Joining the Renewable Heating Hub forums is completely free and only takes a minute. By registering you’ll be able to ask questions, join discussions, follow topics you’re interested in, bookmark useful threads and receive notifications when someone replies. Non-registered members also do not have access to our AI features. When choosing your username, please note that it cannot be changed later, so we recommend avoiding brand or product names. Before registering, please take a moment to read the Forum Rules & Terms of Use so we can keep the community helpful, respectful and informative for everyone. Thanks for joining!
4 port buffer tank connections
@iraknic I used a thermal imaging camera, and the temperature readings were “inaccurate”. I suppose the water inside the copper pipe will be warmer than the exterior of the copper pipe. I assume your copper pipe readings were lower than the COP readings.
Get a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps
Subscribe and follow our YouTube channel!
You need to adjust the surface emmissivity setting of your thermal camera.
Try this, assuming you have a metal kettle with a polished exterior surface and the copper pipe is also polished.
Boil the kettle - the water will be 100C. Point the camera at it's metal outside and adjust the emmisivity setting to get 100C.
Now take a temperature reading of the copper pipe with the same emmissivity setting.
Normally I'm looking at thermal photos with temperatures around 2000F and surfaces that are rough and none polished. The surface finish can make a huge difference to the measured temperature using cameras. The only way to be sure is to use a contact thermocouple and press it against the pipe to get an acurate temperature reading.
But saying that, all you're really interested in is the temperature DIFFERENCE between the four pipes, and that will be unaffected by surface finish and emissivity (provided all the pipes are the same material and surface finish).
Regards
Bob
Posted by: @bobtskutterYou need to adjust the surface emmissivity setting of your thermal camera.
Excellent suggestion. Didn’t even cross my mind to do that. Thank you.
Get a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps
Subscribe and follow our YouTube channel!
@iraknic I’m doing a small video on buffers, and am using our badly piped one as an example, but would also like to include yours if possible. If you’re OK with that, can you please send me a video and some photos of your piping and tank, shot vertically, in HD. You can send via WeTransfer.com to editor@renewableheatinghub.co.uk if you’re in.
Get a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps
Subscribe and follow our YouTube channel!
@iraknic I just had a very quick look. Is that buffer tank on a roof?
Get a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps
Subscribe and follow our YouTube channel!
- 26 Forums
- 2,618 Topics
- 61.1 K Posts
- 625 Online
- 6,994 Members
Join Us!
Worth Watching
Latest Posts
-
Brown Oily Residue Blocking Air Vent and Weeping Relief Valve... Anyone Seen This?
My installation is 4 years old. After about 18 months a...
By seoras , 2 hours ago
-
RE: Renewables & Heat Pumps in the News
An article on funding for heat pumps in case anyone is ...
By Jeff , 3 hours ago
-
RE: Indevolt Batteries UK Support & Info Thread
Thanks @editor , @indevolt-uk Subject to any comments ...
By JamesPa , 11 hours ago
-
RE: Share Your Experiences with Heat Pump Manufacturer Support
@seoras Sorry to hear that. I found Vaillant very help...
By JamesPa , 11 hours ago
-
The Watchdog That Watched and Waited
On 9 January 2026, Consumer Energy Solutions collapsed ...
By Mars , 15 hours ago
-
RE: GSHP Kaput After 16 Years: New Compressor or Switch to ASHP? Advice Welcome
Cool Energy in Grimsby sell ground source heat pumps an...
By DerekDeLeon , 15 hours ago
-
RE: Valliant Heat Pump Settings
Thats arguably a sign of a good installer - they unders...
By JamesPa , 16 hours ago
-
RE: Electricity price predictions
Well, we have so many cases where rain water mixes with...
By Batpred , 17 hours ago
-
RE: Two heating zones to one zone
@profzarkov They arent obviously wrong, but the only...
By JamesPa , 19 hours ago
-
RE: Towns water feed to air source heat pump system
The DHW circuit cant be separated (well it could, you c...
By JamesPa , 19 hours ago
-
Solis AC-coupled 3kW storage inverter
Solis AC-coupled 3kW storage inverterPylontech batterie...
By MartinRobinson , 1 day ago
-
RE: My NIBE ASHP Nightmare: No Commissioning, High Bills and a Hostile Installer
As @transparent has observed above, this is not bad, an...
By cathodeRay , 1 day ago
-
RE: The Grid Says Yes.. Until It Doesn’t: Why Britain's Net Zero Push is Stalling at the Plug Socket
As I was reading this article Mars, I was thinking that...
By Toodles , 2 days ago
-
RE: Tell us about your Solar (PV) setup
Installed in May 2011: 16*Sharp 245 W monocrystalline p...
By txmartyn , 2 days ago
-
-
RE: Say hello and introduce yourself
That doesn't sound 'right' to me. The national Smart ...
By Transparent , 3 days ago
-
RE: Growatt battery disconnected
I doubt this will happen, but I will try and suggest it...
By Eliuccio , 3 days ago
-
Understood. That's why I decided from the outset on a ...
By JamesPa , 4 days ago
-
RE: My experience with 3 heat pump surveys: Heat Geek, British Gas & Octopus
On the litigation, I would not go there and definitely ...
By Batpred , 4 days ago
-
RE: Recommended home battery inverters + regulatory matters - help requested
I suppose if your pv inverter packs up, you have a plan...
By Batpred , 4 days ago
-
RE: New Vaillant aroTherm Plus in black - When will it come to the UK?
Firstly check you are using sound power not sound press...
By JamesPa , 4 days ago
-
That’s the solar up and running, I don’t think it’s the...
By David999 , 4 days ago
-
RE: Seeking ideas / information / commiseration - Pure Drive
I agree with @colinc that you can reuse some of it. A s...
By Batpred , 4 days ago



