Ground Source Heat Pumps

poohbear59

I have read with interest, your postsabout leakage on here. It has now started to concern me a little. My GSHP is used in our holiday let next door to us. We have been fully booked this year, with the exception of one week, so I usually unlock the heat pump cupboard door, check the electricity meter and lock again each week. I never check the glycol expansion tank (iI did this weekend) or check anything else. The cupboard is kept locked as we had people who fiddled with things a couple of years ago. Should I be checking every week? Or more often? Changeover is usually Saturday.

I got our heating engineer who installed all the plumbing to check filters a couple of times but they were clear so haven't done it again. I can't reach them and DH has an injury so is unable to reach them too. How often should they be checked? We have a 95m bore hole so hope we never have any problems.

The Cottage is nice and warm so it is working well. It was 6°C here last night so heating is working. The radiators were on last night when the guests arrived.

lovesgshp

Welcome xander and poohbear.
Xander, if you have been topping upwith a glycol mix, then you should be okay. You do not say how long this has been happening.
Poohbear, Filters should be in normal terms checked once a year, ( 3-6 months after initial install). You can just complete a visual check after that, anually. unless any work has been carried out on system connections.
If the expansion bottle is showing a visible level, without a major change then you should be ok.
I must admit, that I am still quite confused why most installs in the UK have no pressure gauges or flow meters on ground loops.

Xander_Sim

Hi lovesgshp
Thanks for the kind welcome.

Just to fill you all in i live in northern Scotland and have a IVT Greenline HT -E11 which runs a 300ltr IVT hot water tank and an underfloor heating system. Supplied and commissioned from Ice Energy in 2011.
I absolutely love it!
Besides a settling in period with a bit of fine tuning it just works away keeping a stable temperature in the house no matter the weather or season, I can't remember when I last had* to touch a button.
I have since 2011 been adding glycol (Sentinel R500) to the system as I was losing from a join in the ground manifold, hopefully this is sorted now thanks to this forum.
I have a couple other discussion points for you;
1) Do any of you add an inhibiter to the water system, if so where?
2) I have just replaced a flexible hose connecting to the electric cassette as it was starting to perish on the outside, any if you done the same?
3) Have any of you had a service done on the heat pump as yet?

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.
*i can't stop myself sometimes...
Xander Sim

lovesgshp

Xander_Sim wrote: »

Hi lovesgshp
Thanks for the kind welcome.

Just to fill you all in i live in northern Scotland and have a IVT Greenline HT -E11 which runs a 300ltr IVT hot water tank and an underfloor heating system. Supplied and commissioned from Ice Energy in 2011.
I absolutely love it!
Besides a settling in period with a bit of fine tuning it just works away keeping a stable temperature in the house no matter the weather or season, I can't remember when I last had* to touch a button.
I have since 2011 been adding glycol (Sentinel R500) to the system as I was losing from a join in the ground manifold, hopefully this is sorted now thanks to this forum.
I have a couple other discussion points for you;
1) Do any of you add an inhibiter to the water system, if so where?

For underfloor, you do not need a inhibitor, as in a rad system.
2) I have just replaced a flexible hose connecting to the electric cassette as it was starting to perish on the outside, any if you done the same?

Unusual, have never heard of that. Only one that I know of, was a E17 that the weld on the immersion cassette cracked and leaked.
3) Have any of you had a service done on the heat pump as yet?

Service, is make sure the 2 filters are clean, so a DIY job. Nothing much else to look at. Check alarms in K2, menu 11, as they will keep resetting, unless a major fault, but always worth looking.

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.
*i can't stop myself sometimes...
Xander Sim

Glad all is running well now. I just tend to check running hours, electric cassette hours and any alarms on a weekly basis. Other than that I just let it get on with its job. At about 9 years old, it just plods along happily.

Edited: forgot this, but also check the air bleed on the 300ltr DHW tank

Silent_Dancer

The heating system should have an inhibitor and a biocide added to the system water. The inhibitor will protect copper pipes running to the underfloor manifolds and metal within the heat pump that need protecting from corrosion. A biocide is necessary to prevent bacterial grows that can thrive in an untreated low temperature heating system.

Xander_Sim

Silent Dancer/lovesgshp

Re:inhibiter
I vaguely remember the plumber and installation engineer mention something about adding an inhibiter now and then.
This only came to mind when I changed out a flexi hose where I found some flake in the bottom of the electric cassette.

Trouble is I don't see an obvious point to add this.
Any ideas?
Would there be a place within the heat pump that would be suitable?

I have asked a plumber but is a struggle to get a clear picture without getting him to visit.

lovesgshp

Xander_Sim wrote: »

Silent Dancer/lovesgshp

Re:inhibiter
I vaguely remember the plumber and installation engineer mention something about adding an inhibiter now and then.
This only came to mind when I changed out a flexi hose where I found some flake in the bottom of the electric cassette.

It is quite possible there is some flaking in the cassette. In normal operation, the filter will pick up any debris.

Trouble is I don't see an obvious point to add this.
Any ideas?
Would there be a place within the heat pump that would be suitable?

There is no access point in the pump to add a inhibitor, or biocide. It has to be added only to the heating circuit if required.

I have asked a plumber but is a struggle to get a clear picture without getting him to visit.

You would have to fill from somewhere in the underfloor heating circuit, so you would need a plumber and then repressurise the system.

Edislaw

I'm past the stage of deciding which renewable technology to use and at that exciting point where I think I know just what I want a system to do but doubt there will be one which meets my specifications and is approved for RHI. Any suggestions except for those involving removal to Cloud Nine, would be very welcome.

Small garden so compact collectors are essential. Big house so maximum output combined with the avoidance of secondary heating suggests CO2 as a refrigerant. Combine the two in a direct exchange system and all you need is a PV array and waste heat collection system for both ventilation and waste hot water. Result should be a warm house, lots of hot water and a profit into the bargain - who says the government isn't generous?

lovesgshp

Hi Edislaw and welcome.

Can you confirm, what is a large house in Sqm, plus the garden size. Large house, we consider here to be 400-500 sqm, in fact am just working on a project for one now.
Yes, you will need a heat recovery system for the compact units.

Silent_Dancer

Edislaw wrote: »

I'm past the stage of deciding which renewable technology to use and at that exciting point where I think I know just what I want a system to do but doubt there will be one which meets my specifications and is approved for RHI. Any suggestions except for those involving removal to Cloud Nine, would be very welcome.

Small garden so compact collectors are essential. Big house so maximum output combined with the avoidance of secondary heating suggests CO2 as a refrigerant. Combine the two in a direct exchange system and all you need is a PV array and waste heat collection system for both ventilation and waste hot water. Result should be a warm house, lots of hot water and a profit into the bargain - who says the government isn't generous?

If you're after RHI I would advise as a first stage getting the EPC/ Green Deal done. This will determine the heat consumption of the property and therefore how much RHI is eligible.