Badly commissioned Samsung 12kw Joule ASHP
Hello everyone I’m Neil, live near Ilminster in Somerset and came across the forum whilst trying to get to grips with my ASHP. Bought a new semi passive house two and half years ago and have had a fair amount of grief and expense due to bad commissioning of my Samsung 12kw Joule ASHP package. It was installed by the builder who obviously didn’t have a clue. No glycol installed in the system, system not flushed before filling, no system balancing and no handover or advice on purchase.
It’s been a steep and expensive learning curve as I correct the faults that the initial bad installation has generated. We’ve got underfloor heating downstairs and oversize radiators and towel rails upstairs.
I’ve found that around this area the heating engineers and plumbers are not very knowledgeable about this type of system, but have managed to get them to work on the tank side, flushing, fitting filters, new safety valves and pressure vessel, all of which have needed changing. The Samsung heat exchanger has not had any problems and seems reliable. I’ve spent a lot of time looking at “Freedom Heat Pump” YouTube videos which have been great at explaining what the original installer should have explained to me.
I’m getting to grips with the system now and trying to improve the efficiency of the system, installing digital wall thermostats and I’m about to start investigating flow rate settings on the underfloor manifold to balance the system. The system running costs are about the same as a normal gas boiler for this size house, but that’s not available around here. I’ve always had gas central heating in the past and have had nothing to do with it except turning a thermostat up or down. If I’m honest I could have done without the hours of grief the builder and installer have caused due to their lack of knowledge, if these systems are going to be installed everywhere then due to the knowledge that’s required in fitting and setting them up, the supplier of the systems are going to have to make sure they’re commissioned properly or there going to have a lot of disgruntled users. I’m hoping that by joining the forum I’ll be able to get my system running as efficiently and cheaply as possible and get any top tips that are going!
Welcome, sadly you are not alone in your experience of bodge it and run installers 🙁
Posted by: @nmcguffHello everyone I’m Neil, live near Ilminster in Somerset and came across the forum whilst trying to get to grips with my ASHP. Bought a new semi passive house two and half years ago and have had a fair amount of grief and expense due to bad commissioning of my Samsung 12kw Joule ASHP package. It was installed by the builder who obviously didn’t have a clue. No glycol installed in the system, system not flushed before filling, no system balancing and no handover or advice on purchase.
It’s been a steep and expensive learning curve as I correct the faults that the initial bad installation has generated. We’ve got underfloor heating downstairs and oversize radiators and towel rails upstairs.
I’ve found that around this area the heating engineers and plumbers are not very knowledgeable about this type of system, but have managed to get them to work on the tank side, flushing, fitting filters, new safety valves and pressure vessel, all of which have needed changing. The Samsung heat exchanger has not had any problems and seems reliable. I’ve spent a lot of time looking at “Freedom Heat Pump” YouTube videos which have been great at explaining what the original installer should have explained to me.
I’m getting to grips with the system now and trying to improve the efficiency of the system, installing digital wall thermostats and I’m about to start investigating flow rate settings on the underfloor manifold to balance the system. The system running costs are about the same as a normal gas boiler for this size house, but that’s not available around here. I’ve always had gas central heating in the past and have had nothing to do with it except turning a thermostat up or down. If I’m honest I could have done without the hours of grief the builder and installer have caused due to their lack of knowledge, if these systems are going to be installed everywhere then due to the knowledge that’s required in fitting and setting them up, the supplier of the systems are going to have to make sure they’re commissioned properly or there going to have a lot of disgruntled users. I’m hoping that by joining the forum I’ll be able to get my system running as efficiently and cheaply as possible and get any top tips that are going!
Hi nmcguff,
Welcome to the forum.
If you require any help or guidance then please provide more details and specify the type of help that you require.
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