Still trying to make the numbers work for a heat pump

ASavvyBuyer

shinytop said:

ASavvyBuyer said:

Coastalwatch said:

Oh my Chaps! I've been trying to keep abreast of all that's involved with either GSHP or ASHP installations with the resulting complications of RHI, increased radiator sizes and flow rates etc, etc. From the outside what a complex and costly affair it all appears to be?

Can't tell you how relieved I am that we got away with simply installing two air to air heat pumps. It did mean removing all the radiators and what joy to learn that I'm relieved of having to paint all the accompanying pipework any more. Glad to see the back of it all, not to mention a nice little bonus from the scrap dealer. Phew!

Oh, DHW handled by thermal store powered either by the Solar panels or cheap overnight tariff.

Total cost around £4.5k.

Similar here, with two ASHP's, each at either end of the bungalow and DHW heated by cheap overnight tariff or excess Solar generation. Still have the gas central heating as a backup, but on target to reduce gas consumption by over 90% this winter, with no increase in overall cost of energy (in fact it is working out cheaper) and the rooms feel warmer, even during the recent cold snap.

It was useful to note that the report, done in 2017, identified that a number of the systems they assessed were poorly designed or not being used in the most efficient way; lowering the overall efficiency of the systems.

A bit like buying a PHEV rather than an EV then ?

Probably more like keeping an old, low value, ICE until able to replace it with an EV.

This is the 1st winter of having the two ASHP's, so still fine tuning the settings to match the weather.

Hopefully, next winter, the GCH won't trigger to come on, unless the frost protection thermostat next to it in the garage switches it on.

If & when it does need replacing, hopefully, we can replace it with a small Air2Water heat pump, or a thermal store, to provide the minimal extra heat needed, when we have a really cold few days.

Coastalwatch

Knowing we should do away with FF's at the earliest opportunity we bit the bullet and had the gas supply disconnected. Admittedly it would have been comforting to keep it for another winter, just in case, but the thought of all those daily standing charges on the off chance of being needed for a few days annually didn't seem to make sense. In the event we need not have worried, so far, Lounge & bathroom maintained at 22 C with bedrooms and kitchen at 16 C.

Admittedly, ASHP's were timed to come on at 2.30 am and run to 21.30 in the really cold weather. But then my sister kept her GCH 24/7 to keep them comfortable.

Have to confess that it is hard letting go when you've been reliant on that something all of your life!

shinytop

I did think about A2A heat pumps but we have a lot of rooms; I think we'd need 4 or 5 to make it work.  The RHI starts to even out the costs then. 

matelodave

shinytop said:

I did think about A2A heat pumps but we have a lot of rooms; I think we'd need 4 or 5 to make it work.  The RHI starts to even out the costs then. 

you don't get RHI with Air to Air heatpumps, only Air to Water

shinytop

matelodave said:

shinytop said:

I did think about A2A heat pumps but we have a lot of rooms; I think we'd need 4 or 5 to make it work.  The RHI starts to even out the costs then. 

you don't get RHI with Air to Air heatpumps, only Air to Water

I know, I meant the RHI sweetener that comes with the more expensive Air to Water systems gets the cost closer to Air to Air without RHI, especially with 4 or 5 units.