Good morning everyone, I’m really pleased to have discovered renewableheatinghub and have already bought a copy of the Bodge Buster guide 🙂 I’m in the process of obtaining quotes to replace our old gas boiler and cylinder system with an ASHP. The house is a 1965, 4 bed detached Laing house of which there must be millions across the country. We have decent loft insulation, double glazing but ageing cavity wall insulation, some of which has sunk. As was the style in the 1960’s, a large area of the external walls is decorated with hung tiles with no cavity behind them.

I’m really conscious that the design and installation is absolutely critical - I’ve read so many horror stories and really want a positive installation to inspire others locally to make the switch.  I have Heat Geeks down as a possible company but wondered if it’s acceptable to ask for recommendations on here for others? We’re located in Wokingham, Berkshire, near Reading and Bracknell. Many thanks! 

@tallmarc welcome to the forums and thank you for purchasing a copy of Bodge Buster.

Please feel free to start a dedicated post about your home where you can share photos and get some advice. Design and installation are the biggest hurdles. As you mentioned, checking out Heat Geek is a good idea. I had a meeting with Heat Geek last week, and their guarantee proposition is very encouraging for homeowners, offering better protection than anything MCS can provide.

Here’s the link: https://upgrades.heatgeek.com/c/rhh

Hi folks, Ian Chapman here from CHAPS Heating and Plumbing Limited in Edinburgh.

We've been running for 13 years now and still going ok.

I like all forms of heat and heating, interested in all Heat Pumps and Air-Con action.

I hope I don't get lynched for it but I don't mind gas/combustion 🤣 it's what keeps the doors open and IMO will do till I retire in 25 years odds or if I die first.

Cheers Ian 🙂 

@idchappy

Welcome to the forums, Ian. It’s great to have someone with your extensive experience in the industry join our growing community. I’m really looking forward to seeing the passion and expertise you bring, especially when it comes to providing advice and guidance to homeowners navigating the world of heating solutions. 

@editor I'll give it my best shot buddy 👍🏻

Posted by: @idchappy

↑

I don't mind gas/combustion it's what keeps the doors open and IMO will do till I retire in 25 years odds

That timescale takes us forward to the final 12-months in which the UK is meant to have achieved Net Zero by 2050!

So either @idchappy is installing gas boilers which are 'hydrogen ready' or else he doesn't think the Government target will be achieved! 🤨 

I suppose there is a third alternative in that he's working with a syndicate who are secretly conspiring to supply methane to his customers from anaerobic digesters concealed deep in Edinburgh's sewers. That's a plot-line worthy of its own forum topic.

@transparent

Without wishing to sound too cynical, I think the second option is the most likely scenario. Whichever government is in power will be able to blame previous governments for either making the required targets too stringent, or failing to meet the specified targets when they had the chance. Do you really expect a politician to admit it was their fault?

Nope, but while there's no sanctions contained within the CCA or Paris agreement the primary sanction for any non-compliance would be judicial review. Just watch those court cases get a bit nasty...

Hi I'm Vic, I am an energy professional and enthusiast! I live in a flat, that I can't do too much to because it is in a conservation area and I'm a leaseholder. I have a gas boiler and a hot water storage tank.

Posted by: @energy-optimiser

↑

Hi I'm Vic, I am an energy professional and enthusiast! I live in a flat, that I can't do too much to because it is in a conservation area and I'm a leaseholder. I have a gas boiler and a hot water storage tank.

One way that you may be able to reduce your energy consumption is by ensuring your gas boiler is operating in condensing mode. A further method is to reduce the desired indoor temperatures.

Hi all,

I'm currently an ASHP/Solar PV and battery noobie since getting an install back in June.  No doubt you will see me posting many questions across all the forum topics as I get my head around it.

I didnt see any mention about cross posting in the forum rules but I will admit I did skim across them so please let me know!!

I'm currently running the following:

6.2kW Solar PV

5kW Puredrive/Duracell Battery

8kW Samsung r290 ASHP

Posted by: @netdonkey

↑

I didnt see any mention about cross posting in the forum rules

Nah.... we're pretty laid back.
There's very little that makes us cross 😉 

Please post where you'd like to join in.
For others to find what you've contributed, the closer you stick within the subject matter of that Topic, the easier it is!

I tend to add links to other relevant Topics.
More often I'll use a graphic which has already been discussed elsewhere.
Usually those are my own graphics, but I also snip parts of photos from others if I think it will aid the discussion.

I did that here a couple of days ago, when I edited and re-posted a photo originally contributed by @david999 in a topic he started on DIY additions to an existing set of solar panels.

You should feel free to start your own topic if you want us to discuss particular aspects of your own installation, which you don't think we've already covered.
For example, I think you're the first to mention a Puredrive battery storage unit, which is why I've just added a link to the Puredrive site.

I looked up the Puredrive spec a few minutes ago. So I now know that it's a wall-hung 5kWh LiFePO4 storage battery with an integral BMS.
That means it's using 16 100Ah cells in series, which is the most common arrangement.
Up to 5 Puredrive units can be connected together, making it very similar to other manufacturers, such as Pylontech.

However, the Puredrive battery is 59Kg, and therefore just above the H&S guidelines for a "2-man lift".
The Pylontech US5000C battery is rack-mounted and weighs 40Kg.
Thus Pylontech relies on the rigidity of the rack, whereas Puredrive must be totally self-supporting.

Your Dura-i-6k PV inverter has two solar MPPT inputs, with a maximum 550v DC rating for each.
It too is modular. More inverters can be connected in parallel if you require extra power.
It's a single-phase grid-tied inverter, which begs the question of how it satisfies the usual G98 specification for max possible grid export of 3.6kW.

Or perhaps your DNO has granted a higher rate of export?