Posted by Adrian Brentnall on April 11, 2005, 4:29 am
Hi All
We're planning on making a move from sunny Suffolk-by-the-sea to the
south-west of Ireland.
It's possible that we may do a 'self-build' project over there - but
even if we buy an existing property we'll want to make it as
energy-efficient as possible.
Here in Suffolk we have a 'thermomax'-baed system for domestic hot
water, assisted by a boiler on the woodburner and mains electric as a
last resort !
I know that you don't need 'blazing sunshine' to work the thermomaxes
- but does anybody have experience of running a solar dhw system in
the sourth of the Republic - where the weather is notoriously 'soft'
<g>
Also - I know little or nothing about ground-based heatpump systems -
other than they appear to offer very cheap energy for dhw and ch use.
I'm happy to Google for more information - but I'm looking for
'hands-on' comments from people who have this type of system are have
lived with it....
Many thanks in advance
Adrian
Suffolk UK (for the time being!)
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Posted by Duncan McNiven on April 11, 2005, 2:01 pm
On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 09:29:50 +0100, Adrian Brentnall <adrian-the
papers and the trash@ambquality.co.uk> wrote:
>Also - I know little or nothing about ground-based heatpump systems -
>other than they appear to offer very cheap energy for dhw and ch use.
>I'm happy to Google for more information - but I'm looking for
>'hands-on' comments from people who have this type of system are have
>lived with it....
I'm looking into the same thing at the moment. Google can find no end
of stuff about the principles involved, but precious little hard
information about the practicalities - like who sells it, exactly what
models are available / required, and how much they cost.
I went to a building exhibition where I talked to several suppliers.
All took my details and promised to contact me to sort out a surey /
quote. None have.
I am beginning to think this is just a nice theory with nothing
practical available. I wonder how difficult it would be to get service
if it is so hard to buy in the first place.
--
Duncan
Posted by Adrian Brentnall on April 11, 2005, 2:43 pm
HI Duncan
Thanks for the reply
On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 21:01:12 +0300, Duncan McNiven
>On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 09:29:50 +0100, Adrian Brentnall <adrian-the
>papers and the trash@ambquality.co.uk> wrote:
>>Also - I know little or nothing about ground-based heatpump systems -
>>other than they appear to offer very cheap energy for dhw and ch use.
>>I'm happy to Google for more information - but I'm looking for
>>'hands-on' comments from people who have this type of system are have
>>lived with it....
>I'm looking into the same thing at the moment. Google can find no end
>of stuff about the principles involved, but precious little hard
>information about the practicalities - like who sells it, exactly what
>models are available / required, and how much they cost.
>I went to a building exhibition where I talked to several suppliers.
>All took my details and promised to contact me to sort out a surey /
>quote. None have.
>I am beginning to think this is just a nice theory with nothing
>practical available. I wonder how difficult it would be to get service
>if it is so hard to buy in the first place.
Fair comments <g>
The one bit that sticks in my mind is something about using one unit
of electricity to get 3 units of 'heating effect' - but I can't
remember where that came from.....
The solar installation we have here works very well - but I'm not so
sure how well it'd work in a much 'cloudier' environment.
As I understand it, a heat pump is simply a 'fridge in reverse - in
which case it would use fairly standard 'aircon' components - which
should be easily serviced / replaced etc. I guess the most difficult /
specialist bit would be recharging the system with refrigerant - and
the initial burying of the 'earth-end' of the system - one site
mentioned burying at 10ft - which could get interesting.....
We're hopefully looking at a site of 1 - 2 acres, if the self-build
idea goes ahead, so no great lack of space for coil burying... I'd
also heard that running water can be used as a heat source - no great
shortage of that in Ireland <g>......
So - does anybody have experience of heat-pump installations in the UK
/ Republic of Ireland ??
Thanks in advance
Adrian
Suffolk UK
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Posted by AC Me on April 17, 2005, 9:16 pm
Adrian Brentnall wrote:
> HI Duncan
> Thanks for the reply
> On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 21:01:12 +0300, Duncan McNiven
> >On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 09:29:50 +0100, Adrian Brentnall <adrian-the
> >papers and the trash@ambquality.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >>Also - I know little or nothing about ground-based heatpump systems
-
> >>other than they appear to offer very cheap energy for dhw and ch
use.
> >>I'm happy to Google for more information - but I'm looking for
> >>'hands-on' comments from people who have this type of system are
have
> >>lived with it....
> >
> >I'm looking into the same thing at the moment. Google can find no
end
> >of stuff about the principles involved, but precious little hard
> >information about the practicalities - like who sells it, exactly
what
> >models are available / required, and how much they cost.
> >
> >I went to a building exhibition where I talked to several suppliers.
> >All took my details and promised to contact me to sort out a surey /
> >quote. None have.
> >
> >I am beginning to think this is just a nice theory with nothing
> >practical available. I wonder how difficult it would be to get
service
> >if it is so hard to buy in the first place.
> Fair comments <g>
> The one bit that sticks in my mind is something about using one unit
> of electricity to get 3 units of 'heating effect' - but I can't
> remember where that came from.....
> The solar installation we have here works very well - but I'm not so
> sure how well it'd work in a much 'cloudier' environment.
> As I understand it, a heat pump is simply a 'fridge in reverse - in
> which case it would use fairly standard 'aircon' components - which
> should be easily serviced / replaced etc. I guess the most difficult
/
> specialist bit would be recharging the system with refrigerant - and
> the initial burying of the 'earth-end' of the system - one site
> mentioned burying at 10ft - which could get interesting.....
> We're hopefully looking at a site of 1 - 2 acres, if the self-build
> idea goes ahead, so no great lack of space for coil burying... I'd
> also heard that running water can be used as a heat source - no great
> shortage of that in Ireland <g>......
> So - does anybody have experience of heat-pump installations in the
UK
> / Republic of Ireland ??
> Thanks in advance
> Adrian
> Suffolk UK
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Hi Adrian.
I myself am building a house in the Irish midlands at the moment and am
also very anxious that it should be as energy efficient as reasonably
possible and that as much energy as reasonably possible is obtained
from renewable sources.
Heat pumps theoretically return about 4kw for every 1kw input. In
Ireland at the moment each kw costs about 0.15EURO, including taxes
(about 0.104STG or 0.195USD) and this is expected to rise steeply over
the coming years. That could make the running costs of a heat pump
prohibitive, but that would depend on lots of other factors.
What I intend to do is to make provision for a heat pump installation
which can be linked into another central heating system at a later date
by creating extra service entrances into the house through which heat
pump piping can be routed and also by the use of underfloor heating
which should lend itself to future heat pump use as well as an oil
fired/other heat source for the moment.
Naturally I intend to use as much insulation as is practicable,
particularily in those areas that cannot easily have insulation added
after the build is complete (floor and cavity wall insulation).
You may find the following link to your Solar Trade Association useful.
This suggests you could achieve 1150kwhr/m2/year (falling on the solar
panel) in SW Ireland.
http://www.greenenergy.org.uk/sta/solarenergy/ukresource.htm
Best of luck.
Mike.
Posted by Adrian Brentnall on April 18, 2005, 2:35 am
Hi Mike
wrote:
<big snip !>
>>
>> So - does anybody have experience of heat-pump installations in the
>UK
>> / Republic of Ireland ??
>>
>> Thanks in advance
>> Adrian
>> Suffolk UK
>Hi Adrian.
>I myself am building a house in the Irish midlands at the moment and am
>also very anxious that it should be as energy efficient as reasonably
>possible and that as much energy as reasonably possible is obtained
>from renewable sources.
OK - a man after my own heart !
>Heat pumps theoretically return about 4kw for every 1kw input. In
>Ireland at the moment each kw costs about 0.15EURO, including taxes
>(about 0.104STG or 0.195USD) and this is expected to rise steeply over
>the coming years. That could make the running costs of a heat pump
>prohibitive, but that would depend on lots of other factors.
I guess you'd expect the costs of other energy sources to also rise -
bit of a guessing game, though, - isn't it ? Any idea on the practical
'yield' from heatpumps ..?
>What I intend to do is to make provision for a heat pump installation
>which can be linked into another central heating system at a later date
>by creating extra service entrances into the house through which heat
>pump piping can be routed and also by the use of underfloor heating
>which should lend itself to future heat pump use as well as an oil
>fired/other heat source for the moment.
Yes - underfloor does seem the way to go (I wasn't aware of it until a
couple of weeks ago, but a house in the village was built with
oil-fired underfloor heating last year - and we had a look round it.
Very nice - no radiators <g> - also a 'warm feel' to the place... no
cold spots. In our current bungalow we heat via a multifuel stove and
radiators (mostly wood-fired) - but I can see there will come a time
when I don't want to cut & split 3 woodsheds of timber each year -
even assuming that I'll be able to source the stuff at reasonable cost
in Ireland.
>Naturally I intend to use as much insulation as is practicable,
>particularily in those areas that cannot easily have insulation added
>after the build is complete (floor and cavity wall insulation).
Yes - looking at timber-frame construction at the moment - seems to
offer advantages in build speed and insulation.... The house in the
village has a floor system which includes 6" of polystyrene.....
>You may find the following link to your Solar Trade Association useful.
>This suggests you could achieve 1150kwhr/m2/year (falling on the solar
>panel) in SW Ireland.
>http://www.greenenergy.org.uk/sta/solarenergy/ukresource.htm
That's an interesting map. Suggests that insolation is about similar
for SW Ireland to where we are now (Suffolk). Sounds as if solar for
DHW is a possibility - I know it works very well over here
(disregarding the payback period !) - looks as if we could do the smae
over there. Hopefully looking at the area around Skibbereen / Bantry
etc - though we'll probably move over & rent for a little while before
settling on a particular property or build location.
Wonder where you are in the midlands ?
How are you finding the build - are you doing the work yourself or
organising subbies. I'm rubbish at brickwork, but reasonably good at
everything else - though I expect there are restrictions on
'enthusiastic amateurs' doing things like electrical wiring ..?
Still - need to sell our current place first - anybody want to buy a
nice bungalow near the Suffolk coast on 1.75 acres, paddock,
polytunnels, solar dhw, etc ?? <g>
Nice to hear from you, Mike - thanks for the info
Adrian
Suffolk UK
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>other than they appear to offer very cheap energy for dhw and ch use.
>I'm happy to Google for more information - but I'm looking for
>'hands-on' comments from people who have this type of system are have
>lived with it....