Electricity monitor for Daikin Altherma HT

[wiffola]

Hi All,

Just about to have a Daikin Altherma HT installed - in one weeks time. Very excited.

Does anyone know the best way to measure the electricity usage of the unit? Nothing too professional but something that records current and all-time usage.

I have an Npower electricity monitor that clamps to the live cable on the elec meter, but this gets confused with our PV solar panels so is a bit useless.

I guess I need something that can clamp to the actual heat pumps cable?

Many thanks.

[Bigfreeze]

Fit a similar type meter on the live wire, in isolator of the heat pump. Something like an owl meter would do just fine.

[install monkey]

fit the clamp on the outdoor unit inside the electrics cover,and check it will transmit through the wall- usually upto 30mtr

[wiffola]

great thanks guys!

[frank]

fit the clamp on the outdoor unit inside the electrics cover,and check it will transmit through the wall- usually upto 30mtr

That will only give you an energy usage for the compressor, outdoor fan and indoor pump - it will not include the back up heater or DHW booster heater.

When we install an Altherma, we have a separate sub main feeding our own 4/6 way dist board (consumer unit) and fit the kWh meter on the sub main, this way,the whole heating/hot water energy usage can be measured.

Edit......

Oops..just realised that this is for an HT Altherma, so no back up heater and no booster heater...but.... the indoor unit has it's own supply and this needs to the measured as well as the outdoor unit. (and of course, the system can have an inline backup heater fitted as an option)

[Jon Glanfield]

This is also how we do it, but have fitted meters in the supply to each component (heat pump, back-up heater, booster heater) where we want more information about the system usage and splits between energy usage.

We use Elster meters which are about £30-40 quid.

[TiredGeek]

Yep, Elster A100C meters, fit one for the heat pump, one for the control system (if it's powered seperately) and one for the circulator pumps.
It won't tell you in money how much you're using right now, but it's a much more effective way to keep track day to day or month to month than reading the meter that feeds the whole house and guessing.
Personally, I think all installers should fit these as standard to at least their instalation as a whole, but preferably to each seperate item (as Jon does). It gives the customer more feedback on the performance and they can at least identify if it is the heat pump using all the electric or not.

Here they are on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_fr...All-Categories

[Jon Glanfield]

Hello tired geek long time no hear, where are you up to with your installation now?

[sinewave]

Wiffola,

I have an HT unit which has been in operation since November 2010.

A good installer will, as Frank has stated, install a dedicated submain and Dis Brd for the whole system and all it's peripherals.

Ours has supplies for Outdoor unit, Indoor unit, 3 x Inverter pumps for the 3 Heating zones and another supply for the DHW circulation pump.

Therefore a true consumption reading can only be obtained if a clip on CT Energy monitor is fitted on incomming feed to the sub-main Dis Brd.

I can recommend the Current Cost Energy monitor at around £35, see below link.

http://www.currentcost.com/

Oh, and make sure you're installer fits a low loss header or a buffer tank to the heating circuit!

[ginger prince]

use an owl energy monitor, 25 quid from b and q they are brilliant

[woolyback]

If you are going to monitor the power consumption of these types of equipment you must use meters like Jon Glanfield & TiredGeek have recommended, as these will measure true power consumption. Clamp (CT) type meters apart from being inaccurate will not read the correct consumption. Also with the high temperature you will need to measure the indoor unit and outdoor unit as there are 2 compressors (backup heater as well if fitted).

[frank]

Also with the high temperature you will need to measure the indoor unit and outdoor unit as there are 2 compressors (backup heater as well if fitted).

See post #5