I thought adding arrows to the picture may help as I was trying to work out which part of the circuit was doing what, something was not looking quite correct but I didnt want to work it out until I can see the cylinder diagram and confirmed the location identity of all ports on that multi port cylinder.
Oh, I'm all in favour of arrows to illustrate the flow @ashp-bobba ... especially if they're different colours.
In discussions with Councillors on my Local Planning Authority, we feel an annotated photo like that would satisfy a number of the requirements in Building Regs Part-L for site-specific information.
A photo with the valves identified would make it so much easier for a householder to be talked through an issue on the phone, post-installation.
This post was modified 3 months ago 2 times by Transparent
@transparent So, as you would have it, its the law for exactly this in commercial applications over a specific size job under CDM regulations. Commercially you legally have to produce a Building safety manual which is basically an abbreviated operation and maintenance manual but you also have to provide the O&M and well as the BSM which covers exactly what you are describing. The reason you need it commercially is because it serves the public so maintaining safety especially under the new building safety rules is as big a part of the job as is the understanding of the systems operated on that public building and its maintenance.
It would be magic if (as commercially) all valves were numbered, you were given a schematic showing all pipe connections and flows / sizes and a helpful snippet of the design detail, then someone like me could say, send me over the O&M and I will take a look.
What I do know is that currently Vaillant are offering all ASHP contractors / installers a full drawn schematic and design for Vaillant systems before you install, if so I dont see why these same designs given to the engineers cannot be passed on to the clients / end user for their records. I am not aware of other manufacturers offering this service yet, but thats not to say others dont, they may but I am not aware of it.
We could equally well say that "It's the law" for domestic installations... ... in that it's a requirement of the Building Regs!
But MCS seem to believe that their own regulatory framework should be the 'master', and that Installers can self-certify their work to the LPA, who then send a 'Letter of Compliance' to the consumer.
That clearly isn't working. 😥
I do actually tag each of my valves with a physical printed label, but that's because this house is somewhat 'experimental' in nature.
I'm trying to think what would happen if an ordinary heating engineer or electrician arrived here once I've gone gah-gah!
For most domestic Heat-Pump systems, I think a photo with numbers/letters next to each control would be heaps better than what's currently happening. At least the Installer could then refer to them in discussions with the consumer or in documentation being left with them.
@netdonkey Ok. Can you give me the model and serial of the cylinder so I can work out the ports, I cant quite see the badge and different manufacturers use different ways for the bottom mounted buffers which this look like, I am not sure if I am placing the flows the correct way round.
Pink is ASHP flow
Blue is ASHP return
Red Buffer F/R
Orange DHW F/R
Green Circle (assumed heating pump and connections)
It's a tempest cylinder but I cant get enough angle to get the model/serial. Took a few more pics as attached.
Got the magnet opened and there was a spec of sludge but nothing untoward. Heat pump started up and outlet temp got up to 22 then all of a sudden it dropped to 13.6. It then climbs back upo to the 20-23C mark then drops to 13C or around about that.
On the 3 way valve the selector switchisn't all the way towards me. Would that make a diff? There is a small notch that says auto that the lever could come towards more.
It appears to be a honeywell box on the 3 way valve
This post was modified 3 months ago 2 times by NetDonkey
@netdonkey Most 3 port valves dont look like they are all the way over but they are. You can ignore that lever for now.
It looks like the arrows I marked on the picture could be correct, the orange circuit according to the data sheet is connected to the DHW circuit for the cylinder, so heat should travel this way when in DHW mode.
The red circuit is going to the buffer mounted on the bottom which then feeds the heating circuit circled green.
What I am surprised with is if the ASHP is just feeding a 50ltr buffer on the bottom of the cylinder the flow should not be running so slow assuming the pipe run is in 28mm and no strainer in line and the filter was clean.
My next thing to check is, can you see what speed the main pump is on?
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