Change to ASHP with Octopus & govt. grant?

smallblueplanet

Hi, our oil boiler is coming up to 20 years old, as is the tank in the garden. I'm an Octopus customer and saw their ASHP 'quote' form and filled it in. It said "Your heat pump quote £2715.50"... and pay £500 (refundable) deposit to start things going. Bit quick for me that!

I then had a bit of a read around bits and bobs - it seems it can be a bit complicated - and have some general questions before going further with my research. We would need the govt. grant to be able to afford the switch from oil to ASHP.


So,we're in a 1958 83m2 semi built of concrete blocks and tiled roof, with 3 bedrooms, a garage and utility. 

Firstly we have no EPC, and have double glazing and some loft insulation. We have cavity walls too but I'm really not keen on 'filling' them. So how would we go there?

Next our oil boiler is a combi in the attached garage. Does the ASHP need to be outside? Attached off the garage is a utility room with an external wall onto our garden.

We have no water cylinder in the house, but again there's room in the garage or utility room - neither are heated. How does going from combi to cylinder affect our thermostatic mixer shower?

And, is the Octopus Cosy 6 any good? 

Thanks for any help.

Netexporter

And, is the Octopus Cosy 6 any good?

It isn't out in the wild, yet. I think it will be good because it was developed in Northern Ireland with optimal performance in a damp climate in mind. It will also operate at higher temperatures than many ASHPs, which means you can often utilise more of an existing central heating system. However, you will always get the best COP at lower temperatures, so it may well be worth paying a bit more up front, for larger radiators etc, to make longer term savings in running costs.

Reed_Richards

smallblueplanet said:

Firstly we have no EPC, and have double glazing and some loft insulation. We have cavity walls too but I'm really not keen on 'filling' them. So how would we go there?

I got my heat pump under the previous grant scheme (RHI) and the first thing  I had to do was get an EPC, which my installer arranged.  I don't know if it is still the same.

Next our oil boiler is a combi in the attached garage. Does the ASHP need to be outside? Attached off the garage is a utility room with an external wall onto our garden.

Yes, the ASHP needs to be outside to get the air flow.  If it was inside your garage it would turn your garage into a giant freezer whilst heating your house very inefficiently.

smallblueplanet said:

We have no water cylinder in the house, but again there's room in the garage or utility room - neither are heated. How does going from combi to cylinder affect our thermostatic mixer shower?

The best insulated hot water tanks still lose heat.  If you could site your cylinder inside the heated fabric of the building that would be far better as the lost heat would not be wasted.  Failing that, see if you can construct a very well insulated enclosure for it.

Your thermostatic mixer shower should cope with any input and should not be affected.

smallblueplanet said:

And, is the Octopus Cosy 6 any good? 

I looked at Octopus Cosy when it first came out and could not see how it would work for the way I use my heat pump.  But others may differ.
  

shinytop

Reed_Richards said:

smallblueplanet said:

Firstly we have no EPC, and have double glazing and some loft insulation. We have cavity walls too but I'm really not keen on 'filling' them. So how would we go there?

I got my heat pump under the previous grant scheme (RHI) and the first thing  I had to do was get an EPC, which my installer arranged.  I don't know if it is still the same.

Next our oil boiler is a combi in the attached garage. Does the ASHP need to be outside? Attached off the garage is a utility room with an external wall onto our garden.

Yes, the ASHP needs to be outside to get the air flow.  If it was inside your garage it would turn your garage into a giant freezer whilst heating your house very inefficiently.

smallblueplanet said:

We have no water cylinder in the house, but again there's room in the garage or utility room - neither are heated. How does going from combi to cylinder affect our thermostatic mixer shower?

The best insulated hot water tanks still lose heat.  If you could site your cylinder inside the heated fabric of the building that would be far better as the lost heat would not be wasted.  Failing that, see if you can construct a very well insulated enclosure for it.

Your thermostatic mixer shower should cope with any input and should not be affected.

smallblueplanet said:

And, is the Octopus Cosy 6 any good? 

I looked at Octopus Cosy when it first came out and could not see how it would work for the way I use my heat pump.  But others may differ.
  

Octopus Cosy 6 is, confusingly, the name of their ASHP. 

Reed_Richards

Oh, well that confused me.  Who really manufactures it?  

Netexporter

Reed_Richards said:

Oh, well that confused me.  Who really manufactures it?  

The company in Norn that Octopus acquired, a couple of years ago, RED (Renewable Energy Devices).

MultiFuelBurner

Netexporter said:

Reed_Richards said:

Oh, well that confused me.  Who really manufactures it?  

The company in Norn that Octopus acquired, a couple of years ago, RED (Renewable Energy Devices).

Could also be Daikin based as they partnered up as well.

Need someone to tear one down and find what's inside.

Netexporter

I'd assumed that the Daikin tie-up was a stop-gap until the in-house device went into full production. However, I now wonder whether perhaps Daikin will also manufacture the Cosy-branded machines, as well, rather than having all eggs in one basket? They'll also need existing, larger capacity, Daikin machines until the full Cosy range is developed.

smallblueplanet

shinytop said:

Octopus Cosy 6 is, confusingly, the name of their ASHP. 

Thanks. I thought for a minute I'd imagined that!

Reed_Richards

As opposed to "Cosy Octopus", which is the name of one of their tariffs pitched at ASHP owners.