Heat pumps with evohome

[The evo Geek]

Hi all,

I noticed how little chatter there seems to be about using evohome with heat pumps. I thought it would be interesting to share information from those of us that do (there are some of us out there!). With heat pumps becoming more and more the norm, it would be useful to share good (and bad?) practice for heat pump system setup and optimisation with evohome.
So, I've got a few questions to help share relevant information:

1. What type of heat pump - ASHP, GSHP, WSHP, EAHP?
2. Make / model of heat pump
3. Heat pump controller make / model (if known, or separate to HP)
4. Heat pump compressor type - fixed speed or inverter
5. Buffer yes/no? If yes, buffer size and configuration - 2 (balanced/unbalanced), 3 or 4 pipe
6. Direct heat pump control by evohome, or not?
7. Number of evohome zones?
8. Type of zones and quantity - TRV, UFH, Zone valve, other
9. Typical daytime/nightime setbacks across zones?
10. DHW provided by heat pump? If yes, hot water control by evo or heat pump controller?
11. If valves used for heating and/or DHW, 2 port, 3 port diverter, 3 port mixer (eg Y plan type)?
12. Heat pump controller settings - room control?
13. Heat pump controller settings - other configuration changes?
14. Property type, and approx floor area - flat/apartment/terraced/townhouse/semi/detached/bungalow/other
15. Other relevant information, comments and observations

Hope this proves useful catalyst to information exchange for those using heat pumps with evo and those going that way in the future.

Vaughn.

[kevinsmart]

Out of interest Vaughn, what is your setup? I see myself eventually going down the GSHP route. My house was originally going to have one fitted but the previous owner heard negative feedback from someone that had one installed, related to not being able to control it. Well with Evohome I'm sure you could...

[The evo Geek]

My own system details here.

Hi all,

I noticed how little chatter there seems to be about using evohome with heat pumps. I thought it would be interesting to share information from those of us that do (there are some of us out there!). With heat pumps becoming more and more the norm, it would be useful to share good (and bad?) practice for heat pump system setup and optimisation with evohome.
So, I've got a few questions to help share relevant information:

1. What type of heat pump - ASHP, GSHP, WSHP, EAHP? - ASHP
2. Make / model of heat pump - Trianco Activair 1200 (12kw)
3. Heat pump controller make / model (if known, or separate to HP) - Trianco Activair buit-in
4. Heat pump compressor type - fixed speed or inverter - Fixed speed
5. Buffer yes/no? If yes, buffer size and configuration - 2 (balanced/unbalanced), 3 or 4 pipe - 4 pipe, 100 litre.
6. Direct heat pump control by evohome, or not? - no, evo uses BDR91 to control the circulation pump on the heating side of the buffer.
7. Number of evohome zones? - 11
8. Type of zones and quantity - TRV, UFH, Zone valve, other - 11x TRV (HR92)
9. Typical daytime/nightime setbacks across zones? - 21-22 daytime, 17-18 nightime
10. DHW provided by heat pump? If yes, hot water control by evo or heat pump controller? No.
11. If valves used for heating and/or DHW, 2 port, 3 port diverter, 3 port mixer (eg Y plan type)? None
12. Heat pump controller settings - room control? - Disabled, buffer temperature controlled
13. Heat pump controller settings - other configuration changes? Buffer temperature setpoint 50 degC, manually increased to 55 degC during cold spell
14. Property type, and approx floor area - flat/apartment/terraced/townhouse/semi/detached/bungalow/other - 4 bed semi, 160m2, build 2002, located in Mid Sussex
15. Other relevant information, comments and observations - Runs very smoothly, heat pump only runs to keep the buffer up to temp, whilst the evohome systems just takes as little or as much heat as it needs to satisfy heat demands across zones. Use smart weather for 1 degC temp uplifts in 6 zones during cold weather.

Hope this proves useful catalyst to information exchange for those using heat pumps with evo and those going that way in the future.

Vaughn.

[kevinsmart]

Great. Might be useful to understand typical electricity consumption/costs too.

[spiralp]

My house uses an ASHP for CH and DHW, and I use Evohome for control. I will try to provide the relevant information, but I am not certain that I fully understand all the points. Anyway, here goes.

Hi all,

I noticed how little chatter there seems to be about using evohome with heat pumps. I thought it would be interesting to share information from those of us that do (there are some of us out there!). With heat pumps becoming more and more the norm, it would be useful to share good (and bad?) practice for heat pump system setup and optimisation with evohome.
So, I've got a few questions to help share relevant information:

1. What type of heat pump - ASHP, GSHP, WSHP, EAHP? ASHP
2. Make / model of heat pump Panasonic WH-MXC12H6E5 12kW
3. Heat pump controller make / model (if known, or separate to HP) Panasonic
4. Heat pump compressor type - fixed speed or inverter Inverter
5. Buffer yes/no? If yes, buffer size and configuration - 2 (balanced/unbalanced), 3 or 4 pipe Not sure that I understand. The heat pump feeds a 26litre buffer tank (2 pipes, in/out) and hot water is taken out via 2 pipes (in and out)
6. Direct heat pump control by evohome, or not? No - this is the way the heat pump installers set it up. Evohome controls the CH pump. The Evohome was installed prior to the ASHP and controlled the old oil fired boiler
7. Number of evohome zones? 10
8. Type of zones and quantity - TRV, UFH, Zone valve, other Zone valves
9. Typical daytime/nightime setbacks across zones? Not sure what a 'setback' is. Temps vary across all zones
10. DHW provided by heat pump? If yes, hot water control by evo or heat pump controller? Yes. Hot water controlled by the heat pump. We are not entirely happy with this, but our installer says 'Tough, that is how it works'. Previously HW was controlled by evo.
11. If valves used for heating and/or DHW, 2 port, 3 port diverter, 3 port mixer (eg Y plan type)? 3 port diverter, so can have either heating or hot water (but not both) at random times dictated by the heat pump controller. Previously we had an S Plan system controlled by the evo, but the HW controller has been left redundant
12. Heat pump controller settings - room control? No. Heat pump controls buffer temp - nominally 50 degC
13. Heat pump controller settings - other configuration changes? Hot water on at a tank temp of 44 degC and off at 49 degC
14. Property type, and approx floor area - flat/apartment/terraced/townhouse/semi/detached/bungalow/other Converted 3 storey industrial building, built 120 years ago and converted 25 years ago. Approx 300 sqm, with tall ceilings.
15. Other relevant information, comments and observations We are having problems with CH air locks and the heating is marginal when outside temps are -5/-6 degC

Hope this proves useful catalyst to information exchange for those using heat pumps with evo and those going that way in the future.

Vaughn.

I have updated the Evohome firmware to the latest version, but I cannot see how it changes how the heat pump is controlled. I would be very interested to hear how others have integrated Evohome with a heat pump. Previously we used 3,500 litres of oil and around 8,000 kWh of electricity p.a. (we have an EV and pre Covid we did around 25,000 miles pa in it). We are now using 18k/19k kWh of electricity pa (yes, we are probably melting the grid!). Solar is very difficult because of the layout of the building and we are in a prominent position in the centre of a conservation area.