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Fan is clipping ice build up from the front of unit.

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Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs)

Last Post by Toodles 2 months ago

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Papahuhu

(@papahuhu)

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Topic starter 09/01/2026 11:40 am

Hello

Noticed my heat pump was making a new clicking noise yesterday. Went to inspect it it, expecting to find a leaf or pine needle being clipped by the fan.
Instead, found it had quite a lot of ice that had built up on the front fan grille and was being clipped by the fan. Is that normal in cold wet weather or indicative of an install niggle please, condensate drain is working fine, rear fins defrosting fine. Gen 6 R32 16kW mono. First winter with it, can’t be doing the fan blades or bearings much good.
thanks

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bontwoody

(@bontwoody)

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09/01/2026 11:41 am

Exactly the same thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago. I was out with a hairdryer 😆

House-2 bed partial stone bungalow, 5kW Samsung Gen 6 ASHP (Self install)
6.9 kWp of PV
5kWh DC coupled battery
Blog: https://thegreeningofrosecottage.weebly.com/
Heatpump Stats: http://heatpumpmonitor.org/system/view?id=60

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Westkent

(@westkent)

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09/01/2026 11:48 am

Had this a few years back.

long story but to cut it short it was a faulty temperature sensor that fits to rear of heat pump at the top.

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Papahuhu

(@papahuhu)

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Topic starter 09/01/2026 11:55 am

@westkent Thanks.
Do you remember what that sensor was called or it’s function please, as mine is doing some other weird stuff too that makes no sense (not modulating, operating on-off) I wonder if the two are related. I’m not getting any error codes. Thank you.

This post was modified 2 months ago 2 times by Papahuhu

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Westkent

(@westkent)

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09/01/2026 12:15 pm

Outside temperature sensor.
If it gives an incorrect outside temperature to the system it will ice up.
I had no error codes.
size of a large dongle 2/3 inches in length. You can’t miss it.

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bontwoody

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09/01/2026 12:18 pm

@papahuhu I think my problem was just due to unusual weather conditions, with melting snow and a fast cold wind. It hasnt occured again

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Papahuhu

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Topic starter 09/01/2026 12:27 pm

@westkent thanks.

I don’t have one of those, so can’t be my problem. I’ve got a third party controller which uses local weather station data to do its calculations.

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Westkent

(@westkent)

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09/01/2026 12:33 pm

I don’t know much about 3rd party controllers but just so long as they don’t take the reading from that particular sensor.

Id imagine your heat pump would still have one attached to the back.

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Papahuhu

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Topic starter 09/01/2026 12:46 pm

@westkent it’s that black tube that is cable tied over the outside of the rear of the evaporator fins, right?

I have the tube but there’s no sensor RTD inside it, as far as I understand it.I don’t know if there’s a dongle inside the unit, I don’t want to touch the covers as I’m in dispute with the installers about the fault.

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Westkent

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09/01/2026 12:53 pm

It’s fitted to the outside of rear main unit.

if looking from the front of unit it’s top right fixed to the back.

its not a dongle as such but the shape of one.

one screw is used I believe to attach it.

it has one wire fixed to it.

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Papahuhu

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Topic starter 09/01/2026 12:59 pm

@bontwoody Yes, it’s been nasty. Driving rain and sleet being blown into the front, and very cold air being blown in the other direction. There aren’t any defrost coils on the front so I guess it will freeze instantaneously. Seems a bit of design fault which surprises me as the Koreans get huge snow and sleet falls in the winter.

This post was modified 2 months ago 2 times by Papahuhu

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