Air Source Heat Pumps

beanyman1000

Nice list, but is there anyone out there that knows which is best, and that the blurb tells the truth? like IVTs stated 4/5 Cop with air source
:mad:

pd001

beanyman1000 wrote: »

Nice list, but is there anyone out there that knows which is best, and that the blurb tells the truth? like IVTs stated 4/5 Cop with air source
:mad:

Crikey......i had to remove my reading glasses to read that

matelodave

Please don't shout

Cardew

beanyman1000 wrote: »

Nice list, but is there anyone out there that knows which is best, and that the blurb tells the truth? like IVTs stated 4/5 Cop with air source
:mad:

That's better!


There is a recent discussion in this thread that is relevant:


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5388540


As explained in that thread unless some organisation built a load of identical houses in the same location, to back-to-back test various ASHPs over, say a one year period, you will not be able to compare models. Even then unless your house is exactly the same specification those results are meaningless.


If you read the EST reports you will read how it is critical to get the installation correct. Also whist the theoretical COP might be 4/5 it will be much lower when the whole system is measured - then an overall COP of 3 is excellent.

Claire71uk

I am sorry if this is in wrong place, just unable to find where and how to start new post on similar subject. I am so frustrated...four almost five years of leaks, complete failures, torment and noise.

We were convinced by Council and contractors NPS/Mitie to replace storage heaters with Mitsubishi Ecodan 8.5kw Air Heating System in March 2011...week to install, after waiting two days for unit..then Took over 6 months to get it installed so it worked.

NPS/Mitie, spent months to-ing and fro-ing... Parts, gravel around unit as it was saturated, draining was an issue, freezing too.

2nd year, found out two pressurised tanks failed, on top of three radiators, or parts failed.

Council had Aaron Services as servicing it, and again the pressure tanks were gone, plus valves

3rd year, more radiators replaced, and engineer shut off heat to radiators in both bedrooms and hallway, half the house.

4th year, new contractor Blueflame, Heating restored to bedrooms etc, following 12 months of searching for issue. Updated system or so said, but installed control panels 4ft deep, behind heating tank, and 7ft up?

Servicing, ignored pleas for them to return...only after I pressured Blueflame after discussing faulty set up with Mitsubishi themselves, as Blue Coolant leaking from all radiators. Requested panels be moved to accommodate disabled residents. I live in adapted home.

Found out, council had seconded NPS/Mitie contractor as head of repairs at council? He had huge plans to correct installs he deemed necessary at great additional cost. Yet, refused to replace faulty power shower installed in wet room, in favour of plumbed system, which was taken out due to physical water banging in pipes? And to reduce risk of legionaries. So, forced to descale everyday until 12 Jan 2016.

Today, I sit here the day before big freeze...having found out after entire Air system outside unit - failed, was replaced. The engineer, locked the control panel and prohibited us from correcting water heating times set at peak, and can only control room thermostat? As service engineer has block access, with service code?

Each time, I attempt any change...it asks to shut system down!

Can my council, and their agent police my usage, prevent changes to run times and heating, as well as force me to pay high electric bills?

Any info or advice how to reset and remove code...or info on how to complain to council would be greatly appreciated.

I am a disabled adult, with mobility and medical issues, I am more concerned for my Carer and husband who is diagnosed with Stage 3 Cancer, Brain Tumour and Brain Aneurysm so, neither need this right now.

Harryo

Dear Claire71uk I would suggest you seek Legal advice in the first instance as it appears you are being given the run-around by the Council and their term contractors. It may be you have free Legal advice or assistance built into an insurance policy, a membership, or something else. If not I would suggest a session with CAB. Alternatively you could consult a Litigation Solicitor if you can justify the Fees. You need to obtain an initial Legal opinion as to what the Council are required to provide for you in the way of a Service and get that in writing to the Council to ensure they understand their position. Also to clearly put the responsibility for rectifying defects within an acceptable time. If you do have free Legal Assistance then discuss with the Solicitor the benefits of engaging an Independent Consulting Engineer to investigate technical matters. Details of suitable Consulting Engineers can be obtained from the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering.

I would suggest you write down all sequence of events and the personal and cost effects this has had on you and also try to obtain written confirmation from Mitsubishi of defective installation. If Mitsubishi will not confirm to you then write to confirm what you know to Mitsubishi Technical Director.

From what you say the limited control access will result in the Council determining when the system will operate which must have an adverse impact on the electricity bills which presumably you pay. This could result in a very severe impact on costs dependent upon the settings. It is likely the Council are required under Part L of the Building Regulations (which are a Legal Document and therefore Mandatory) to provide you with time switch control.

Also, if you are needing to use local electric heating when the system is not functioning correctly then there will be an adverse cost implication for you, due to no fault of your own.

The radiators and tanks should last at least 25 years. One or maybe two premature failures may be acceptable but it sounds as though your failures are far in excess of this. This would point towards incorrect installation. Maybe incorrect pipework arrangement, inadequate water quality control, incorrect antifreeze chemicals, stray electrical currents, dis-similar metals, some other corrosive effect, etc. This can all be checked by visual inspection and laboratory analysis which the Council need to consider having carried out.

lovesgshp

Sorry to hear about the problems you are having Claire71uk.
I honestly do not know very much about the Ecodan, as it was primarly a UK unit.
Everything you have said, points to a very poorly installed unit, as I honestly would not have expected so many faults in the time you have had it installed, even as a retrofit.
There are quite a number of people on here who have Ecodans, that will hopefully be able to give you advice.
Can you get into the alarms log, which will give a better idea into the problems?
There will be a complete override on the system, to change the engineer password, and reset to defaults, but it would be probably against the conditions of the install, plus you would have to carry out a lot of resets, which I would not recommend unless you are very technical.

Cardew

Anyone thinking of changing their Oil CH to an ASHP would do well to read this article(even if it is the Daily Mail):


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3400335/How-falling-oil-prices-exposed-great-green-lie-Saudi-Arabia-s-battle-drive-prices-far-reaching-peak-oil.html

Silent_Dancer

Cardew wrote: »

Anyone thinking of changing their Oil CH to an ASHP would do well to read this article(even if it is the Daily Mail):


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3400335/How-falling-oil-prices-exposed-great-green-lie-Saudi-Arabia-s-battle-drive-prices-far-reaching-peak-oil.html

I wonder how many people who've bought heat pumps are now regretting it. Expensive electricity vs cheap oil, poor performance (house taking ages to warm up and promised efficiencies not materialising) and expensive mainteance.

lovesgshp

I do not regret getting a heat pump, which has been quite happily working for 10 years now. Expensive maintenance ...... 30 mins to clean a couple of filters .... no engineer required. You would have to be brain dead if you could not shut down a couple of valves, unscrew a nut and clean a filter.
OK oil has come down, but it was not cheap in the early days, so this current rate is good for some. Sure they will start complaing if it goes back up again