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Heat Pump Manufacturers / Installers

  • 07-01-2008 1:49pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭


    Happy new year all.
    I am in the process of trying to decide which heat pump manufacturer and installer to go with.
    At the moment I am researching THERMIA, NIBE and NEURA heat pumps and thier installers.
    All have an installation cost of circa 25K inc underfloor upstairs and down with horizontal collector.House 3000sq/ft
    I would appreciate anyones advice or experience with the above heat pumps and / or thier suppliers with regard to quality of workmanship, backup service , running costs etc etc
    Both thermia and nibe are 12kw heat pumps. Neura is a 9/18kw heat pump
    Does you heat pump cater for all your hot water needs or do you have to rely on immersion or solar etc to boost it up to 60 - 65 deg C.
    Have been told that it will cater for all needs by installers but others tell me that 45 deg C is a more realistic figure.
    Thanks
    Da Lad


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 45,760 ✭✭✭✭muffler


    For anyone wishing to reply there will be no problem posting up manufacturers names, model numbers, ratings/capacities, running costs and the likes.

    DONT post suppliers/retailers names (Brand names are OK) or dont go saying things like the XXXX suppliers are the biggest shower of bastards. If you have something positive to say then fine - but without pimping any business otherwise PM the OP with recommendations if you wish.

    Smashey may have something to add to this but that is my lot.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭DA-LAD


    Anyone......

    Update - I have eliminated the neura as they suggest installing a seperate independant heat pump just to heat the water at an extra cost of about 5k. which drives up the cost to about 30k.so their gone.

    Also in the meantime have heard a waterfurnace hp operating and its not the quietest at all. Definately not suitable for a utility installion and to be honest i dont think installing a heat pump in a garage as suggested makes sense due to thermal losses between it and he house 8-10 meters away.

    Left with nibe or thermia.
    Have seen the nibe fitted in a house (in utility) and it looks very neat with a 300lt tank alongside, plus its extremely quiet. (like a fridge)
    Have yet to look at the thermia.


  • Registered Users Posts: 45,760 ✭✭✭✭muffler


    I'll leave this for another day or so and might fire it over to the DIY forum where the OP may get some feedback.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,243 ✭✭✭Qwerty?


    We have the NIBE HP installed now for over 2 years, and so far, we are very happy with it.

    It's very quiet and the running costs are approx €900/ year for a 3500sq ft house.

    Hope this helps.

    Q.


  • Registered Users Posts: 41 gunner0098


    Hi,

    I had a NIBE geothermal heatpump installed in December 06. We didn't move in to the house till May 07. The heatpump cost €11,500 and with the UFH the total cost of the install came to €20,500. (€4300 received from SEI)

    We are now having problems with the heat in the house, it's actually cold and my tiles in the kitchen are very cold to walk on (sitting room , hall and lounge also cold). Yet my master bathroom is fine, the tiles are warm and you can feel the heat.
    I've had the installer out 6/7 times, with the last vist on Friday the 11th of Jan 08. They've replaced stats, flushed the system, balanced the zones, tested the heat pump .....the list goes on. I know I'm getting off the point but I've spent 20 grand on a heating system to heat my BATHROOM!!! Oh, it does supply all the hotwater without issue!

    My installer told me that 80% of the heatpumps used in Ireland are now been supplied by NIBE. They are quiet and I have 150lt HW tank in mine. The installer adviced that my heatpump with HW has cost me €700 since it's install (€55 per month). This is a nice number, but my ESB bill that I recieved at the start of December was €325 (still can't figure it out!!!)

    Is anyone else having problems with their Geo system? What did you do to resolve it and how far did you with your installer? Any tips or advice would be very gratefull!!! (And maybe my wife might talk to me again!!!)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 424 ✭✭jasgrif11


    I also recently had a Nibe fighter system installed. Mine has an inbuilt hot water tank. Its only installed 4 weeks, but the heat in the house in very good you instantly feel it when you walk into the house. But the floors dont feel hot to touch maybe very slightly lukewarm but not much.
    I presume that this is down to the floors still trying out. I have yet to receive an ESB bill but the system has been going 24/7 for the last 4 weeks with average readings of 28/29 degrees. I will post my ESB bill when I get it. It should give the exact price of heat as I'm still not living in the house so not using any other electricity.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭DA-LAD


    Hey Gunner,
    Sorry to hear your troubles. Can I ask you to pm me the details of the crowd that installed the system so i can stay clear of them.!
    Did they carry out the complete installation ie underfloor and heat pump or did your plumber do underfloor.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭DA-LAD


    Anyone else installed a nibe or thermia system. Or even an IVT heat pump


  • Registered Users Posts: 79 ✭✭dcom


    Good thread Da-Lad, very practical advice.

    Im looking at a company who use Hautec heatpumps they seem to be manufactured in Germany and the web site claims they are in the business 20 years??
    This is the first time I heard of this make.

    Anybody used them or have any advice for me?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭DA-LAD


    Hey dcom,
    Hautec heatpumps...Never heard of em.
    Suggest if you do make contact with them that you at least get names and numbers of previous customers. If they cant provide that then run forest run.
    Could there be issues with spares availability if they are a small outfit.
    Was thinkin of ringing SEI and asking what percentage each manufacturer holds for grant applications so far. They might tell you how many grant applications they have recieved for this model
    See here for approved installers
    http://www.sei.ie/index.asp?locID=773&docID=-1

    What sort of COP are they claiming and how does the price compare to other manufacturers?
    Is it worth taking a gamble with a crowd that have no track record especially if the price difference is small....or is it


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7 alice123


    Hi,
    Perhaps we have had the same installers. Have NIBE heat pump. Our esb bills are unbelievable expensive. Have loads of problems pretty much like the ones you have stated. We have the heat recovery system rather than the Geothermal. Its only installed a year. Cannot get any after service from the installers. Where do we turn next??
    gunner0098 wrote: »
    Hi,

    I had a NIBE geothermal heatpump installed in December 06. We didn't move in to the house till May 07. The heatpump cost €11,500 and with the UFH the total cost of the install came to €20,500. (€4300 received from SEI)

    We are now having problems with the heat in the house, it's actually cold and my tiles in the kitchen are very cold to walk on (sitting room , hall and lounge also cold). Yet my master bathroom is fine, the tiles are warm and you can feel the heat.
    I've had the installer out 6/7 times, with the last vist on Friday the 11th of Jan 08. They've replaced stats, flushed the system, balanced the zones, tested the heat pump .....the list goes on. I know I'm getting off the point but I've spent 20 grand on a heating system to heat my BATHROOM!!! Oh, it does supply all the hotwater without issue!

    My installer told me that 80% of the heatpumps used in Ireland are now been supplied by NIBE. They are quiet and I have 150lt HW tank in mine. The installer adviced that my heatpump with HW has cost me €700 since it's install (€55 per month). This is a nice number, but my ESB bill that I recieved at the start of December was €325 (still can't figure it out!!!)

    Is anyone else having problems with their Geo system? What did you do to resolve it and how far did you with your installer? Any tips or advice would be very gratefull!!! (And maybe my wife might talk to me again!!!)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7 alice123


    We have the Nibe fighter stsyem installed/Heat recovery stystem.
    I am very interested to hear how you got on with your esb bill. Hope you didn't get the same shock we did. ???
    jasgrif11 wrote: »
    I also recently had a Nibe fighter system installed. Mine has an inbuilt hot water tank. Its only installed 4 weeks, but the heat in the house in very good you instantly feel it when you walk into the house. But the floors dont feel hot to touch maybe very slightly lukewarm but not much.
    I presume that this is down to the floors still trying out. I have yet to receive an ESB bill but the system has been going 24/7 for the last 4 weeks with average readings of 28/29 degrees. I will post my ESB bill when I get it. It should give the exact price of heat as I'm still not living in the house so not using any other electricity.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,556 ✭✭✭✭AckwelFoley


    Perhaps we have had the same installers. Have NIBE heat pump. Our esb bills are unbelievable expensive. Have loads of problems pretty much like the ones you have stated.

    Theesb is high because the house is not properly insulated to the specification required by the system.

    Did your supplier look at the Insulation type of the house propr to specifying the system?

    Did they do the callout and inspect the house?

    Ive said it before and i'll say it 1000 times more. Geothermal works. Its not new, its been used for years in other countries.. We Irish (as in the suppliers) see the money but dont explain the theory behind the systems or properly investigate the site first.

    I wouldnt sell you geothermal or solar unless i see plans of the house and do a site visit first. If the customer wants it, there going to fit it properly, i dont want my product or name given a bad rep because its not installed or specified correctly.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,556 ✭✭✭✭AckwelFoley


    It needs to be made clear that these systems have been designed to save money. If your bill owith the ESB is expensive , then its not saving energy is it.. because its costing the country money and resources to suppl the electricity, so therefore there is obv a problem.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7 alice123


    thank you for prompt reply. You have hit the nail on the head with your quote 'see the money but dont explain the theory behind the system'. Anything we have learned about our heat recovery system and the Nibe heat pumps we have learned from the internet. We Have not been able to get back up service from the installers. What we need now is a engineers inspection of the heating system follower by a report which we can forward to our Installers. Do you know someone that can help us with this?.
    snyper wrote: »
    Theesb is high because the house is not properly insulated to the specification required by the system.

    Did your supplier look at the Insulation type of the house propr to specifying the system?

    Did they do the callout and inspect the house?

    Ive said it before and i'll say it 1000 times more. Geothermal works. Its not new, its been used for years in other countries.. We Irish (as in the suppliers) see the money but dont explain the theory behind the systems or properly investigate the site first.

    I wouldnt sell you geothermal or solar unless i see plans of the house and do a site visit first. If the customer wants it, there going to fit it properly, i dont want my product or name given a bad rep because its not installed or specified correctly.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,556 ✭✭✭✭AckwelFoley


    What part of the world are you in?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7 alice123


    galway


  • Registered Users Posts: 79 ✭✭dcom


    What sort of COP are they claiming and how does the price compare to other manufacturers?
    Is it worth taking a gamble with a crowd that have no track record especially if the price difference is small....or is it[/QUOTE]

    Hi DA-LAD, I have looked on their web site I think it says that the COP is 3.3 or 4.5 but its in German so I gave up trying to understand it:D,
    I think what you said is right and its best to steer clear of the unknown.
    Our builder had mentioned the company who use the Hautec heatpump because he had worked with them on a recent build in our area but its really to soon for any feedback on the pump in action.
    We havent approached them for a price just yet still gathering info. Will let you know if we do price them...


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,556 ✭✭✭✭AckwelFoley


    alice123 wrote: »
    galway


    Give me a day or so.. i need to have a poke about ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7 alice123


    thanks:rolleyes:


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  • Registered Users Posts: 12,556 ✭✭✭✭AckwelFoley


    http://www.acei.ie/

    That is the Website for Chartered Engineers of Ireland.

    I got their number (01) 6425588

    Ring them and ask them for a specialist in Geothermal engineering in your area for an independent inspection of your system


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7 alice123


    Thank you so much for that. Will do it straight away.
    snyper wrote: »
    http://www.acei.ie/

    That is the Website for Chartered Engineers of Ireland.

    I got their number (01) 6425588

    Ring them and ask them for a specialist in Geothermal engineering in your area for an independent inspection of your system


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1 Arsenal2008


    gunner0098 wrote: »
    Hi,

    I had a NIBE geothermal heatpump installed in December 06. We didn't move in to the house till May 07. The heatpump cost €11,500 and with the UFH the total cost of the install came to €20,500. (€4300 received from SEI)

    We are now having problems with the heat in the house, it's actually cold and my tiles in the kitchen are very cold to walk on (sitting room , hall and lounge also cold). Yet my master bathroom is fine, the tiles are warm and you can feel the heat.
    I've had the installer out 6/7 times, with the last vist on Friday the 11th of Jan 08. They've replaced stats, flushed the system, balanced the zones, tested the heat pump .....the list goes on. I know I'm getting off the point but I've spent 20 grand on a heating system to heat my BATHROOM!!! Oh, it does supply all the hotwater without issue!

    My installer told me that 80% of the heatpumps used in Ireland are now been supplied by NIBE. They are quiet and I have 150lt HW tank in mine. The installer adviced that my heatpump with HW has cost me €700 since it's install (€55 per month). This is a nice number, but my ESB bill that I recieved at the start of December was €325 (still can't figure it out!!!)

    Is anyone else having problems with their Geo system? What did you do to resolve it and how far did you with your installer? Any tips or advice would be very gratefull!!! (And maybe my wife might talk to me again!!!)

    Hi gunner0098,
    We seem to be having the exact same problem as you.(even the silent treatment from my girlfriend)
    Just wondering have you resolved any of the problems since?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,290 ✭✭✭ircoha


    snyper wrote: »
    http://www.acei.ie/

    That is the Website for Chartered Engineers of Ireland.

    I got their number (01) 6425588

    Ring them and ask them for a specialist in Geothermal engineering in your area for an independent inspection of your system

    This is not the website for Chartered Engineers of Ireland.

    The link above is for Consulting Engineers which is an association with legitimate but vested interests
    www.iei.ie is for Chartered engineers and their remit is a professional one.

    In passing, maybe this thread should move to the RE subforum.


  • Registered Users Posts: 45,760 ✭✭✭✭muffler


    Moved to the Renewable Energies forum.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4 sandy_mac


    alice123 wrote: »
    Hi,
    Perhaps we have had the same installers. Have NIBE heat pump. Our esb bills are unbelievable expensive. Have loads of problems pretty much like the ones you have stated. We have the heat recovery system rather than the Geothermal. Its only installed a year. Cannot get any after service from the installers. Where do we turn next??

    I have just moved into a house with a NIBE heat recovery unit for all heating/hotwater. The house is very warm... to warm even! My bill came in at £300 for 10 weeks in a small 1 person new-build house! I've never had a bill like this in my life! I've tried everything to turn the system down to reduce energy consumption, but it seems that it has a mind of its own. Do you know of any tricks? I'm on the verge of turning off the 'big switch', plugging in my elecric radiator, (which I can turn off when I'm at work!) and washing with kettles of water! Any help would be greatly appreciated!


  • Registered Users Posts: 3 Bigbaddan


    hey everybody, really needs someones help ASAP were in the winter and its feckin freezing in my house and there is something worng with our heat pump.
    we just moved in nd havent a clue nd the owners are on holidays (of course) so I was wondering if anybody could really help me out

    I own a Ivt heat pump and when i check the status on it, it says its in summer mode ( which i havent a clue why) so the heat pump thinks its in summer nd shuting off the heat.

    Recently i found that the outdoor temperature on the pump says that its 37 degrees outside ( I only wish) so i think i found why its shut off.

    does anybody know off the top of their head how to bring the outside temperature down so me and my family can have heat??? thanks in advance


  • Registered Users Posts: 536 ✭✭✭Condenser


    Bigbaddan wrote: »
    hey everybody, really needs someones help ASAP were in the winter and its feckin freezing in my house and there is something worng with our heat pump.
    we just moved in nd havent a clue nd the owners are on holidays (of course) so I was wondering if anybody could really help me out

    I own a Ivt heat pump and when i check the status on it, it says its in summer mode ( which i havent a clue why) so the heat pump thinks its in summer nd shuting off the heat.

    Recently i found that the outdoor temperature on the pump says that its 37 degrees outside ( I only wish) so i think i found why its shut off.

    does anybody know off the top of their head how to bring the outside temperature down so me and my family can have heat??? thanks in advance

    You most likely have a faulty outdoor sensor which needs to be replaced. Contact the supplier or any IVT agent you come across on google and get it replaced. Also make sure its on a north facing wall or it will be influenced by the sun during the days.


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