Starting out on my heat pump journey

[Stinsy]

I've repurposed the old Shelly sensors off my boiler on to the primary flow and return, just to see what's going on.

It doesn't quite make sense, below is a hot water heating cycle, now I would expect some more separation in the flow and return temperatures when heating the tank. but there isn't really any and its completely different to Joe's hot water cycle.

Any thoughts?

I know it's only crude with the temperature sensors tucked in behind the insulation on the pipework in the utility room, but it's just odd how flow & return stays the same for almost an hour then the big seperation. We have lovely hot water so its clearly working.



Edit: To add the heat pump was only drawing power between 21:31 and 22:22, it then drops back to about 5w

I don't see major problem! It isn't as if the flow/return temps get to 50℃ in a few mins, which would indicate the primary circuit is struggling to give off heat to the cylinder. Takes about 40mins. The super-close flow/return temps are just a function of a very efficient heat exchanger giving off enough power at low Δt.

[Ronski]

Thanks, just seemed odd, you'd expect the return to be cooler as it's passed some heat into the tank.

I did a little Googling earlier, and that suggested Vaillant don't alter the flow rate.

Like I say, we've got nice hot water, and that's costing about 18p a day, which is less than the gas standing charge.

[Stinsy]

Thanks, just seemed odd, you'd expect the return to be cooler as it's passed some heat into the tank.

I did a little Googling earlier, and that suggested Vaillant don't alter the flow rate.

Like I say, we've got nice hot water, and that's costing about 18p a day, which is less than the gas standing charge.

All good!

Some parts of all this aren't immediately obvious! It takes big fat pipes shifting a lot of water and an efficient heat exchanger, but you can transfer a lot of energy with a very small Δt. And doing so is exceptionally efficient.

[Ronski]

I've now removed the boiler flue, which has the added bonus that it no long shades two solar panels.

Gas meter being removed next Friday.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/VPfqJPp6

[Stinsy]

Another panel going up there?

[Joeboy]

Well done!

"Gas meter being removed next Friday."

[Richard77]

Be careful on that ladder....

[nowty]

Be careful on that ladder....

If you look closely, he does have the ladder strapped back to an anchor point.

[Ronski]

Another panel going up there?

Plenty of room, but it's a 2015 FITS SolarEdge system, and I can't be bothered with the hassle and cost of upgrading it, I would get a very nice boost if I upgraded it all as panels are currently 250w, but with a total of 15.5 kWp with the other systems I'll have generated 80 kWh by the time the days out. Although it would help in the winter.

https://pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=10 ... t=20250510

Be careful on that ladder....

As mentioned above it is strapped down, I use the same ladder to get on the main roof, but I secure it in the corner for that. I have two stainless steel eye bolts resin bonded into the wall, and use a ratchet strap to hold it very securely in place. The above shot wasn't in the corner, and the strap was at an angle, but it was secure. I put a block of wood in the gutter, so the gutter doesn't collapse either.

[Moxi]

I’m off up onto the roof later today as we have 4 missing slates all in difficult positions on four different sections of roof. Fitted the roof hooks to the ladder last night ready - just got to work slowly and steadily as I have lost my head for heights over the years.

Only going to staple them back in with lead strips as a new roof is required at some point in the not so distant future.

At least it’s a calm sunny day again !

Moxi