Octopus Heat Pumps

QrizB

Reed_Richards said:

Waiting until your old boiler fails is probably not a good strategy.   

I have contingency plans for that ... but yes for the general case you don't want to be without heat for too long, and heat pump installations are rarely quick.

Spies

I'm 'bashing' heat pumps as you put it because of the significant disruption it will cause, in my house I have K1 radiators everywhere apart from the front room (which is the hardest to heat) which has a couple of K2's. I know for a fact that they are not big enough because if I run at a flow less than 60c I cannot increase the temperature to a comfortable level.

Cost does unfortunately come into it and yes I'm currently being spoiled with Tracker but when they switch everyone to the new formula I'll be going to Agile, this would mean it would cost me and arm and a leg to heat the house between 5pm and 7pm, the heat pump tarrifs such as cosy seem pretty rubbish in comparison and if I switch my hob to electric as well I'd almost certainly be worse off.

Also

Reed_Richards

Spies said:

I'm 'bashing' heat pumps as you put it because of the significant disruption it will cause, in my house I have K1 radiators everywhere apart from the front room (which is the hardest to heat) which has a couple of K2's. I know for a fact that they are not big enough because if I run at a flow less than 60c I cannot increase the temperature to a comfortable level.

But that's actually a really good thing.  If you have K1 radiators now then that leaves plenty of scope to replace them with radiators with a larger surface area but occupying a similar wall area.  Our old radiators were looking a bit worn and yellowed; my OH was very pleased to have them replaced with brand new ones.  

Spies

Reed_Richards said:

Spies said:

I'm 'bashing' heat pumps as you put it because of the significant disruption it will cause, in my house I have K1 radiators everywhere apart from the front room (which is the hardest to heat) which has a couple of K2's. I know for a fact that they are not big enough because if I run at a flow less than 60c I cannot increase the temperature to a comfortable level.

But that's actually a really good thing.  If you have K1 radiators now then that leaves plenty of scope to replace them with radiators with a larger surface area but occupying a similar wall area.  Our old radiators were looking a bit worn and yellowed; my OH was very pleased to have them replaced with brand new ones.  

How did you manage with pipe placement as moving from k1 to k2 means the middle of the radiator is further away from the wall, I only just managed to bend the pipes on the two I did myself k3 would be further still! 

Netexporter

Reed_Richards said:

Spies said:

I'm 'bashing' heat pumps as you put it because of the significant disruption it will cause, in my house I have K1 radiators everywhere apart from the front room (which is the hardest to heat) which has a couple of K2's. I know for a fact that they are not big enough because if I run at a flow less than 60c I cannot increase the temperature to a comfortable level.

But that's actually a really good thing.  If you have K1 radiators now then that leaves plenty of scope to replace them with radiators with a larger surface area but occupying a similar wall area.  Our old radiators were looking a bit worn and yellowed; my OH was very pleased to have them replaced with brand new ones.  

Yes, radiators come in standard widths, so you don't usually have to alter the pipework.

Martyn1981

Reed_Richards said:

Spies said:

I'm 'bashing' heat pumps as you put it because of the significant disruption it will cause, in my house I have K1 radiators everywhere apart from the front room (which is the hardest to heat) which has a couple of K2's. I know for a fact that they are not big enough because if I run at a flow less than 60c I cannot increase the temperature to a comfortable level.

But that's actually a really good thing.  If you have K1 radiators now then that leaves plenty of scope to replace them with radiators with a larger surface area but occupying a similar wall area.  Our old radiators were looking a bit worn and yellowed; my OH was very pleased to have them replaced with brand new ones.  

That's exactly what my first thought was too. In fact, the only rooms that I have concerns about (for an ASHP) all have K1 rads from the late 90's. I hadn't considered it fully, but assumed that for the same wall space, switching to K2 rads, should mean ~2x the BTU ratings. Hopefully that would balance out the lower flow temps.

So 3 rads, plus new valves, perhaps £250-£300. Plus money for plumber friend.

Spies

Netexporter said:

Reed_Richards said:

Spies said:

I'm 'bashing' heat pumps as you put it because of the significant disruption it will cause, in my house I have K1 radiators everywhere apart from the front room (which is the hardest to heat) which has a couple of K2's. I know for a fact that they are not big enough because if I run at a flow less than 60c I cannot increase the temperature to a comfortable level.

But that's actually a really good thing.  If you have K1 radiators now then that leaves plenty of scope to replace them with radiators with a larger surface area but occupying a similar wall area.  Our old radiators were looking a bit worn and yellowed; my OH was very pleased to have them replaced with brand new ones.  

Yes, radiators come in standard widths, so you don't usually have to alter the pipework.

My information was slightly wrong, I actually have type 11 radiators everywhere except the front room (which is double height), I replaced those with a type 21 and a 22, I couldn't do both 22 because the pipework wouldn't stretch.

So if it is standard I guess that doesn't account for type 11 to 22?

K3 rads seem quite a bit more expensive than k2

Martyn1981

Spies said:

Netexporter said:

Reed_Richards said:

Spies said:

I'm 'bashing' heat pumps as you put it because of the significant disruption it will cause, in my house I have K1 radiators everywhere apart from the front room (which is the hardest to heat) which has a couple of K2's. I know for a fact that they are not big enough because if I run at a flow less than 60c I cannot increase the temperature to a comfortable level.

But that's actually a really good thing.  If you have K1 radiators now then that leaves plenty of scope to replace them with radiators with a larger surface area but occupying a similar wall area.  Our old radiators were looking a bit worn and yellowed; my OH was very pleased to have them replaced with brand new ones.  

Yes, radiators come in standard widths, so you don't usually have to alter the pipework.

My information was slightly wrong, I actually have type 11 radiators everywhere except the front room (which is double height), I replaced those with a type 21 and a 22, I couldn't do both 22 because the pipework wouldn't stretch.

So if it is standard I guess that doesn't account for type 11 to 22?

K3 rads seem quite a bit more expensive than k2

Can't you just add a join and a small piece of pipe?

Spies

Martyn1981 said:

Spies said:

Netexporter said:

Reed_Richards said:

Spies said:

I'm 'bashing' heat pumps as you put it because of the significant disruption it will cause, in my house I have K1 radiators everywhere apart from the front room (which is the hardest to heat) which has a couple of K2's. I know for a fact that they are not big enough because if I run at a flow less than 60c I cannot increase the temperature to a comfortable level.

But that's actually a really good thing.  If you have K1 radiators now then that leaves plenty of scope to replace them with radiators with a larger surface area but occupying a similar wall area.  Our old radiators were looking a bit worn and yellowed; my OH was very pleased to have them replaced with brand new ones.  

Yes, radiators come in standard widths, so you don't usually have to alter the pipework.

My information was slightly wrong, I actually have type 11 radiators everywhere except the front room (which is double height), I replaced those with a type 21 and a 22, I couldn't do both 22 because the pipework wouldn't stretch.

So if it is standard I guess that doesn't account for type 11 to 22?

K3 rads seem quite a bit more expensive than k2

Can't you just add a join and a small piece of pipe?

I probably can't but someone can I'm sure 

Spies

So having done some measuring and research, to get the same output as my current radiators at ΔT 30°, all my radiators would need to be replaced with K3's, that's 8 in total.