Ground Source Heat Pumps

DeeWestern

Do you know where I can get a replacement 3 way valve from? The only people selling it I could find were in Ireland, and didn't have an option for shipping to England.

This is what I have now:

beardymarrow

Hi Dee,
These guys look like they ship to anywhere in Europe.

http://www.cerbos.ee/en/heating-controllers/216-actuator-emv-110-lk-525.html for the armature (the electronics and motor)

Edit: Sorry, looks like they don't sell the valve itself. It's the 22mm Compression that you need (066108)

Might be easier just to get someone such as Alto Energy (or any decent plumber should be able to do it, it's only a 3-way valve, not GSHP specific) to come out and replace for you, by the time you've paid the shipping? I'd do it myself if it was my house, but I love tinkering :-)

Beardy

DeeWestern

beardymarrow wrote: »

Hi Dee,
These guys look like they ship to anywhere in Europe.

Beardy

Thanks, I'll email Alto but looks like their valve is £180 vs 30 EUR on the site you mentioned, so if there's any suppliers that do have it in stock, please let me know!

Is it a case of turning off the water then using a spanner and some plumbing tape to swap out the parts, or is there more to it?

DeeWestern

Spoke to a really helpful guy at Alto, who was able to come out to fit the pump (£240 for half a day's work + parts) said that as the GT1 reading was OK, it wasn't likely to be the pump.

He suggested bleeding the hot water tank and making sure the red pressure vessel was at 1.5bar again, but that it was likely caused by either a blockage in the heat pump (could be flushed out as part of the £240 call out / service fee) or a blockage elsewhere in the heating system (would need to be flushed by a different company, apparently lots do this).

Any thoughts?

beardymarrow

DeeWestern wrote: »

Spoke to a really helpful guy at Alto, who was able to come out to fit the pump (£240 for half a day's work + parts) said that as the GT1 reading was OK, it wasn't likely to be the pump.

He suggested bleeding the hot water tank and making sure the red pressure vessel was at 1.5bar again, but that it was likely caused by either a blockage in the heat pump (could be flushed out as part of the £240 call out / service fee) or a blockage elsewhere in the heating system (would need to be flushed by a different company, apparently lots do this).

Any thoughts?

Sounds like a plan. I'd bite his hand off if I was you.

lovesgshp

Little confused here!!
GT1 is just a readout of the temperature and nothing else.
Your problem is the GT8/9 delta.
Did the guy change the 3 way valve?
You could bleed the DHW tank yourself in a couple of minutes, just by opening the valve on the top, m wait for the air to escape and water to come out and it's done.

DeeWestern

lovesgshp wrote: »

Little confused here!!
GT1 is just a readout of the temperature and nothing else.
Your problem is the GT8/9 delta.
Did the guy change the 3 way valve?
You could bleed the DHW tank yourself in a couple of minutes, just by opening the valve on the top, m wait for the air to escape and water to come out and it's done.

I just spoke to them on the phone lovesgshp. He said the readings on 3.1 were close to each other, which wouldn't have been the case if the 3 way wasn't working properly.

No-one has changed anything, other than the fact I bled the hot water tank again and re pressurised the red pressure vessel.

Alto said the problem (having been told it wasn't the filter / expansion vessel) was likely to either be a blockage in the heat pump piping (which would be cleaned as part of an annual service) or a blockage in the house heating system (which would need to be done by another company, but is a fairly common procedure).

They quoted £240 for a visit and service.

Not sure if it's worth getting these systems serviced every so often?

Might the blockages Alto mention be the problem?

lovesgshp

DW.
The GT1 close temperatures are probably because no heating is required, so unless the temperature is below 18C outside then these would be close.
GT3 is what you now need to look at. I cannot remember your hot water setting, so increase it to get the pump started and then monitor GT8/9.
The 3 way valve should only be in hot water mode if outside is over 18C, so there would be no heating demand and no likelihood of the heating system needing flushing.
Let me know.

DeeWestern

I don't follow - are you saying the two options the guy on the phone mentioned aren't causing the problem?

You want me to get some hot water demand then give you the GT8/9 readings over time?

lovesgshp

Yes, I need GT8/9 under operating mode in DHW, as then there is no heating demand apart from that. The 3 way should currently be in just that operation (if it is above 18c outside ).