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

rhubarbe

We well well. I spent about three months trying to get quotes for 8.5KW Ecodan and cylinder to suit. For 8.5 Ecodan you need 3m2 heating coil, so I specified McDonald Engineers Powerflow 2000 150L which is copper so is OK for Mitsubishi warranty.

Whilst most MCI installers did quote well over the top compared to non-MCI, I did find one or two that were equivalent so it is worth persevering.

I had quotes ranging from £5200 to £7100 including 5% VAT. Against this there was the £400 boiler scrappage grant and £900 RHI grant, so £3900 to £5800 nett of grants. I was quoted £3900 for a new oil bolier and bunded tank; then I would have had to spend another £400 for 1000 litres of 28sec heating oil (and what price that might be in two to three years' time, God alone knows).

I would stress that it is vital that you have the work carried out by an MCI accredited installer if you wish to obtain the RHI Feed in Tariff payments (as things stand) but I suspect that by payment of an inspection fee some installations will be able to be accredited retrospectively in order to qualify.

At present there is a backlog of installers waiting to become MCI accredited.

I haven't managed to get home early enough yet to photograph the installation but I will do, and I do have web space to upload.

albyota

Hi rhubarbe, Hope you are happy with the system so far, keep taking meter readings with heating and hot water and then hot water only (summer).

rhubarbe

Yes, thanks, we're very happy with it so far. We will do meter readings but I don't know if I'll post them.

At the end of the day (to use a well worn cliche) as long as we save money against oil or our old LPG boiler we will be satisfied.

clc5

Had a look at the consultation document (sorry I'm not allowed to post links, Thills post above links to a site which links to the document). I'm considering replacing my old G rated gas combi boiler with ASHP and based on the table on page 79 and a tariff of 7.5p/kwh my well insulated 3 bed semi’s RHI payment would be around £1000 per year. Of course, I realise nothing is set in stone. The RHI legislation won’t be presented to parliament until early next year and with the economic/political situation who knows what will happen. Without RHI I wouldn’t consider ASHP as the pay back period would be too long, I’d just replace my old boiler with an efficient one. Upshot is I’m going to hold off until early next year.

Cardew

clc5 wrote: »

Upshot is I’m going to hold off until early next year.

Assuming that the RHI proposals are approved, you may be better to wait a little after that as you can be sure that MCI installers will cash in during the early months; much as some are doing with PV solar installations.

clc5

Cardew wrote: »

Assuming that the RHI proposals are approved, you may be better to wait a little after that as you can be sure that MCI installers will cash in during the early months; much as some are doing with PV solar installations.

I note what you say but at present I can get 30% grant and an interest free loan repayable over 8 years from Scottish Govt. These wont be availabe once RHI starts and possibly several months before that. Grant/loan offers stay on the table for 6 months so I'll have to time my application carefully.

Cardew

Agreed! North of the Border play under a different set of rules.

thills

Cardew wrote: »

Assuming that the RHI proposals are approved, you may be better to wait a little after that as you can be sure that MCI installers will cash in during the early months; much as some are doing with PV solar installations.

I could not fit ASHP due to planners. From the 6 in my block, 3 would pay for ASHP, 1 might & 2 can't be bothered. Once the RHI is known, & proper costings put to them, I think it likely the whole block will apply. Lets see how that gets turned down. HPs might not be perfect, but if all you have is electricity..... it's a pity there could not be one big unit & heat measured to each user.

thills

Albyota: The Sanyo HT unit. Is the COP reasonable?

albyota

Performance........................SANYO CO2 ECO 4.5 kW

Water Temp / Flow Return...0C... 35C / 25C.. 65C / 35C


Outdoor Ambient 0C..................15...7.....-5....15....7....-5

Capacity output kW..............4.82 5.10 5.30 4.90 4.90 5.18

Input power kW.....................1.21 1.37 1.82 1.60 2.10 2.60

COP .........................................4.00 3.70 2.90 3.10 2.40 2.00