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!
Ecodan Cascade System Problem: DHW Heating Stops UFH & Pool Output
I have a new 2 x 14kw Ecodan system, that is required to supply DHW, UFH, rads and swimming pool heating.
The two pumps are currently set up in a cascade configuration with 3 x FTC7 controllers (1 master and 2 slaves).
The plumbing configuration for DHW is the version where the output from ASHP1 is diverted via a 3-way valve to the DHW tank when required. When the valve is not operated, the flow out then goes into the same buffer tank that ASHP2 feds, to then service UFH, rads and swimming pool heating, and on the output of the buffer tank is where the flow thermisters are located.
The issue I have is when the system does DHW heat up, the logic decides after a short while that ASHP2 is not needed to get DHW up to temperature, so stops all output from ASHP2 (even though there is no plumbing for ASHP to DHW). This is clearly seen in the stats, as when DHW heat up starts, after a short duration, the flow temp out of the buffer tank is seen to rise to DHW level, and not 40ish degrees that UFH is set for. DHW heat up is set to allow up to 2hrs for heat up, and then drop back to UFH. The DHW does not always reach the tank (300lt) temperature setting of 55 degrees in the 2 hr period, so can go off for 30 minutes, then try again to reach target temp.
Whenever DHW is heating, for the vast majority of the time, UFH is not being fed with hot water, and consequently the house / pool cools. Although by using the prohibited periods I can keep UFH on by not allowing DHW heat up, I end up running out of DHW by lunchtime.
I am about to have the installer remove the cascade / master / slave arrangement so both ASHPs are controlled totally independently - i.e. ASHP2 will do UFH with no knowledge of DHW, and ASHP1 will do DHW, and then join in with UFH when not doing DHW, but with no knowledge of ASHP2. Before going ahead with this, I was wondering if anyone knows about the settings for getting the cascade set up to work where it will feed DHW from ASHP1, while at the same time allow ASHP2 to properly service UFH. Mitsubishi are adamant that the cascade set up is best for the requirement of all the DHW, UFH, rads and swimming pool heating, but are unable to say what settings will allow me to have UFH from one ASHP while the other is heating DHW.
Thanks in anticipation... Lee
I'm trying to visualise this, your plumbing would require a return tee'd between ASHP 1 and 2 for ASHP 2 to service UFH while ASHP 1 is doing DHW?
This is a difficult scenario, i wouldn't generally split the two units from working together as suggested unless you modify the pipework to service different area's
How (if any) is zoning between UFH / Rads / Pool done?
@f1p From the Ecodan databook / installation guides, it is this scenario:
So when the top unit starts doing DHW, the bottom one starts outputting 50 degree flow for a short while, then the logic seems to decide it is not needed, so stops sending any heat into the UFH, until DHW heating stops. Hence I am wondering if sw 1-3 is OFF for the bottom unit and ON for the top one, will the bottom one then not think it is supposed to join in with DHW heating? (or something else...?)
It is a single zone for all the UFH / rads / pool as far as Ecodan is concerned, with Heatmiser thermostats and actuators controlling the various UFH loops.
Thanks,
Yes i think your logic is correct that for some reason the 2nd pump will sit idle until DHW completes and i don't know the reasoning Mitsi did this.
However, i would note that it sounds a little off that it takes a 14kW unit nearly 2hrs to complete a 300li tank
To compare, my 8.5kW unit can heat 250li from 8 > to 47 in 1.5hr @ OAT 6C and an 11.2kW unit can heat 300li 15 > 49 in 1hr
It's a bigger ask to 55 though, hotter than most heat pump users would store DHW
@f1p I am fighting one battle at a time here... hoping to get someone to say for definite if the SW 1-3 on the second pump is off, it should not then get involved with DHW, but continue with its job to heat the UFH / pool.
WRT tank heating, I see some interesting variations: A normal heat up at 22:00-00:00 always reaches 55 degrees, and the tank warms faster than when the same thing happens at 04:00 - 06:00 (45 to 51 degrees) - the tank temp graph is much steeper at 10pm than at 4am. I am then doing a boost at 13:00-15:00 as I loose a lot of heat (circulation pump running from 03:30 - 10:00). If I just use the prohibit settings, the heat up time at 13:00 is longer than if I boost - a boost for 2hrs takes the tank from 36 degrees up to 47, whereas on Friday night at 22:00 the tank was 12 degrees, and lifted to 55 by midnight! This is a property with only 1 person living in it, and the whole DHW function / cost seems ridiculous!
I will ask around about the dip switch for ASHP 2
WRT tank, how does the frequency compare?
Looks like your graph is just from one of the temperature sensors (some have upper & lower fitted) - i would question with that consumption and tank size if 55C and 3x heats per day are required.
We do 1x heat to 47 of the full 250li per day and it covers washing up, 2 showers + kids bath per day
@fosterl2 I will send this thread to the tech guys at Mitsubishi tomorrow to see if they can provide technical insights.
Get a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps
Subscribe and follow our YouTube channel!
@ashp-bobba I don't suppose you have any insights on this?
Get a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps
Subscribe and follow our YouTube channel!
@editor I would have to check but as I understand it, the dip switching would only tell the master controller which ASHP is not the DHW plumbing circuit. So, if you cascade the system you do not have 2No 14kW ASHP's you have 1No 28kW system and in hot water mode it will work as a 28kW system but only run the 14kW unit (so 1 system) when in hot water mode and the other ASHP would rest. All ASHP work the way you are describing, when in priority HW they no longer heat the rooms.
Think of it like there is only one controller not 3, the slave 1 and slave 2 FTC7's only programme the units, the master FTC7 is really your only interface controller which tells everything what to do. If you want to run it the way you are thinking and it is piped 4 pipes in and 2 out on a low loss header type buffer then you could (providing you set all controls and timers up the same in heating mode not to strain a single unit for to long) run them as 2 x 14kW systems, programme system 2 as heating only and system 1 as heating and hot water, they would then ignore each other and you could keep 14kW of heat running through the emitters.
a 14kW unit will likely heat 300ltrs from 10 DegC in 80 mins so something is wrong with your set up if it is not reaching temp, you should check the cylinder is high gain for a heat pump, is it a Mitsi cylinder? you should check you get 60 deg flow at a flow rate of around 8kW which is about right for a 3m coil for a 300ltr cylinder (24l/pm) a little more or less is fine but somewhere near this.
AAC Group Ltd covering the Kent Area for design, supply and installation of ASHP systems, service and maintenance, diagnostics and repairs.
Professional installer. Book a one-to-one consultation for pre- and post-installation advice, troubleshooting and system optimisation.
@f1p The graphs do show there is about a 3 degree an hour loss of heat, and that is with very little hot water being drawn off - a morning wash, and a couple of plates after breakfast. BTW - at present the pool is not connected, all I am running is DHW and UFH, plus a few rads.
- 26 Forums
- 2,618 Topics
- 61.1 K Posts
- 919 Online
- 6,994 Members
Join Us!
Worth Watching
Latest Posts
-
RE: Renewables & Heat Pumps in the News
An article on funding for heat pumps in case anyone is ...
By Jeff , 2 hours ago
-
RE: Indevolt Batteries UK Support & Info Thread
Thanks @editor , @indevolt-uk Subject to any comments ...
By JamesPa , 10 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 , 14 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 , 15 hours ago
-
RE: Electricity price predictions
Well, we have so many cases where rain water mixes with...
By Batpred , 16 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
-
RE: Solar Power Output – Let’s Compare Generation Figures
@toodles Im trying me best to ignore orangeman, I figur...
By Papahuhu , 5 days ago





