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[Solved] Installing your own ASHP - DIY

 
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Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs)
Last Post by Ashfp 12 months ago
36 Posts
11 Users
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 tomasmcguinness
(@tomasmcguinness)
Trusted Member Member
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 27
Topic starter 23/03/2024 11:13 am  

So I’ve started thinking seriously about a self install and I’ve come up with a roadmap.

1. check existing pipework can handle the flow rate.

2. Perform a hear loss on my house.

3. Assess the radiators.

4. Compute pressure loss of the index circuit with existing pipework.

5. Work out what needs to change with existing pipework and radiators.

Once Ive done that first pass, then I’ll look at siting the pump, drainage, noise assessment and then apply for planning permission (but Im hoping they change the 1m boundary rule by that time!)

Whilst all this is going on, I’ll be doing the Heat Geek courses to help me understand more about the design!

Im also going to look into an MCS Umbrella signing off my installation, so I can take advantage of the BUS grant.

I’ve completed the first step, checking the flow rates will work, and it looks like I’m mostly okay. 

You can check out my video - Road to a Heat Pump - Checking my existing plumbing - Part 1


Owner of a ridiculously oversized 35kW boiler and trying to make it as efficient as possible. 4.8kW solar PV with 5.4kWh storage. EV driver.
Follow my journey at https://www.youtube.com/@tomasmcguinness
Heat pump installation has started!


   
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bontwoody
 bontwoody
(@bontwoody)
Noble Member Contributor
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 1009
23/03/2024 11:44 am  

Nice video Tom. Well explained 😁


House-3 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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 tomasmcguinness
(@tomasmcguinness)
Trusted Member Member
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 27
Topic starter 23/03/2024 11:48 am  

Thanks!


Owner of a ridiculously oversized 35kW boiler and trying to make it as efficient as possible. 4.8kW solar PV with 5.4kWh storage. EV driver.
Follow my journey at https://www.youtube.com/@tomasmcguinness
Heat pump installation has started!


   
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 IanMK13
(@ianmk13)
Reputable Member Member
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 194
23/03/2024 3:29 pm  

Very interesting, @tomasmcguinness. You're a step or two ahead of me, I think. Can I suggest care with references to DeltaT in your videos, though, to avoid potential for confusion; suffix with 'boiler', 'radiator', or whatever.



   
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 tomasmcguinness
(@tomasmcguinness)
Trusted Member Member
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 27
Topic starter 23/03/2024 8:14 pm  

@ianmk13 Thanks. I'll bear that in mind in future videos. I know after looking at that against, that my explanation of a few things was off. Learning never stops!


Owner of a ridiculously oversized 35kW boiler and trying to make it as efficient as possible. 4.8kW solar PV with 5.4kWh storage. EV driver.
Follow my journey at https://www.youtube.com/@tomasmcguinness
Heat pump installation has started!


   
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 tomasmcguinness
(@tomasmcguinness)
Trusted Member Member
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 27
Topic starter 26/04/2024 10:09 am  

The work continues! 

I've finally finished doing my simple heat loss calculation. Long delay getting this video out as I was doing the Heat Geek Mastery course. 

In this video, I do a simple explanation of heat loss, how I approach it and then I run through all the numbers for my house.

It shows my heat loss is going to be around 7kW, but I need confirm this by using a professional tool (which will be my next video!)

 


Owner of a ridiculously oversized 35kW boiler and trying to make it as efficient as possible. 4.8kW solar PV with 5.4kWh storage. EV driver.
Follow my journey at https://www.youtube.com/@tomasmcguinness
Heat pump installation has started!


   
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 IanMK13
(@ianmk13)
Reputable Member Member
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 194
26/04/2024 4:29 pm  

@tomasmcguinness Have you been able to perform any sanity check on that figure?  I'm thinking of the 'divide annual gas consumption by 2900' rule of thumb, for example.  My own heat loss calculation that I did last year came out at around 13.5 kW but I tended to err on the pessimistic side.  'Air change' seems to have a big effect on the numbers, for example. The above rule of thumb using several years' worth of data resulted in a figure of 9-12kW. The higher figures were from years when we were at work during the day and I was running the heating largely for the two periods we were home and awake, so probably very inefficient.  I've now downgraded my guesstimate to 10-11kW based largely on what I have gleaned from this forum. I've been monitoring my heating closely this heating season but there have been too few really cold days here in Buckinghamshire to make any helpful conclusions.



   
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 HughF
(@hughf)
Honorable Member Member
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 489
03/05/2024 6:29 am  

I’m in the DIY camp, completed the install last September and it has been running 24/7 since then.

Slightly different choice of install (15m up the garden from the house) and choice of emitters (rads and fan coils), but it works nicely.

I spent a bit mind you, close to £10k for all the parts for what ended up a completely new system, even down to changing all the primaries.

Heat loss and rad sizing were done with the freedom heatpumps spreadsheet and cross checked with heating engineer.


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.


   
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 Anonymous 5011
(@Anonymous 5011)
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 562
29/06/2024 2:28 pm  

Another in the DIY camp. New build that had UFH and a combi boiler. Swopped over to ASHP.

My main takeaway was question every component you install and ask do I need it? Keep it as simple as possible.

My system has a few strange things but mostly because of existing pipe work and location of equipment. And the same ASHP is shared between house and garden room, one with UFH the other with fan coil. But essentially it's a single zone with a garden room and house, UFH manifold without pump or mixer or actuators. A cylinder with big coil and 3 port mixer. Not much else.



   
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Mars
 Mars
(@editor)
Illustrious Member Admin
Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 4476
29/06/2024 2:46 pm  

@johnmo sounds great. Could you share some photos?


Get a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps

Subscribe and follow our YouTube channel!


   
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 Anonymous 5011
(@Anonymous 5011)
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 562
29/06/2024 3:19 pm  

Maxa R32 6kW ASHP, run on min hertz setting. Very quiet even doing DHW. Run cooling mode in summer through UFH and fan coil.

IMG 1719436667273

Piping at UFH manifold. 3 port valve and pump (to cylinder) controlled by ASHP. Additional pump required due to the long distance between ASHP and cylinder.

IMG20240518124949~2

Cylinder 210l slimline. 3m² coil.

IMG20240529120558

 

 



   
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 tomasmcguinness
(@tomasmcguinness)
Trusted Member Member
Joined: 2 years ago
Posts: 27
Topic starter 12/07/2024 10:23 pm  

It’s been a while, but I have completed another step! 

I used the tool HeatPunk to perform a room by room heat loss and to give me a heat pump recommendation. 

Air changes made a big difference and I ended up with figures between 6.5kW and 8.5kW heat loss. 

I still reckon my heat loss is around 7kW based on my heat meter measurements, but it’s clear there is still a big margin of error!!

You can watch the video here

Using HeatPunk to do a Room-by-Room Heat Loss - My DIY Air Source Heat Pump journey

 


Owner of a ridiculously oversized 35kW boiler and trying to make it as efficient as possible. 4.8kW solar PV with 5.4kWh storage. EV driver.
Follow my journey at https://www.youtube.com/@tomasmcguinness
Heat pump installation has started!


   
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1
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