Ground Source Heat Pumps

JHen1

poohbear59 said:

Can anyone recommend a GSHP servicing company? I also want to see if we can fit thermostat or thermostatic radiator valves. When the system was set up it had only the sensors inside and out, and no thermostats in the house. It is a holiday let and if I get it warm enough for people downstairs the bedrooms are too hot.  
We are in North East Cumbria.

I have used AltoEnergy over the last 4-5 years to service my GSHP - they are in Oxford and I am in Essex. They do a thorough job an I have no complaints. On two of those occasions they did identify parts that were on the way out and they replaced several hoses that had scaled up. The service cost is quite high but it does give me peace of mind. I have also had to call them and they have been able to help me over the phone. 

The support from those on this forum (you know who you are) has been invaluable to me - so big thanks to you.

poohbear59

beardymarrow said:

poohbear59 said:

Thank you for the information Beardymarrow. Our system was from Ice Energy. We had servicing contract with them to start with but haven't bothered since.

I think I might need some help with making changes to settings if nothing else. It seems to be using a lot of energy at the moment. But then again I don't know how much people use the ovens, showers etc in a holiday cottage, and we have an EV charging point. 

Yeah, we were the same. Other than checking the filter I leave it alone, but I do have a StatLink monitoring all the temps etc. which gives me peace of mind.

You can check how much the GSHP is being used by logging the compressor and Add heat Hrs, and also the CH vs DHW %age and seeing how it changes. That'll give you an idea of how much the GSHP is using on its own. Defo worth getting rad thermostats in your situation (too cold downstairs or too hot upstairs) if you can maintain flow rate. If I was a guest staying somewhere like that I'd have the window upstairs open and effectively be throwing your £5 notes out of it :-).

I'd be happy to come up and take a 5 minute look at it, in exchange for a free 2 week break for us and the dog :-) We're often up Keswick/Bassenthwaite way on holiday.

This is my first chance to get into the cottage for any length of time since I asked the question. 
Heat pump in operation 7.1 hrs

poohbear59

I think I may need to change some settings to make savings. I have hot water peak on every day. Does anyone know often should it be on to comply with legionella regulations? It is a holiday cottage.

We decided to live in the cottage for a week or two to see why the pump is on so often. It hasn't always been like this. The setting of room  temperature is currently on 19.5. it is on 24 hrs a day. We heard the pump come on during the night.

The pump is a Greenline IVT.
Where else can I check to see that my settings are correct?
Temp increase/ decrease is on 5
Temp fine tune is on 0
Heat curve adj is 
Out 20° Curve 20°
Out 15° Curve 24°Heat curve just 2°

poohbear59

I have managed to find more information.
Heat pump in operation no of hours 7.1
Distribution HP DHW 7.2%
23% DHW 77% RAD
Add heat 7.3 hrs

beardymarrow

poohbear59 said:

I think I may need to change some settings to make savings. I have hot water peak on every day. Does anyone know often should it be on to comply with legionella regulations? It is a holiday cottage.

We decided to live in the cottage for a week or two to see why the pump is on so often. It hasn't always been like this. The setting of room  temperature is currently on 19.5. it is on 24 hrs a day. We heard the pump come on during the night.

The pump is a Greenline IVT.
Where else can I check to see that my settings are correct?
Temp increase/ decrease is on 5
Temp fine tune is on 0
Heat curve adj is 
Out 20° Curve 20°
Out 15° Curve 24°Heat curve just 2°

I don't know legally, but I think normally it's done once a week. That might need to be less for you if the water is not being drawn off as frequently when it's un-occupied? I have mine completely switched off as we're always using it. I'd take proper advice if I was you. Not worth taking the risk for you (I am just putting my wife and myself at risk, not paying guests :-))

The settings seem reasonable. My room temp setting is 19.5, rad curve 5, fine adj 1 and room temp influence 5, but I do have a lower curve set for my UFH). Mine was on for 19hrs yesterday, 20hrs Sunday, 16Hrs Saturday, and that's normal for me.
What is the room temperature influence, and the other heat curve values?

poohbear59

Thank you. It took me a while to work out UFH. We have radiators.  It is a barn conversion. We had already got the floors down and pipework in for radiators when we decided to go for a great pump. We have oversized radiators to compensate. 

Heat rad mode says stop temp 37.3
Present temp 33.8

What I don't know is if anyone has got into our pump room and changed settings. We leave a key hidden in case the electricity trips. But people do find it occasionally. It is just at the back of a drawer with lots of other random stuff like torches etc.

beardymarrow

poohbear59 said:

I have managed to find more information.
Heat pump in operation no of hours 7.1
Distribution HP DHW 7.2%
23% DHW 77% RAD
Add heat 7.3 hrs

Hi, 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 in the readings above are the menu numbers, not the actual readings. You'd need to go into those options to see the readings. Take the readings a day apart to see the usage in that day.

I'd also say, get a StatLink (https://www.husdata.se/?lang=eng). Worth it's weight in gold, and saved me a fortune, as it's then so easy to see all the values, spot problems occurring etc. I have mine monitoring 24x7 on my PC, but you could use it for a couple of days connected to a laptop.

beardymarrow

poohbear59 said:

Thank you. It took me a while to work out UFH. We have radiators.  It is a barn conversion. We had already got the floors down and pipework in for radiators when we decided to go for a great pump. We have oversized radiators to compensate. 

Heat rad mode says stop temp 37.3
Present temp 33.8

What I don't know is if anyone has got into our pump room and changed settings. We leave a key hidden in case the electricity trips. But people do find it occasionally. It is just at the back of a drawer with lots of other random stuff like torches etc.

Yeah, sorry about that :-)
Get me the rest of the heat curve numbers (option 1.3), room sensor influence (1.11), and hot water (2.3) and I'll be able to tell you. I'd be surprised as they'd have to go into level 2 to change anything important and as you know you have to know how to do that.

poohbear59

Thank you for your help. I forgot that most people wouldn't be able to get this far on the settings.

1.3
Out 20° Curve 20.0°
Out 15° Curve 24°

1.11
2

2.3
DHW is 50°

I called a local guy who knows about Legionella. He is coming later to take a look at what he thinks we need here for customers.

poohbear59

Where will I find the temperature that I set for the hot water peak please? I'm going round in circles looking for it.