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| Thread ID: 67798 | 2006-04-06 06:46:00 | Heatpump question | John W (523) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 444413 | 2006-04-08 07:27:00 | There is some good info at the Consumer NZ website. We put in a Heatpump last Winter it is great. The outside unit gets sun on it so it does it's heating faster & is protected by the eaves of the house. We also have a run off pipe from it that waters the lemon tree. It's a Mitsubishi Inverter model that sits on the floor. I think some people get ones that are too small for the area to heat & then they say it was a waste of money as it's not heating. Power bills are only $10 more per month than they used to be. Pauline. |
Pauline (641) | ||
| 444414 | 2006-04-08 13:20:00 | We discussed heatpumps last year - worth a look forums.pcworld.co.nz Interesting discussion chaps. Tell me Joe - what is the difference between an air conditioner and a heat pump? I thought they were exactly the same thing. :waughh: |
Winston001 (3612) | ||
| 444415 | 2006-04-08 15:02:00 | An air-con is often just an air cooler, it may or may not have a reverse cycle to also heat . But the technology is the same . In higher density housing areas, the outside condenser unit fan is a now a new source of "ear pollution", some of the larger ones are quite noisy, often only a few feet away from a neighbour's bedroom window . I am aware of some that are a cause for concern, where the installer or owner has not given sufficient consideration to placement and the neighbour does not have double glazing to reduce such noise intrusion . I like the technology, the general efficiency is very good . It would be my heating of choice (apart from the fact I own several hectares of trees that produce firewood . . . ) |
godfather (25) | ||
| 444416 | 2006-04-08 21:42:00 | We put in a Heatpump last Winter it is great. Power bills are only $10 more per month than they used to be. Pauline. $10 more?? Every pamphlet I've seen claims its the cheapest heating option out of everything. |
pctek (84) | ||
| 444417 | 2006-04-08 21:58:00 | I have wired quite a few for clients to date. And seeing I pay $500 to $600 a year for firewood, it is a tempting thought to install one. Only problem is in our old house the constant heat is greatly appreciated, whereas using skope heaters on thermostats as we are till it really gets cold, the temperature varies too much! According to one Consumer article I saw, the cost of running a heat pump is meant to be less than buying pine firewood. | Neil McC (178) | ||
| 444418 | 2006-04-08 22:13:00 | Like the ad says. Every dollar you spend you get 5 back. I suppose its what type of heating you are comparing them too. I have a heat pump used to use a portable gas heater. I suppose if you look at the safety aspect of a heat pump I would say that they would be the saftest form of heating. Trevor :) |
Trev (427) | ||
| 444419 | 2006-04-08 23:58:00 | As I understand it, heat pumps at their most efficent can produce 3 times the amount of energy out, as what is put in . So 2kw electricity should produce 6kw of heat . Sounds good but in practice results vary . A heat pump is a fridge working in reverse . It takes heat from the outside air and releases it inside the house . But if the outside air is zero degrees then it is not particularly efficent . As Terry and Graham said, the best type of heat pump has pipes buried in the ground or a flowing stream of water . Not exactly your typical urban installation . As to power costs - no-one I know saves any money - in fact the electricity bills increase a bit . Not to mention the $3000 - $7500 upfront cost . But that is because the heat pump provides a regular central heating effect and is just left to run . It is very pleasant so turning it off to save power just doesn't seem to be an option . I've just glanced at the other thread and it has a very useful discussion . . pcworld . co . nz/showthread . php?t=59003&highlight=heatpump" target="_blank">forums . pcworld . co . nz |
Winston001 (3612) | ||
| 444420 | 2006-04-09 00:06:00 | Consumer Magazine: The article 30 September 2005 is worth reading - local library. I'd put the online report up on a site but I think that might be naughty and I don't know how to do it. Best in the test Panasonic Panasonic CS-E21DKRS / CU-E21DKR9 Recommended * Price: $2960 plus installation * Good points Most efficient cooling and heating. Quietest outdoor unit. Good airflow range. Five fan speeds. * But No fan-only operation. Other recommended models Daikin Daikin FTXD60BVMA8 / RXD60BVMA9 Recommended * Price: 2754 plus installation * Good points Efficient cooling and heating. Fan-only operation. Five fan speeds.Cheap to run. Mitsubishi MSZ-A24YV / MUZ-A24YV RecommendedMitsubishi * Price: $2664 plus installation * Good points Efficient cooling. Best airflow range. Quietest indoor unit at lowest fan speed. Cheapest to run. * But Heating not as efficient as in other recommended models. No fan-only operation. |
Winston001 (3612) | ||
| 444421 | 2006-04-09 00:20:00 | This extensive Canadian site is one of the best I've seen for a comprehensive assessment of heat pumps installations and costs, and energy efficiency. oee.nrcan.gc.ca oee.nrcan.gc.ca If you look at this site, it will be seen that NZ is only scratching the surface when it comes to heat pumps, as it is any way, with heating, insulation and building methods as compared with Canada. |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 444422 | 2006-04-09 02:07:00 | What's the diff between a/c and heat pump? A/C is chilling the intake air to drop the temp below dew point, removing that moisture and then terminally reheating it to desired temps . The must be filtration in some form, as "conditioning" the air implies just that . . . . . . . . making it clean, removing dust, mites, dander, spores, moisture and changing the value of heat/cooling as is needed . Heat pumps just refrigerate the air or add heat to it . . . . ones that do more in the form of filtration, ion-replacement and such are prohibitively expensive and humidifying/drying the air, adding ultra violet disinfecting or ozone filters to bring the air to hospital values are very very expensive . Filter media on home units are usually impinging (matrix type) paper elements and need scheduled replacement; that level of filtration is just the start, and things like spores and pollen can pass . Heating can be anything from a hot wall that faces South here in the Northern hemisphere, and I guess North-facing for NZ, to a fireplace and woodstove or a hot rock brought into the center of the living room etc . We have a lot of forced air heating here in the US, fired by natural gas or city gas from waste generation stations in the form of methane . Electric heat is wasteful to the max, and there is even a lot of frowning on using wood or coal for the smog they produce . Most oil-burning furnaces are gone now as the fuel is $$$$ and creates a lot of smog . Funny enough, the use of the term "air-conditioning' is bandied about without using the correct term: "refrigeration", which is what almost all vehicles use except General Motors, and some high-end Fords and Chrysler products . Most systems are just good ol' refrigeration units . . . . . leaving actual "air-conditioning" to GM (Frigidaire Corp is one of their companies) using chilling, condensing the moisture out and re-heating the intake air to set levels for creature comfort . So, in the broadest of terms, air-conditioning is rare in households and refrigeration is what is usually in place . :rolleyes: I personally have a strong dislike for "one thing doing it all" in the form of heating and chilling the air for seasonal variation . If one half of my current system dies, I don't lose it all and can continue with alternate sources of whatever is broken for a while . If one loses the heatpump in that sort of system, then the expenses again are very high and you lose both sides of the system . . . you cannot cool or heat if the compressor dies . Here in Souther California, I can live without cooling even though I might be uncomfortable . . . but losing the heater would be a serious blow . . . we have very cold days here too; I don't mind getting cold outdoors, as long as there's a venue with heat at the end of the day for me . Maybe I'm just getting old and love the heat/hate the cold . . . Hmmmm? |
SurferJoe46 (51) | ||
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