Interesting.... Although we're trying to get the unit costs down, I fail to see how manufacturing in the UK achieves that. 

Let's hope they start with a decent control platform, something from Carel would be a good option.

@hughf EBAC make a decent UK washing machine, we have one, it's got an impressive 10year warranty. Not the most refined machine on the market but very solidly built. Their dehumidifiers are competitively priced. They are a premium brand in that respect, but cost reduction comes from economy of scale. They will have to think big and invest big in R&D and manufacturing capacity.

Anything that is properly designed for the damper more humid UK climate would be a good start. By that I mean a ASHP that doesn't have a evaporator coil with 20+ fins per inch that freezes up solid in 10 minutes. Most far-eastern ASHPs are happily defrosting once or twice an hour right now rather than heating the home. Better products should be on the market. 😉

Here it is, first manufacturer photo

of Ebac’s U.K. designed and made ASHP. A bit quirky looking. Website and spec data goes live next week. Let’s hope like Ebac dehumidifiers this unit is customised for the U.K. climate with hot gas defrost, wider fin pitch on the evaporator, to provide better performance in humid winter conditions. This unit will have been designed from the ground up as an ASHP, not a bastardised split a/c heat and cool unit adapted into an ASHP. That should provide opportunities for USPs for Ebac in the U.K. market.

Posted by: @allyfish

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This unit will have been designed from the ground up as an ASHP, not a bastardised split a/c heat and cool unit adapted into an ASHP. 

Do you have any examples in mind of the ""bastards" to be avoided?

Posted by: @hughf

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Although we're trying to get the unit costs down, I fail to see how manufacturing in the UK achieves that. 

Mitsubishi Ecodan units are manufactured in Scotland and the price seems to be competitive.

@abernyte Yes, very true. Valliant manufactures ASHPs in Belper, Derbyshire, Ideal (Group Atlantique) will manufacture ASHPs in Hull, East Yorkshire. Ebac dehumidifier and washing machine products compete against far eastern manufacturers. That said, they pitch their units as a 'premium product UK designed and built' items. They offer very good warranty and aftercare terms, I've have a couple of issues with my washing machine and the customer service is first class. I don't think the unit shown above is going to win any industrial design awards, but knowing Ebac it will be solidly built. They are claiming class leading efficiency, but details and specs have not yet been published.

Also, a small detail - Copeland compressors of a smaller hew, (<20kw) are UK manufactured and used by a variety of HP manufacture's - (RED, Bosch, Atlantic, Viessmann)

Im terms of control, I read that they will have the Homely Smart Controller:-) Regards, Toodles.

@toodles confirm i have Ebac 5kw ASAP + homely and it works brilliant