Hi everyone, i am a new member Deekie, with a 5kW Ecodan (FTC5) ASHP at a small bungalow on the west coast of Scotland.  My system is about 4yrs old, is very reliable and by experimenting with my own settings i think i have it running as efficiently as i can.  Although it always reports a relatively poor COP (2 to 2.5 ave) i think that may just be a reporting problem, as i am quite happy with the system overall and the electricity savings are huge over other systems i have had in my previous homes.

I have two goals; improve its efficiancy and add enough solar & batteries to take the ASHP completely off-grid.

Cheers, Deekie :o)

@deekie Having enough solar power to keep any ASHP provided with power without resorting to the grid is a lovely thought, though I doubt possible! At the very time when the most heat from the heat pump is required, the solar energy available is at its’ least; (November - February approx) therefore, also the time when the solar PV is least productive. I don’t think battery storage would provide more than day to day buffering - even if you have say 30 kW/h capacity storage available. I have only experienced a late winter with an ASHP as yet as it was not commissioned until the 19th. February, 2023 so next winter is going to be my first real experience of trying to supply all the power required at the lowest cost. With 27 kW/h of storage and 8.1 kWp of PV (which is likely to provide approx. 150 kW/h in the month of January for example) my hope is that I’ll be able to fully charge the Powerwalls at cheapest rates twice a day and have any contributions from the PV to top this up and by this means, keep the ASHP plus other house loads (including DHW) running at lowest charges possible. I am with Octopus Energy using Agile plus fixed export tariff suring the summer. I hope to have built up a ‘buffer’ by the winter from all the expotted excess. Regards, Toodles.

Hi Everyone 

I’m Gill and like Deekie, I too am on the West coast of Scotland. 
We had an ASHP installed recently to replace our failing Oil central heating. 
It appears to be working fine, we are certainly toasty, but I want to ensure we are getting the maximum efficiency from it. Hence me joining this forum to seek further information. Once I have finished this introduction I will explore the site and see who else has the same model as us. 

Ours is a Grant Aerona, HPID17R32

Our installation was impressive. It was completed in a week including removing and disposal of the old system. We had new radiators throughout, new and larger cylinder and the pump placed inconspicuously at the end of the house. The team of installers were thorough and incredibly neat and tidy. We were well impressed, and also pleased that we were able to use a local company.