'll be looking to give it another year or so for the tech to creep forward then look around. Please go ahead and PM me he who to avoid.

[Joeboy]

I feel incredibly fortunate. That was a duff day indeed and an unexpected test. Yet we didn't touch the grid and hit 57% soc in the stack before the airfryer went on this evening.





Of course the rain is now off and the light level is rising.
(17.57 hrs).

[NoraBatty]

Pm Incoming shortly Joe.

Had i if known half of what i know today about the system, and that i would be spilling the story here, i woukd have downloaded some of the efficiency figures to do anproper comparison.
As it was, initially until we turned the heating on this october and the problems started, everything had been running fine, except losing pressure over a month long period. I knew insulating the suspended floor would make a difference, and thought that was the only job to do.
The pressure loss was thought to of been a manufacturers pressure relief valve leaking, which took 6 months to be shipped, and did help fix thenissue partly, but. That took us into the heating season, and ive been chasing issues since. After finding issues and having the installers come out to fix 5 times, waiting upto 2 weeks in some cases, then finding issues with their fixes, i told themi would notify them and the eco grant people of the issues, and document them, but the installers were not welcome back.

Wrongly or rightly, we were offered only for the installing company to fix their mistakes.
When they cant even tighten a compression joint, 5 seperate times, you have to say enough is enough.

What i will do, is take whatever info from the system i can, plus ASHP meter reading, then create a thread of each of the issues ive found, and am rectifying. We can then do basic comparisons of consumption next year, and also see what i am 100% sure will be improved figures, on a monthly basis.

[AGT]

Hi Joe.

What make is your gas boiler?

I’m in a similar place but unfortunatey I have a combi, it’s a Worcester Bosch and they do a hybrid unit that
Connects to existing system or combi boilers might be worth a look

[Joeboy]

Hi Joe.

What make is your gas boiler?

I’m in a similar place but unfortunatey I have a combi, it’s a Worcester Bosch and they do a hybrid unit that
Connects to existing system or combi boilers might be worth a look

It is an Alpha C32S system boiler with an independent OSO 200ltr HWT beside it. Both situated in the loft space. I will have a look at that option for sure.

[AGT]

https://www.alpha-innovation.co.uk/prod ... -heat-pump