Cool Energy A2W Heat Pump - Help Needed

Raven_k42

Hi All

Does anyone have, or know anyone who has, a Cool Energy A2W Heat Pump installed ??...or someone who might be able to service this ??. As part of a refurb about 3 years ago we had a Heat Pump + UFH installed. It was installed by a Meath-based company Heating Shop...but I think they're gone. We're having a few issues with the system - when it works it's grand - but needs to be restarted once/twice a day. There are pressure/temp error codes appearing on the panel...and my only solution is to switch the external unit on/off. The pressure at the buffer-tank in the house is only 1.2-1.5...so nothing dangerous. It works fine when switched off/on...until the next time.

I wanted to get this resolved plus a basic health-check/service. As I mentioned...I can't get the original installer...and I've tried loads of other Heating (Heat Pump) companies but they don't know the system...or are not qualified, etc. It's manufactured by an established UK company but they have no other Irish agents/engineers. I have spoken with them and they maintain it should be straight forward for a heating engineer to handle. Easy for them to say !. If I could afford to I would swap it for a better-known unit...but not an option for me at the moment. I've attached pics of the unit - it's not a one-off/experiment !!!...and has a Mitsibushi compressor.

I'm running out of ideas...so any help appreciated. Thanks, K

al2009

Any idea what it is faulting on specifically, fault code or similar alarm output? When unit runs take a video of the gauges on it, is the circulation pump going off when it faults?

TerraSolis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058327806/cool-energy-a2w-heat-pump-help-needed

Can you share more details about the pressure and temperature warnings that show up?

Raven_k42

Hi guys - I had a decent run over Christmas with less error codes - this the delay in replying. Our regular error is E15 as per the pic . We have UFH down and rads upstairs. Upstairs rads are on a separate timer - but as per suggestion from other Boardsies we set upstairs timer to always on and just left temp stat upstairs call as required. This appeared to reduce frequency of E15. However - we're back to normal today 😱. Would still like to get a service etc done

Thanks, K

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121583234#Comment_121583234

Ah, Pressure.. Sometimes it means temperature rather that pressure,

Would it be a scenario, that the heatpump runs, and as the house gets up to temperature it cuts off? Has it always done this or is it a new thing?

(I have no idea who you could contact though)

TerraSolis

Can you share details of your system's circulation pump? IE a picture with pump model information would be useful.

Raven_k42

Thanks T

Does this show the info ??.

K

TerraSolis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121584337#Comment_121584337

Sorry Raven, I should've been clearer - I meant the circulation pump that pushes the water through the pipes from your heat pump and into your rads or under floor, not the heat pump itself. (It might look something like the picture below). One possibility is that your circulation pump is too small to achieve your heat pump's minimum required flow of 3m^3/hour (as shown in the data in the picture you attached above).

Raven_k42

Ah - ok. Pic of circulation pump attached. The wider pic just shows the overall: buffer tank bottom left + pressure gauge @ 1.9bar, bigger pump for water/showers, and blue circulation pump. Tank on right is separate A2W Water Heating (a-la immersion). There is a separate UFH manifold under the stairs.

Too much information?! 😀.

Thanks, Kevin

TerraSolis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121587044#Comment_121587044

And there we have it - that pump is sized for a max flow of 2.4 m³/h per it's datasheet whereas your heat pump requires a minimum flow of 3 m³/h per it's datasheet. Have a plumber/heating contractor put in a larger pump capable of more than 3 m³/h flow and I'd wager your problems go away.

TerraSolis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121587896#Comment_121587896

Actually Hold Up - I see the unit itself says it has it's own in-built pump too, so you have hydraulic separation at the buffer tank so that smaller circ. pump is potentially irrelevant here. Is there a magnetic filter installed?

As noted in the error code description, the heat pump is having trouble getting heat from the refrigerant loop into the heating circuit. This could mean that the flow is too small in the heating circuit between the heat pump and the buffer. If there is a magnetic filter on this line, it may need cleaning for example.

Raven_k42

Thanks again. I have seen other comments re: cleaning filters...I think suggesting this might be a DIY-type of job. However...I have no idea if I have one...and where it might be !!. I have had a look at the HP manual...and no reference there either. I do have an email for Cool Energy in the UK...and could email asking where this is and how I might go about cleaning it. I'm learning loads through this - thanks for your patience !. K

TerraSolis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121588219#Comment_121588219

Yes It's certainly DIY-able.

It should be on the primary circuit, so either where the pipe from the heat pump enters the buffer tank or where it leaves the buffer tank and returns to the heat pump. IE somewhere between the heat pump and the buffer.

They can look quite varied, so google 'Magnetic Filter' and check out some pictures for examples.

While you're looking for it (and it may have been omitted bear in mind) along the primary circuit, make sure all valves are fully open and you're problem isn't simply a partially shut valve.

graememk

There's multiple different types, mine is like this

(I should put that cap back on...)

There possibly could be a strain ball valve on the heatpump too.

All of this will mean de pressuring the system, thus meaning you will also have to top it back up again.

Have a look around the hp itself and also on the pipes coming from the heatpump into the buffer tank.