Heat pumps

[paul.straker11]

Could we have a new sub group for heat pumps, ideally in green energy, although not renewable. I've got a couple of units one with an interesting application; the other, heating the pool, I'm trying to drive from solar. I think PV and heat pumps together could be an interesting subject.
just an idea!

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

As I understand them, heat pumps are used to replace your boiler. Boilers are a plumbing/heating engineering domain, not electrical. This is not a plumbing forum. Unless I am missing something?

(Let's not get into the debate of the fact most heat pumps systems are under specified)

 

[King Arthur]

For pool heating wouldn't it be more sensible to use a solar thermal array rather than use solar PV to power a heat pump?

 

[paul.straker11]

I experimented with that a little, and found in our cold climate the results disappointing. maybe my array sample was poor quality. i think a PV system with battery storage will be the most flexible. I have a 2.5 KW solar array, a 5kw hybrid inverter ( to allow for start ups), a heat pump and circulation pump that consumes about 3.2 Kw and storage of 10 kw/h. The heater needs to run for 4/5 hours in the morning to maintain temp. lets see where my naivety lets me down!!!!

 

[ProDave]

As I understand them, heat pumps are used to replace your boiler. Boilers are a plumbing/heating engineering domain, not electrical. This is not a plumbing forum. Unless I am missing something?

(Let's not get into the debate of the fact most heat pumps systems are under specified)

If you think with that mentality, you WILL be disappointed with their performance and cost. They are a VERY different beast and the whole heating and hot water system has to be designed to work well with a heat pump. Properly done in the right situation they work very well.

 

[binky]

As I understand them, heat pumps are used to replace your boiler. Boilers are a plumbing/heating engineering domain, not electrical. This is not a plumbing forum. Unless I am missing something?

(Let's not get into the debate of the fact most heat pumps systems are under specified)

personally, I'm interested in all 'green tech' going forward.

 

[Bruspark]

personally, I'm interested in all 'green tech' going forward.

I think the focus should be on things that can be carried in a car/ van and only break down at reasonable hours of the day

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

you WILL be disappointed with their performance and cost.

You must be reading something I never typed

I said

Let's not get into the debate of the fact most heat pumps systems are under specified

Allow me to elaborate:

The original question was "Heat pumps and can we have a dedicated sub-forum for them? This question was correctly posted in the "Forum Support & Announcements" section. Since heat pumps are more about plumbing, this being an electrical forum I see no reason it should have its own sub forum* as we are all electricians, not plumbers. So just in case I had overlooked something I asked a question, and I didn't want the question to turn into a debate as it was in the wrong section, hence my statement. But since it has turned into a debate I have had to move it.

* I see no problem with asking/debating heat pumps, but as for having its own subsection, that has to be no.

 

[Admin 7]

If many threads are started about Heat Pumps then we could consider a section. For now, just put heat pump in the topic so anyone searching can find it.

 

[steptoe]

Try getting a plumber to wire up a proper heat pump/PV/SOLAR THERMAL combined system and you will soon find it's very definitely an electrical subject,

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

Mr customer wants a heat pump installed, does he call a heating company or an electrical installation company?

Obviously, he will call a heating company. Yes, ideally the heating company should use an electrician to install the controls and supply cable to the external heat pump unit (Compressor) etc. But that rarely happens, so, since a heating company was first called, that makes it a plumbing/heating job.

If on the other hand someone has a question / query about how to connect/disconnect or move something electrical then yes that is an electrical question, but it all starts with a heating company, not an electrical company.

 

[steptoe]

Mr customer wants a heat pump installed, does he call a heating company or an electrical installation company?

Obviously, he will call a heating company. Yes, ideally the heating company should use an electrician to install the controls and supply cable to the external heat pump unit (Compressor) etc. But that rarely happens, so, since a heating company was first called, that makes it a plumbing/heating job.

If on the other hand someone has a question / query about how to connect/disconnect or move something electrical then yes that is an electrical question, but it all starts with a heating company, not an electrical company.

Ok, so E7 installers are not heating companies ,?
Your logic is fatally flawed.
I don't suppose electric UFH comes under heating in your narrow blinkered outlook in life either.?
I have yet to meet one single plumber that can wire heating controls properly, unless if course they comply with the simple diagrams supplied with the timeclocks/pumps, anything that is actually a heating system is an electrical issue.
But then again, a lot of "electricians" (5ww installers) don't know how to wire a heating system either.
don't be afraid of what you don't understand @Richard-the-ninth , you too may actually learn something.

 

[ProDave]

It's common around here for an electrician and a plumber to work together to install a heat pump.

 

[Sharpend]

Well when I was involved in a major site in London the wets were tasked with installing the outdoor unit an pipe work as well as the wet underfloor heating and the sealed tank however under no circumstances instances were they permitted to touch any cabling etc, that was left to moi and that was from the architect. He didn’t trust their abilities to do anything electrical, I know it’s not often said but ‘he was a wise man’