heat pump service
I've been doing a bit of research on this frosting problem recently, because mine has been doing the same.
My pump is a 2-season pump which like most of you say shuts down when the air temperature is less than 4-6°C depending on the model. My pump has a defrost mode which means that when it ices up (in my experience when the outside temperature is less than 10°C) it detects this and stops condensing but the fan keeps working slowly. The aim is to stop the intense cold in the condenser and allow the ice to melt naturally with a bit of help from the fan circulating air around it. It works on a timed pause for this process and if the temperature is not very high the pump will start trying to condense again before the ice has melted, which results in a bigger ice build up the next time.
A couple of weeks ago this was happening a lot (air temperatures 8°C) and I got a layer of ice about 20cm thick at the base of the pump which could only be removed by hosing with water for about 30 mins. Do be careful when removing the ice because it is stuck all around the radiator fins.
The 4 season pumps (also called defrost pumps by some manufacturers - like Zodiac) work at temperatures as low as -5°C and when the pump ices up it reverses the heating process to pump hot water around the condensing unit - therefore defrosting it much quicker and allowing the pump to work again in much colder conditions.
The air temperature is the only factor that affects the heating potential of the condenser - direct sun doesn't help and wind doesn't hinder. Therefore a good air circulation is essential - have recently cut away all vegetation on all sides of my pump, which has helped enormously.
Sammyboy - I'm with Bassman, I think that moving the pump inside is not the answer. In fact, I think it will hinder the heating process.
My pump is a 2-season pump which like most of you say shuts down when the air temperature is less than 4-6°C depending on the model. My pump has a defrost mode which means that when it ices up (in my experience when the outside temperature is less than 10°C) it detects this and stops condensing but the fan keeps working slowly. The aim is to stop the intense cold in the condenser and allow the ice to melt naturally with a bit of help from the fan circulating air around it. It works on a timed pause for this process and if the temperature is not very high the pump will start trying to condense again before the ice has melted, which results in a bigger ice build up the next time.
A couple of weeks ago this was happening a lot (air temperatures 8°C) and I got a layer of ice about 20cm thick at the base of the pump which could only be removed by hosing with water for about 30 mins. Do be careful when removing the ice because it is stuck all around the radiator fins.
The 4 season pumps (also called defrost pumps by some manufacturers - like Zodiac) work at temperatures as low as -5°C and when the pump ices up it reverses the heating process to pump hot water around the condensing unit - therefore defrosting it much quicker and allowing the pump to work again in much colder conditions.
The air temperature is the only factor that affects the heating potential of the condenser - direct sun doesn't help and wind doesn't hinder. Therefore a good air circulation is essential - have recently cut away all vegetation on all sides of my pump, which has helped enormously.
Sammyboy - I'm with Bassman, I think that moving the pump inside is not the answer. In fact, I think it will hinder the heating process.
Morning all,
I think that you are both correct, but I can re-site the pump in the barn which only extends the pipe run by 1 mtre, the barn is
huge and the pump will be near a open window vent and I have also a nearby door that i can control the air flow should I need more . I do have a solar system for the summer, so the pump is really for off peak times to extend my season, I just thought it would be worth a go??
I think that you are both correct, but I can re-site the pump in the barn which only extends the pipe run by 1 mtre, the barn is
huge and the pump will be near a open window vent and I have also a nearby door that i can control the air flow should I need more . I do have a solar system for the summer, so the pump is really for off peak times to extend my season, I just thought it would be worth a go??
gite-poitou-charentes.co.uk
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costablanca blue
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 6:02 pm
have you tried using the heat pump during the day only?
they work much more efficiently during the day due to the higher ambient air temperature and are less likely to ice up.
you just need to make sure that you have a good insulating cover to prevent the pool temperature dropping at night when the heater isn´t running (ie not the bubble type)
they work much more efficiently during the day due to the higher ambient air temperature and are less likely to ice up.
you just need to make sure that you have a good insulating cover to prevent the pool temperature dropping at night when the heater isn´t running (ie not the bubble type)
Hi all, I have to call a frigoriste in now. But no 'frigoriste' in Pages Jaune, is frigorifiques the same thing? Should it be someone who deals specifically with pools or will any old refrigeration engineer be able to sort it?
Have just had to give myself a crash course in how heat pumps work so that I can translate some of the vocabulary when I find a heat-pump man!
Have just had to give myself a crash course in how heat pumps work so that I can translate some of the vocabulary when I find a heat-pump man!
Kathy
Waterfront location in Le Faou
"My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am."
Waterfront location in Le Faou
"My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am."
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SandyBeaches
- Posts: 1071
- Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 8:35 am
- Location: Norfolk Coast
I know this is slightly off topic, but we have an air source heat pump for our pool in the UK. We had it installed in the wall between our conservatory and garage so the air intake is from our conservatory (= lots of lovely warm air) and the cold air going out the back into the garage (= perfect for chilling wine in the summer).
It works really well/efficiently and heats the pool up very quickly. The downside is it can be noisy that end of the conservatory, which runs the length of the house so it doesn't bother us that much. If we do want to sit inside the conservatory we just turn it off.
Worth considering for new/replacement installations if you have a suitable wall/location.
It works really well/efficiently and heats the pool up very quickly. The downside is it can be noisy that end of the conservatory, which runs the length of the house so it doesn't bother us that much. If we do want to sit inside the conservatory we just turn it off.
Worth considering for new/replacement installations if you have a suitable wall/location.