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31 minutes ago, ProDave said:

I don't see thermal blending valves on those UFH manifolds.  How are they regulating the water temperature?  Are they relying on the ASHP to deliver water at the required temperature?

 

yes they do exactly that. No need for blending with ASHP. Ours the same.

 

 

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4 minutes ago, Dave Jones said:

 

yes they do exactly that. No need for blending with ASHP. Ours the same.

 

 


Err yes there is ..! There is no safety mechanism to stop the ASHP putting 55c water into the slab  without a blending valve. It’s a simple detail and shouldn’t be overlooked. 

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1 minute ago, PeterW said:


Err yes there is ..! There is no safety mechanism to stop the ASHP putting 55c water into the slab  without a blending valve. It’s a simple detail and shouldn’t be overlooked. 

 

There is actually. The heat exchanger is controlled by a valve (bit like a blending valve that doesn't blend) so the UFH loop water tank gets heated to the set temp then clicks off all the while being circulated through the loop. This is an ECODAN system and JOULE cylinder installed earlier this year by an MCS approved firm.

 

Maybe you have got an old system ?

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38 minutes ago, Dave Jones said:

 

There is actually. The heat exchanger is controlled by a valve (bit like a blending valve that doesn't blend) so the UFH loop water tank gets heated to the set temp then clicks off all the while being circulated through the loop. This is an ECODAN system and JOULE cylinder installed earlier this year by an MCS approved firm.

 

Maybe you have got an old system ?


Yes it’s a 4 way shuttle valve on the refrigerant side matched to the temperature requested by the controller which uses a motorised blending valve on the water side to set the flow temperature. I’m aware of the method of how an ASHP works, I’ve had to work on a number of different types over the last few years including Sanyo, Danfoss and Mitsubishi. 
 

What you don’t have when you rely on the ASHP controlling water flow is any safety mechanism to stop floor temperature overshoot in the event of something such as a three way valve failure - if it goes to centre position for example then the water temperature for your cylinder (55°C) will hit your slab. There is no fail safe and it’s actually poor design as you should always have pairs of controls - you only need to look at a standard UVC for example to realise there are dual failure mechanisms to stop this. 
 

MCS is irrelevant here as they only certify and design to the point of the ASHP providing a DHW and Heating source. The entire premise of MCS is that the ASHP can supply the required heat load in kWh, so the hotter the feed, the less hours required. They are not concerned with the UFH design and there is a common misconception that just dumping water from an ASHP into UFH is “fine” as it will

always be below 50°C. 
 

That’s an incorrect assumption and some floor coverings have an MST (maximum surface temperature) of less than 30°C - some LVT and engineered wood requires max 28°C  MST so even setting your Ecodan to its lowest flow temperature (32°C IIRC from the latest FTC 6 on an Ecodan without checking) means you’re dumping warmer water than the floor requires. 
 

Add into the mix that that in low energy houses the heat requirement is so low that you want to be using blending valves to get to 27-28°C flows, and the whole “the ASHP will do it” argument falls apart. Hence the need for a blending valve to ensure that both the floor MST isn’t breached and the heat load is properly managed. 
 

This is why systems design is so important and you get failures in heating systems where ASHP are specified without anyone actually understanding what is on the end of the pipe coming out of the zone valve ... and all for the sake of a £50 valve. 

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you can use that argument if the blending valve seized open at max temp which is the same analogy as both the ASHP, controller, 3 way and the circ pump all failing at the same time.

 

Fitted and warrantied by ECODAN approved installer so if its ok for the manufacturer its ok for me.

 

I agree a DIY solution can choose multiple failsafe's should you wish.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

Not wanting to slag off your job. 

 

Why do people not paint the plantroom behind manifolds before they fit them. 

Baffles me. 

 

It should have been done last weekend with the half of the house that was sprayed but the room wasn't finished plastered due to delays (Covid related).

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3 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

Not wanting to slag off your job. 

 

Why do people not paint the plantroom behind manifolds before they fit them. 

Baffles me. 

 

I didn't want to be the one to point hat out.....and those pencil marks for the pipe runs would drive me insane! ?

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8 minutes ago, canalsiderenovation said:

 

What should be used?

 

 

Kingspan Kooltherm or similar.

 

I have a setup similar to yours with no blending valve too. Zone thermostats should be set to protect the floor max temp too.

 

What flow temp are you running from the heat pump?

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7 minutes ago, Onoff said:

 

I didn't want to be the one to point hat out.....and those pencil marks for the pipe runs would drive me insane! ?

 

I know, paint sprayer is coming again this weekend but I suspect there isn't much he can do in there which is annoying but I'm just thankful now we haven't got anyone off now isolating!

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Just now, Jymmm said:

 

 

Kingspan Kooltherm or similar.

 

I have a setup similar to yours with no blending valve too. Zone thermostats should be set to protect the floor max temp too.

 

What flow temp are you running from the heat pump?

 

No idea we aren't on site. It only got turned on yesterday. 

 

I know we had Kingspan in the walls do you mean it should also be elsewhere....

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55 minutes ago, Dave Jones said:

Fitted and warrantied by ECODAN approved installer so if its ok for the manufacturer its ok for me.


Good luck. You’ll find on the warranty that “consequential damage and loss is excluded” so you have no chance of ever recovering the cost of damage to a floor covering in the event of failure. 
 

So I’ll continue to specify blending valves if it’s ok with you, and ensure that the whole heating systems are specified with the correct controls, and leave the MCS guy to spec his bit. 

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Just now, Taff said:

This is our manifold installed for upstairs in a small cupboard there is also one for downstairs, does this look right?

 

 

 

 

image.jpeg

 

Dont know why there is a red identifying tape on a cold though ?

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