Have they redraughted laws of physics?
- Thread starter oilman
- Start date
Since when have heating industry manufactures ever told the truth.
Their marketing departments spout even more bull.... than Labour's press office.
Condensing boilers - cost of service kits, extra servicing, sky high parts prices - average long term customer savings - probably zero.
Ground/Air source heat pumps use electricity generated at only 30% efficiency - for much of the time its creating more pollution than a gas fired boiler - they don't tell customers that simple fact in the brochures.
By all means use them in Scandinavia where 80% of electricity comes from hydro/nuclear.
mCHP - high initial cost plus increased servicing - had a look at the Whispergen engine, plenty of parts to wear out. The customer won't save a penny long term but emissions are considerably lower.
Solar panels - add in high initial cost, very long payback, service costs - very doubtful if there are any real savings to be made - but may be good for the environment - anyone calculated the energy used in glassmaking?
Spend your money on insulation - it works all the time, doesn't break down, pays for itself quickly and will cut your fuel bills far more than high tech boilers etc.
I seem to spend more and more time explaining to customers how to interpret mis-leading claims and figures provided by manufacturers.
Their marketing departments spout even more bull.... than Labour's press office.
Condensing boilers - cost of service kits, extra servicing, sky high parts prices - average long term customer savings - probably zero.
Ground/Air source heat pumps use electricity generated at only 30% efficiency - for much of the time its creating more pollution than a gas fired boiler - they don't tell customers that simple fact in the brochures.
By all means use them in Scandinavia where 80% of electricity comes from hydro/nuclear.
mCHP - high initial cost plus increased servicing - had a look at the Whispergen engine, plenty of parts to wear out. The customer won't save a penny long term but emissions are considerably lower.
Solar panels - add in high initial cost, very long payback, service costs - very doubtful if there are any real savings to be made - but may be good for the environment - anyone calculated the energy used in glassmaking?
Spend your money on insulation - it works all the time, doesn't break down, pays for itself quickly and will cut your fuel bills far more than high tech boilers etc.
I seem to spend more and more time explaining to customers how to interpret mis-leading claims and figures provided by manufacturers.
I can't see why a groundsource heat pump needs to cost £3,500 to produce.
All it is is a unit the size of an American style fridge. Has a primary pump to pump glycol solution round a heat exchanger in the ground made in simplest from of 40mm p.e. pipe, a compressor (uprated version of freezer compressor) a largish plate heat exchanger and a secondary pump to carry the compressed heat round a system of radiating that heat, underfloor or radiators.
Many years ago as a student I became very interested in these types of energy. Nothing has changed.
I wold say that were there not an enormous capital cost to overcome it might be viable to have a wind farm (assuming you have a suitable location) then to use the so generated electricity to maximum benefit with groundsource heatpump.
Very unlikely to ever see a return on capital employed in your lifetime even in this way.
No the manufacturers are making rich man's toys and starting with their own Managing Directors homes.
Yes if I were a rich man I would have the latest if these technologies, but they aren't going to save anyone (or the poor) any money.
All it is is a unit the size of an American style fridge. Has a primary pump to pump glycol solution round a heat exchanger in the ground made in simplest from of 40mm p.e. pipe, a compressor (uprated version of freezer compressor) a largish plate heat exchanger and a secondary pump to carry the compressed heat round a system of radiating that heat, underfloor or radiators.
Many years ago as a student I became very interested in these types of energy. Nothing has changed.
I wold say that were there not an enormous capital cost to overcome it might be viable to have a wind farm (assuming you have a suitable location) then to use the so generated electricity to maximum benefit with groundsource heatpump.
Very unlikely to ever see a return on capital employed in your lifetime even in this way.
No the manufacturers are making rich man's toys and starting with their own Managing Directors homes.
Yes if I were a rich man I would have the latest if these technologies, but they aren't going to save anyone (or the poor) any money.
Good point, Paul. At present these alternative technologies are indulgences for those with money to spend and who want the feel good factor. They serve to divert attention and resources away from more mundane matters (that really make a difference to everyone) like insulation, draught-proofing and better energy management.
A case in point. I've just been working on a friend's house. She's recently spent a small fortune on twelve photovoltaic panels and associated control system. Admittedly it will churn out up to 3kW on a sunny day, but will barely power a light bulb on a dull day. Anyway she has uninsulated heating pipes under the ventilated ground floor, poor or non-existent insulation around the loft conversion, badly insulated cylinder (1967 vintage!), etc.
A case in point. I've just been working on a friend's house. She's recently spent a small fortune on twelve photovoltaic panels and associated control system. Admittedly it will churn out up to 3kW on a sunny day, but will barely power a light bulb on a dull day. Anyway she has uninsulated heating pipes under the ventilated ground floor, poor or non-existent insulation around the loft conversion, badly insulated cylinder (1967 vintage!), etc.
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