UPDATED: Air Source Heat Pumps/Air Con - Full Info & Guide, is it cheaper to run than mains gas?

samtheman1k

If you look in the Ecodan manual, and persumably other ones too, then there are certain distances from the HP that you have to adhere to to ensure enough air flow, I have built a fence around the sides and back to reflect noise away from the house for example.

paceinternet

Have any of you been involved with planning authorities about installing ASHP's and noise?
On the planning website, for England they say:
"Air source heat pumps will become permitted development as soon as standards and safeguards have been established to deal with noise."

albyota

pace, I believe (from attending a recent Mitsi seminar) that when the ASHP's were origionally being put forward to the men with very long foreheads for testing they needed to put them into a category, and because it had a moving Fan blade it was put in the same category as the wind turbine, therefore will only get lifted when someone shouts PILLOCK! and gets heard. sometimes you wonder how this country is ever going to move forward.....:rolleyes:

albyota

paceinternet wrote: »

Have any of you been involved with planning authorities about installing ASHP's and noise?
On the planning website, for England they say:
"Air source heat pumps will become permitted development as soon as standards and safeguards have been established to deal with noise."

of the ones we have installed in different parts of the country, the LA's seem to be guided by the houseowner who would make the application or at very least make a phone call to planning officer, answers a few questions and the PO is eager to get a renewables tick in the box for central gov. put it this way, we have not had any refusals yet......(fingers crossed) the FAQ is what noise level, (49 dBa at 1M) and how near is the neighbours house.

muckybutt

Ive just added the following link to Heat King website as thats the system we've had fitted 900i version.
http://www.heatking.co.uk/bwarmi.html

Andy_WSM

My system has been in for coming up for a year now.

I've just submitted my meter readings for gas & electric as the power company are fitting a new electric meter next week and I wanted to make sure that accurate readings have been submitted before they get a chance to mess things up - anyway, I digress.

Reason for this post. On their website (EoN) they let you do comparisons of consumption over time, and this is what struck me:



This is since January 1st 2009. My ASHP was fitted at the end of Dec 2008.

I'm impressed!

albyota

Yep very good, I'll Try and get my readings up soon...almost a year for mine

albyota

OK I have had my Air to Water Air Source Heat Pump fitted 11 months now and I thought it would be interesting to see what it has cost to run.
The system heats a 4-bed house, with a family of 5 (3 Teenagers) mostly all at work or school, the system feeds under floor heating on both floors, the system also heats the water at a temperature more than hot enough for all our needs. One thing to remember is we don’t have any other form of heating fuel. We are now all electric. (Oil boiler ripped out). To show an average consumption I have included Aug 08 to Aug 09 use of 10,420 kWh units which at my current tariff equates to circ. £957.00. And Sept 08 to Sept 09 use of 10,221 kWh units = c £939.00

From January 1st 09 to present (September 25th 09) we have used 6663 kWh units which at my current tariff equates to c £596.00 which includes the coldest winter for ten years (lowest, minus 8 and many sub zero days.) estimated use for the next 3 months (year end) is Oct 400 + Nov 800 + Dec1200 so potentially 2400 added to 6663 = 9063…. so an annual bill of £835.00 or thereabouts.
My direct debit stands at £75/ month at the moment, which is enough to cover a £900 / yr bill.

Cardew

muckybutt wrote: »

Thought id add my two penneth, we have just had a Heatking 9000i ASHP installed by way of a council grant and im well impressed, complete strip out of the old oil system and all the old pipework.
Unit 2Kw input 9Kw output, Kingspan cylinder for hw.
It is so quiet it didnt even wake us up this morning like the old thing used to, and weve copious amounts of hot water on tap now, our house is dated back to 1850, mid terrace cottage only single glazed tho due to being listed so im looking at fitting secondary glazing now. With the heating on i was looking at the meter and it goes slower than when the immersion used to be on, also installed is a back up / top up heater when outside temp falls below 2 deg to assist system, all fully pressurised so mains pressure hot water as well.
I would certainly recommend this to anyone thinking of putting ASHP in wether in an old house or a new one.
http://www.heatking.co.uk/bwarmi.html

The technical specification on the link above illustrates perfectly the how misleading the advertising is for the systems.

They talk about a COP of 5, yet the reality is very different in practical situations.

The specification sheet for the 9000i shows a COP of between 3.0 and 3.9

It also states:

General

Heatking

BWarm heat pumps are designed

to provide space heating to buildings
insulated to the latest specifications. They do
not operate at high enough water
temperatures to provide full domestic hot
water heating. The heat pump uses
refrigerants to remove heat from the outside
air at temperatures as low as –15°C and
produces up to 4 times as much heat energy
as the electrical energy put in to drive it. This
results in an efficient low cost heating
system.

Running the unit

When setting time clocks and controls allow
extra time for the heat pump to raise the
water temperature when first switching on, as
it does take longer than a traditional boiler to
reach the full operating temperature. Heat
pumps are most efficient when allowed to run
for long periods. The unit will automatically
switch on and off as required to control the
water temperature.

Radiator temperatures

Heat pumps are designed to operate with
water temperatures of about 50°C. The
radiators will feel cooler than those
associated with a gas or oil boiler traditionally
supplying water at 70°C. Radiators on a heat
pump system will be larger than a traditional
system to compensate for the lower temperature

temperature.

I am not 'knocking' ASHP's, but let us get their running costs into perspective. If you can get an overall COP of 3 that is excellent.

albyota

Heatking will get into trouble if they spout the COP's of anything above 3.6 and with water temps of 65 degrees!