Vaillant Arotherm Plus issues - circulation, efficiency and performance – heat pump horror story
Posted by: @saz@editor I think I remember reading a while back about another member who had to go down a legal avenue. Any idea who that law firm was? This whole situation is having a massively detrimental effect on me.
I think that's @witchcraft.
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@saz, so just to be clear, Vaillant have "fixed" the circulation pump (by getting rid of the sealant) and cleared your system out to nullify any blockages, but haven't addressed any of the underlying issues? They then revisited, turned off weather compensation and have left you to your own devices. At this point, is there anyone doing anything to resolve your issues?
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@saz, sorry if I missed it, but is there a reason you haven't just made the changes yourself?
@editor Yes I'm taking my installers through the small claims court, it is such a simple process and the case is, hopefully, so very much in my favour I haven't lawyered-up yet.
The case was raised on the 22nd and they have until 11th April to respond, nothing heard yet.
@saz, in addition to all the previous advice, you need to check which consumer code your installer is a member of (HIES or RECC) then make contact to get the correct advice on how to proceed. I've heard very good things about HIES and how they deal with poor installations – this may be a potentially good avenue to follow. Pease let us know.
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@editor yes the flush meant the compressor began working again, the constantly running circ pump stopped running 24/7. My system was running off the thermostats before, there have been changes made to my sensocomfort screen that I have no idea about thouogh. I asked the engineer about weather comp but that idea was strongly discouraged. He's left a fixed flow temp on the heating so I will have to chase that up tomorrow as my initial recordings of consumption since then aren't favourable. After this visit I strongly suspect I will now be abandoned with it all. The installers are covered under RECC but if they are anything like MCS they might only deal with the owner of the pump and that is my landlord. I have been pointed to the complaints process by them despite months of verbal complaints so that means many more months of tears and frustration I expect. What do they care, it's not their quality of life being wrecked. My request for an independent person to come out and give an unbiased opinion of the set up here is likely to be rejected again sadly.
@batalto Hiya, yes, in a nutshell I only have access to the most basic of settings as I am a tenant. The installers take a a 'one size fits all' approach to the settings which is not great to be honest. I feel like tenants are treated like children in this regard, as whilst I appreciate they don't want people with no knowledge 'fiddling' there must be at least some compromise on this if tenants are interested in optimisation or need to be because of needlessly high bills. If they want people to be positive about heat pumps they should treat people like grown-ups. Ironically, if there are issues, we are then told we are not using it properly (yes that old chestnut). I am an easy target for this or so they think but whilst that may have been true for the first six months of using a heat pump, (and only because me and my neighbours were given about 5mins of advice) it most definitely is not the case 9 years later. A few of my neighbours have had their pumps replaced too, not with the same make and models, so we all have different controllers, mine appear to be crap to be honest. For eg. for my upstairs rads I have to use a honeywell and a digital one together because they didn't want to make a hole in the wall for a new single third party controller. I have the interface up there and the main power switch to the interface, from which runs the power to the immersion, which itself is on a relay. Downstairs I have UFH controls (not zoned) and the Sensocomfort.
@saz is the issue you don't have access the settings because of a passcode? I would suggest you just look up the manual and see as my guess is it's probably the default code (especially as you seem to get various technicians out)
@saz, as batalto has asked, are you at the point where you feel the issue is down to settings and controls? Am I correct in assuming that the heating is ‘working’ and the heat pump is running, but the system is inefficient. Is that correct?
The landlord, tenant and RECC situation is an interesting debacle and one I never considered. Surely RECC have to act irrespective as it’s the tenants quality of life that’s being affected. Obvious question, but have you complained to the landlord and what’s their stance?
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