electronicsuk
24-10-2007, 08:51 PM
It's been a while since I last posted here (mostly on account of my being an electrical engineer rather than having any qualifications in refrigeration engineering!) but I'm hoping you guys will be able to help me out.
I am in the process of buying a new home, currently it is fitted with storage heaters on economy seven. I'm not too fussed about their inefficiency as electricity is relatively cheap on E7, but I would prefer a more practical system that can give me near instant heat or cooling and is more controllable.
It would seem that some form of VRF heat pump would be an ideal solution, and efficient at that. After installing a couple of split heat pumps in my current home I've developed a bit of an interest in A/C, and would like to give something a little more ambitious a try.
I've looked at the various offerings of domestic VRF systems currently on the market from the likes of Hitachi, Daikin, Fujitsu, Sanyo and Toshiba. Apart from a few minor differences the offerings from these manufacturers all seem to be about the same.
My key requirements are a condensor that will run from a single phase supply, a choice of aesthetically pleasing indoor units, and the ability to have individual controls for each room plus a central master control. Are there any recommendations for a system that meets these requirements and is suitable for domestic use?
It's also worth pointing out that I'd like to replace each storage heater with a wall/floor mount indoor unit, so this would have to be part of the range. I would also be interested in hearing about how others go about installing wall/floor mount units. Upstairs wont be a major problem as all pipework can exit underneath the casing and under the floor. The downstairs floor is (presumably) solid, as are the walls, and I really don't want to run trunking. Can the pipework be chased into a wall and up into the ceiling? Obviously this would mean using a condensate pump.
Finally, assuming it isn't against the rules for me to do so, can anyone give me an idea of the sort of price I'll be looking at for a VRF heat pump for a 4-bedroom house? Yes, I know it's vague, and I'm sorry, but I haven't moved into the place yet and so am unable to perform any exact science to calculate my heating/cooling requirements.
I am happy performing (or at least attempting) the installation myself. I'd like to keep costs to a minimum, and would even consider installing a far eastern import if such a VRF heat pump exists, but I haven't seen it. The two A/C units I installed in my current home have been running almost 24/7 for the past 2 years and were cheap imports, yet to have a problem!
Thanks for your patience
Matthew
I am in the process of buying a new home, currently it is fitted with storage heaters on economy seven. I'm not too fussed about their inefficiency as electricity is relatively cheap on E7, but I would prefer a more practical system that can give me near instant heat or cooling and is more controllable.
It would seem that some form of VRF heat pump would be an ideal solution, and efficient at that. After installing a couple of split heat pumps in my current home I've developed a bit of an interest in A/C, and would like to give something a little more ambitious a try.
I've looked at the various offerings of domestic VRF systems currently on the market from the likes of Hitachi, Daikin, Fujitsu, Sanyo and Toshiba. Apart from a few minor differences the offerings from these manufacturers all seem to be about the same.
My key requirements are a condensor that will run from a single phase supply, a choice of aesthetically pleasing indoor units, and the ability to have individual controls for each room plus a central master control. Are there any recommendations for a system that meets these requirements and is suitable for domestic use?
It's also worth pointing out that I'd like to replace each storage heater with a wall/floor mount indoor unit, so this would have to be part of the range. I would also be interested in hearing about how others go about installing wall/floor mount units. Upstairs wont be a major problem as all pipework can exit underneath the casing and under the floor. The downstairs floor is (presumably) solid, as are the walls, and I really don't want to run trunking. Can the pipework be chased into a wall and up into the ceiling? Obviously this would mean using a condensate pump.
Finally, assuming it isn't against the rules for me to do so, can anyone give me an idea of the sort of price I'll be looking at for a VRF heat pump for a 4-bedroom house? Yes, I know it's vague, and I'm sorry, but I haven't moved into the place yet and so am unable to perform any exact science to calculate my heating/cooling requirements.
I am happy performing (or at least attempting) the installation myself. I'd like to keep costs to a minimum, and would even consider installing a far eastern import if such a VRF heat pump exists, but I haven't seen it. The two A/C units I installed in my current home have been running almost 24/7 for the past 2 years and were cheap imports, yet to have a problem!
Thanks for your patience
Matthew