CotswoldDoItUpper Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 I’ve only just read about the type of ASHP that have all the gubbins in one box outside and only need a flow and return in water to/from them. does this mean you can effectively do a ‘simple’ DIY installation? Obv no RHI payments or similar, but surely how hard could it be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 (edited) 10 minutes ago, CotswoldDoItUpper said: I’ve only just read about the type of ASHP that have all the gubbins in one box outside and only need a flow and return in water to/from them. does this mean you can effectively do a ‘simple’ DIY installation? Obv no RHI payments or similar, but surely how hard could it be? What we're you thinking of having the water flow to and from? Hot water tank ? Radiators? Underfloor heating? Water coils? Buffer tank? Edited February 7, 2022 by Marvin Add info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 Simple answer is yes. Many of us have done just that. A Monoblock ASHP works in a similar way to a system boiler so you would plumb it like and S plan system. There will be some important detail differences more so often with the wiring and that is very specific to each particular ASHP exactly how they operate. What you might find with no professional input is extended gaurantees might not be honoured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReedRichards Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 8 hours ago, CotswoldDoItUpper said: does this mean you can effectively do a ‘simple’ DIY installation? Obv no RHI payments or similar, but surely how hard could it be? Potential problems: Not all heat pumps are accompanied by good documentation and instructions or have the installation instructions readily available. My heat pump ran for 24 hours and then went wrong. My installer came back promptly and fixed it. Subsequently he gave me a copy of his installation and training manual which explained the likely causes of the error code (a blocked filter in my case) but I think he got that by attending a training course; I have never seen an online copy. You probably need a buffer tank so you'll need to work out how big, where to put it and how to plumb it in to the system. Buffer tanks confuse me. You will need to work out how to size your radiators/UFH (and their supply pipes). You can find software to do this but I tried and gave up because I did not know how to calculate all the correct input parameters. There is likely to be enough advice available here to overcome all these potential problems but heat pumps are unfamiliar to most people and most plumbers and so there is plenty of scope for error. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J1mbo Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 By monitoring the fuel consumption of the existing system daily and charting that against degree-days a good estimate of the daily heat demand can be found. Now is a good time of year to do so as there should be a few cold days yet to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 (edited) 10 hours ago, ProDave said: S plan system All sorts of different plans, and I have never understood one of them. http://jspinderplumbingandheating.co.uk/zone.php They seem to me to be similar to choosing a Porsche 911, or an iPhone. Edited February 8, 2022 by SteamyTea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TW9 Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 Many people with heat pumps are disappointed because the system has been designed or installed badly. There's no reason you couldn't read up on system design and do a great install yourself as there's lots of information available but it isn't a straight swap from a gas boiler. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReedRichards Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 7 minutes ago, SteamyTea said: All sorts of different plans, and I have never understood one of them. http://jspinderplumbingandheating.co.uk/zone.php I plumbed my heating using an F-Plan but it just got thinner and thinner. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CotswoldDoItUpper Posted February 8, 2022 Author Share Posted February 8, 2022 We already have UFH, buffer tank and rads sized for a low temp system with an S-plan instalation between buffer tank and rads. Our existing 15yr old LPG gas combi might die at some point and it’d be good to know that I could do most of the install myself and have a good plumber look over it. Would obviously need to hide a cylinder for DHW somewhere, but that’d probably go where the old boiler comes out. I’d probably change the s-plan to switch the heating (we now have digital TRVs on the rads so each one is it’s own ‘zone’) and DHW flows separately. this may be a moot point seeing as our LPG is currently 5p per kWh (34p+vat/L), so much cheeper then elec for an ASHP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 43 minutes ago, SteamyTea said: All sorts of different plans, and I have never understood one of them. Yes my brother used to use G plan but it's outdated now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 1 hour ago, ReedRichards said: I plumbed my heating using an F-Plan but it just got thinner and thinner. Was it installed by Borborygmi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 44 minutes ago, Marvin said: G plan The pride of High Wycombe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 W-Plan is worth considering on an ASHP to give you DHW priority and this just needs a single diverter valve only energized when UFH is active. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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