Forums

Search with Wattson
Forums
Renewable Heating
Air Source Heat Pum...
Flowmeter and glyco...
 
Notifications
Clear all

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!

Flowmeter and glycol

 
Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs)
Last Post by HughF 4 years ago
8 Posts
5 Users
3 Reactions
3,099 Views
RSS
 witchcraft
(@witchcraft)
Estimable Member Contributor
Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 91
Topic starter 06/09/2022 9:14 am   [#493]

We have just had our Valiant ASHP serviced and the report has come back that we only have plain water in the circuit and we lack a flow meter.

Do we need both glycol and a flow meter (if so our bloody useless installers have mucked up yet again) if not why are they recommended by the servicing team?

At around £800 it more bloody remedial work on this installation.

Cheers

Mark



   
Quote
 Kev M
(@kev-m)
Noble Member Member
Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 1276
06/09/2022 11:48 am  
Posted by: @witchcraft

We have just had our Valiant ASHP serviced and the report has come back that we only have plain water in the circuit and we lack a flow meter.

Do we need both glycol and a flow meter (if so our bloody useless installers have mucked up yet again) if not why are they recommended by the servicing team?

At around £800 it more bloody remedial work on this installation.

Cheers

Mark

You should not need an additional flow meter.  The ASHP should have a flow rate sensor which is enough for normal use.  This will throw an error code if the flow is too low. I have an external flow meter but this is for MMSP monitoring. You should ask the engineer why a flow meter is needed?  Maybe they are just fishing for work?

The system would normally be filled with a glycol mix on commissioning. If not, anti freeze valves are an alternative. If you have neither then there is a risk that if/when there is a power cut and it's very cold the ASHP could freeze up and be damaged.  Unfortunately it's quite an expensive job to refill with glycol.  



   
👍
1
ReplyQuote
 witchcraft
(@witchcraft)
Estimable Member Contributor
Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 91
Topic starter 06/09/2022 11:53 am  

@kev-m Thanks



   
ReplyQuote



 Derek M
(@derek-m)
Illustrious Member Member
Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 4425
06/09/2022 5:44 pm  
Posted by: @witchcraft

We have just had our Valiant ASHP serviced and the report has come back that we only have plain water in the circuit and we lack a flow meter.

Do we need both glycol and a flow meter (if so our bloody useless installers have mucked up yet again) if not why are they recommended by the servicing team?

At around £800 it more bloody remedial work on this installation.

Cheers

Mark

I would suggest that you ask your installer to add the glycol that they should have added during the installation. If they refuse then make a complaint to MCS and any other body who have supposedly accredited their service.



   
ReplyQuote
 witchcraft
(@witchcraft)
Estimable Member Contributor
Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 91
Topic starter 06/09/2022 5:46 pm  

@derek-m But these installers are the lovely mob I took to court and they then went bust



   
ReplyQuote
 Derek M
(@derek-m)
Illustrious Member Member
Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 4425
06/09/2022 6:02 pm  
Posted by: @witchcraft

@derek-m But these installers are the lovely mob I took to court and they then went bust

They should have indemnity insurance against which you should be able to claim.



   
👍
1
ReplyQuote



Mars
 Mars
(@editor)
Illustrious Member Admin
Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 4568
07/09/2022 8:06 am  

@witchcraft, your MCS installers will have been insured by HEIS or another body. It’s a requirement and it’ll be in your paperwork. 

On the subject of glycol, it’s usually added in systems to prevent accidental freezing in the event a heat pump stops working or if there’s a power outage. Most installers add it to be “safe”. I’m not sure it’s a requirement though.

I’m with Kev on the flow meter. The pump should have this built in as it cuts out when there’s insufficient flow. Surely Vaillant heat pumps have their own flow sensors without the need for additional external ones.


Get a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps

Subscribe and follow our YouTube channel!


   
ReplyQuote
 HughF
(@hughf)
Honorable Member Member
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 489
07/09/2022 8:32 pm  

You don’t need glycol or a flow meter….

glycol is just a terrible solution to the ‘power cut in the middle of winter’ problem…. Caleffi anti freeze valves are £150-200 a pair, Chinese ones are £40 a pair.


Off grid on the isle of purbeck
2.4kW solar, 15kWh Seplos Mason, Outback power systems 3kW inverter/charger, solid fuel heating with air/air for shoulder months, 10 acres of heathland/woods.

My wife’s house: 1946 3 bed end of terrace in Somerset, ASHP with rads + UFH, triple glazed, retrofit IWI in troublesome rooms, small rear extension.


   
👍
1
ReplyQuote
Forum Jump:
  Previous Topic
Next Topic  



Share:

Join Us!

Worth Watching

Latest Posts

Members Online

Click to access the login or register cheese
x Powerful Protection for WordPress, from Shield Security PRO
This Site Is Protected By
Shield Security PRO →