Heatpumps, anyone want to comment if this is an decent deal?

[beakernz]

Well, I've had a few people through. They all give different solutions and prices. However only one company I seem to trust. The guys just seems onto it where the other guys seemed lazy in their advice and knowledge. So, I am partial to investing in a system by a reputable company that I feel will do a top job. We have the following quote:

Units are *******

Downstairs: 11.2 KW central ducted system supplying 4 main rooms $10,300
Upstairs: 9 KW unit powering three high wall heads, one head in each bedroom upstairs. $6,820

Prices include gst and install

The above solution works for us in terms of heating configuration. We get a general heat throughout downstairs area, then upstairs once going to bed, we turn off downstairs central system then we can each heat our own bedrooms based on personal preference by adjusting each head in the rooms.

Thanks!

[jimO]

unless you live in siberia i dont understand why you would want heatpumps in bedrooms

[Maccachic]

So its not cold when you get up in the morning I fully understand hate getting out of bed when its not warm.

[beakernz]

So its not cold when you get up in the morning I fully understand hate getting out of bed when its not warm.

I think a lot of folks in NZ don't feel the cold. They'll be out in 3 degrees with shorts and t-shirt. I'm the exact opposite unfortunately. I've tried acclimatising, more clothes, more blankets etc and it doesn't help.

[One]

Price sounds reasonable to me. Not cheap but not bad. What's the COP? And the COP at H2? Not sure if energystar covers ducted heat pumps, but if it does, are these energystar models?

http://www.energywise.govt.nz/products/listing/100

http://www.eeca.govt.nz/sites/all/files/NZ%20ENERGY%20STAR%20Heat%20Pump%20Spec%20v2.1%20%28April%202011%29.pdf

The H2 is the low-temp rating. This is really important - if your units are crap they'll spend (literally) half their time on snowy days blowing cool air round while they try and defrost. Don't accept "I don't know" for an answer.

[One]

By the way, does your installer realise how warm you like things? The standard calcs only heat lounges to 20 degrees (I think, might have been 21). Our installer took a lot of convincing that we wanted more like 24 degrees.

[beakernz]

Thanks One. Our main goal is to "take the chill out". We'll probably still wear a couple layers of clothing while in the house. Otherwise I think we'll get carried away and get massive power bills. The COP of the central system is 4.48 (not sure of H2) and the split system upstairs would be 4.65. They claim to be rated to -15 but like you say these things trying to defrost themselves could be a nightmare. I've never run heating like this. We would have preferred radiator/boiler based heating and the quotes were over 35k, way out of reach, not to mention fuel costs.

[DazRaz]

Ones that can handle the cold is key. I had a bad experience with a clean heat scheme one that just could handle frosty mornings. Since then, I buy Mitzie hypercore ones. They cost a little more but after seeing tenants give up on the old heat pump and run LPG heaters....

[beakernz]

Ones that can handle the cold is key. I had a bad experience with a clean heat scheme one that just could handle frosty mornings. Since then, I buy Mitzie hypercore ones. They cost a little more but after seeing tenants give up on the old heat pump and run LPG heaters....

Interesting. What is annoying is lack of information on particular units. For example the units I am looking at:

******* SP1102B Super Digital Inverter
******* 3M26GAV

Internet searches reveal virtually nothing.

[buxlo122]

Well, I've had a few people through. They all give different solutions and prices. However only one company I seem to trust. The guys just seems onto it where the other guys seemed lazy in their advice and knowledge. So, I am partial to investing in a system by a reputable company that I feel will do a top job. We have the following quote:

Units are *******

Downstairs: 11.2 KW central ducted system supplying 4 main rooms $10,300
Upstairs: 9 KW unit powering three high wall heads, one head in each bedroom upstairs. $6,820

Prices include gst and install

The above solution works for us in terms of heating configuration. We get a general heat throughout downstairs area, then upstairs once going to bed, we turn off downstairs central system then we can each heat our own bedrooms based on personal preference by adjusting each head in the rooms.

Thanks!

Seems expensive to me.

[Wayne]

Ones that can handle the cold is key. I had a bad experience with a clean heat scheme one that just could handle frosty mornings.

Depends on where beakernz lives. Anything Hamilton North won't get cold enough to cause a problem (I have only had a small unit once defrost).

I would be wary of a ducted system (I have one) as you don't get the control over individual rooms. One of these days I am going to design a better control unit - the default one is just brain dead!

[JABlog]

It can get cold even in AK and when the temp drops to 5-10 degs in winter, its not really uncomfortable but you may get a lot of respitatory and healt issues, esp. for children and older folks.

Just be mindful of heating costs though, as starting a heat pump for short periods is where it uses most energy.

[beakernz]

Depends on where beakernz lives. Anything Hamilton North won't get cold enough to cause a problem (I have only had a small unit once defrost).

I would be wary of a ducted system (I have one) as you don't get the control over individual rooms. One of these days I am going to design a better control unit - the default one is just brain dead!

I was somewhat concerned about this since downstairs is 4 main rooms Living, Dining, Kitchen, Guest. I was concerned the guests might be sweating if the thermostat is in the entrance way. The guy basically said to give it a go with knowing what temp to set = ideal guestroom temp. He said, if that fails then they make a motorized thermostat controlled vent. We could put that vent in the guestroom and if it got too hot it would open/close the vent. Sounds good on paper but we all know how that goes. I'm in Dunedin BTW.

[beakernz]

It can get cold even in AK and when the temp drops to 5-10 degs in winter, its not really uncomfortable but you may get a lot of respitatory and healt issues, esp. for children and older folks.

Just be mindful of heating costs though, as starting a heat pump for short periods is where it uses most energy.

Not even winter here yet and we have already had several days with indoor temps at 8 degrees. Yes, I've heard on and off burns the most power. I recently installed a wireless energy monitor that will tell us our energy costs per day. It's pretty cool actually. I plugged in our rate and it gives us our running costs based on consumption. So far our normal usage with oil heaters running all night seems around $5 a day. I'm hoping when we move to heatpumps this will be $10 a day or under (if we find a smart way to use them). I would say morning upstairs is turned off, lower floor is turned on to take out the chill. About 11am we turn all pumps off until 5pm then cut lower on again till about 11pm, then bedtime upstairs split system runs in the bedrooms and lower is turned off.

[Maccachic]

A fire with heat transfer kit works well. It def gets cold in Dunedin alright