Posted by: @cmartinbwmba

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@davesoa thanks a lot for this, how does it connect to the controller? I don't have Halo unfortunately.

No idea, don't even know if it does that's why I was hoping for an ideal expert.  Halo doesn't really do what you need IMHO.

@cmartinbwmba 1st answer from me is that the designer contractor must give you the design , this is the rules under MCS.

@ashp-bobba just had this through from installer:

Space is 184m2 and heat loss is 63W/m2, space heating load is 11.6kW.

You don’t need a Halo, it’s entirely independent of it. Works over the house WiFi and remotely. Download the app and follow the instructions for installation and set up. You need to be close to the Control box, within a metre or so. Make sure you name the HP correctly and you’ll end up with this on the app. Tap the picture and it will take to the controls (you can use the app on other devices such as an iPad but you need to ‘share’ otherwise it kicks you off)  

Sounds good, thanks a lot I'll check it out - might save me clambering into loft through son's bedroom constantly!

Posted by: @cmartinbwmba

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@ashp-bobba just had this through from installer:

Space is 184m2 and heat loss is 63W/m2, space heating load is 11.6kW.

Roughly this should cost you £250-£300 per peak month and then less than this most other months on a lower sliding scale as it warms up this would be based on 30p/pkh. (assumes -3 external temp and standard use)

Buffer will not help

UFH secondary control will not help unless set up balanced and configured to solar gain set back only. 

Good thing to try, turn up every room stat to 24, set the curve to 4 or lower until you are cold and the HP is to low to heat your home with all stats not switching off, set curve up 1 point per 2 days and test until you get that nice warm even match, if you find rooms upstairs are over heating but down are not enough you will need to balance the rooms. 

"Sometimes" have secondary controls, booster heaters and a buffer set up just slightly out of balance can make a fair bit of difference in efficiency. As the system is complex due to extra controls it would need an engineer, IR camera, clamps and every traverse measured to match the flows and balance backwards.

Another thought is there an electric booster heater in the ASHP by any chance? 

@ashp-bobba Many thanks for this - I am doing as advised as we speak. Unfortunately I don't know if there is an electric booster heater in the ASHP.

Of interest, the system refused to work once I turned off room thermostat as here:

so I presume that the 'room thermostat' is either within the controller or needs the Honeywell stat to at least be calling. Regardless it seems to be behaving and not trying to heat the house to 35C as I have programmed on the stat - so assume it is simply following the weather compensation.

@davesoa I struggled to get in contact with my controller with the iLetcomfort app. It tried to connect with bluetooth and when that didn't work it gave me an option of a few different devices to try to manually connect to:

none of which are familiar to me! Any ideas how to proceed?

Sorry forgot about the three choices. It’s the 2nd one you need. Start with the WLAN settings on the control box and set it running as per my guide, staying near by, chose the 2nd item. I recall it took me several attempts to figure out how to do it. It’s not discoverable by Bluetooth. 

@davesoa Sorted this, really good. Even seems to have a hot water boost which I couldn't find on the Ideal controller. Only hitch is - it's free so I guess the developer only benefits from harvesting data. They can have my heating data if it means I don't have to get into the loft every time I need to make a small change!

Great. It’s not bad is it, though I agree it may represent a deal with the devil over data (but then most of us use Google). If you want it on other devices you have to share it - the other person/device will have to create a separate account. On the launch page look for the smiley face bottom right. Tap ‘device’, tap ‘my device’ (the three little vertical buttons top right - follow the instructions for ‘share device’. Unfortunately you cannot alter the time for daylight saving on the app. Back to the loft.

The Halo lite doesn’t do a lot. Certainly no data feedback but it does allow for quick alterations to the schedule, holiday mode etc etc. it’s also portable so you can place it in a room where it is most effective. Or move it as needed.  

Hi all

I thought I'd give a bit of an update about this. To summarise previous discussions: I was struggling with bills (and a high pitched noise) and with the help of this forum I managed to gain control of the ASHP. I removed all the Honeywell Smart TRVs, opened the valves to max, put the thermostat to 35C (max), and set the weather compensation to level 4. I have already set a schedule for the DHW. I sourced the iLetcomfort phone app and connected it to my ASHP controller to limit my constant forays into the loft. I also changed from Octopus Flux to Cosy for now to try to take advantage of longer periods of cheaper electricity to charge the battery. 

Putting the WC to 5 actually made the house a little too warm but 4 is maybe too cold. I might try out a custom curve in between the two.

My peak weekly overall electricity use was end of December (whilst it wasn't that cold) was 336kWh (£94 for one week on Octopus Flux). Although we have had zero/sub-zero nights recently, I managed to reduce the power use in my first week after my above changes to 257kWh (£63 on Octopus Cosy). The only variable is the way I used my ASHP - no other changes in how the house is run, etc. Although £63/week isn't ideal, I can probably bear it if it will be the dearest it will be all year (don't usually get consistently more cold in Anglesey). That includes all my other use as well to be fair so probably equal-ish to Oil cost. I still wonder if there are ways for me to reduce the bill again. 

An Ideal engineer advised me over the phone that the way I am running it is still not right - he thought by setting the Honeywell stat to 35C and running the WC at 4-5, the ASHP would constantly be trying its best to get to a high temp then shutting itself off, and repeating. We therefore changed it to 21C at the stat and WC 6 at the controller but it was too hot and my energy bill jumped up again for the day - I can't give exact data yet as it won't come in until tomorrow I think. He also felt I'd benefit from a Halo Lite and decommission the Honeywell as he thought the Halo Lite would teach the ASHP not to ramp up to max to try to reach desired temps. Does anyone agree with this approach?

It is still emitting a very noisy high pitch whine throughout the house, worst around the loft nerve centre and transmitting into the bedrooms below. The installer came to inspect, agreed there is a noise, but felt it was coming from the ASHP. Ideal engineer came out the other day, and initially thought it was the ASHP compressor being held firm by a bracket that was designed for transport only. He also changed to WC to 6 and initially the whine was actually a lot better. However, it returned the following day and is probably even worse. Fingers crossed I will eventually get a joint visit from the installer and Ideal - this is what the installer is trying to arrange. I have it the WC back to 4 was too warm and dear.

I'd be interested in your thoughts, mainly again about best way to run the ASHP and the Halo Lite. Many thanks in advance

As someone running the same unit (but in the south Midlands) and with a Halo Lite my average weekly electricity bill this month is £63 and falling as it’s got warmer. That includes EV charging and house use. That sounds quite a lot but my final utility bill (gas + electric) will be less than last year when we heated with gas, running the heating early morning for 1.5 hours and the evening for 6 hours. Now of course we are warm day and night. My WC is set at 6. The Halo works for me though I’ve not used any other controller. I set the times/temperature and leave it alone. Overall my total utility bills are down 17% compared with the same period May to January 2024/25.