Space Heat Pumps

[tom in maine]

The fan convectors just throw out so much more heat (or cooling) than radiant panels. And they have a condensate drain when cooling.
Both will work for heating. Cooling will warrant a way to dispose of condensation.

 

[peakbagger]

Trying to cool with radiant panels is a real touchy subject. There are many ways to do it wrong and few to do it right. I see lot so experiments but not a lot of recommendations on how to do it right. Condensation can be a real issue and hand in hand with condensation is potential mold. Fan convectors with condensate drains are the way to go.

 

[Highbeam]

Thank you @tom in maine for being a pioneer! This really is a huge deal.

 

[georgepds]

And its easier to run liquid lines rather than ducting. Probably less thermal losses also (e.g. leaking ductwork).

FWIIW, most ( nearly all) minisplits don't use ducting, for the very reason you mention ( losses)

 

[semipro]

FWIIW, most ( nearly all) minisplits don't use ducting, for the very reason you mention ( losses)

Understood. My remark was targeted towards central systems.
Its also stems from the pain I'm feeling now as I am replacing HVAC ductwork in my house to accommodate renovations. It would be so much easier to run some insulated PEX.

 

[brogsie]

Can these units be used with a hydro air system?

 

[tom in maine]

Can these units be used with a hydro air system?

Yes.

 

[PassionForFire&Water]

Do you have "typical installation schematic" for this unit in combination with your low water temperature fan convectors to be hooked up with a pellet boiler with 120 gal of thermal storage?
More for the cooling then heat function
Thanks!

 

[tom in maine]

I do not have one that is presentable. It would be a simple Primary/secondary system, similar to what one would do with a wood system.
We will have a lot more info on our website in the next couple weeks.

 

[dja950]

I'm very interested in this system, as I'm very close to getting a mini split installed.... what I have now is 11.5kw system that last year produced 12.9mwh of electricity. I ended up with a excess of roughly 2000kwh that I used up with electric space heaters instead of getting a whopping 3 or 4 cents selling it back, wasn't worth it to me.... I could probably end up with a extra 700-1000 kWh if I had a central type ac instead of using two portable ac units that are hogs running non stop barely keeping the house 72... I mainly heat my house with wood and I still plan on using that as primary heat. My house is a raised ranch with the stove in the lower level, with the only the upper level being primarily used, upper level is 1100 sqft. My secondary heat that I never use is a propane boiler with baseboard. My main concern is ac, with heat being secondary. I'd like to use a heat pump to more efficiently burn off my excess solar credits in the shoulder season type weather, above or close to freezing and keep using the wood stove in the cold months. I live in upstate/central ny.

Sorry for the long post excessive background info but now back to where I'm trying to go with this... do you think this type of system would be better for me than a mini split, especially being able to diy and not have to deal with the refrigerate side of things. If I did a mini split I'd most likely be paying about 4.5-5k for a 1.5 ton unit to get installed. This my father and I could probably handle as the only thing I fear about mini split is the refrigerant side and voiding warranties etc.... I'm curious and looking for more info on this type of system... could I just pull the baseboard and use the copper lines that are already there for the convectors? I guess I'm looking for more detailed info as a whole on this type of system as I'm less familiar with it.

 

[woodgeek]

I'm told that some friendly guys with a refrigerant license are happy to inspect your work and the lineset you pulled, just do the refrig hookup and take a couple hundred bucks for their minimal time.

I still think that is preferable, as you will have a more conventional 'off the shelf' system.

 

[Highbeam]

I do not have one that is presentable. It would be a simple Primary/secondary system, similar to what one would do with a wood system.
We will have a lot more info on our website in the next couple weeks.

I checked your site. How is this going? Any field reports? I hear rumblings that the major Japanese manufacturers are right behind you with water heaters.

 

[tom in maine]

Things are going well. We have a bunch lined up to go in this spring.
The ones that ran last winter worked very well.
Biggest issue was the 1" fittings on the unit are metric. They are a little sloppy fitting with US 1" fittings.
Once we knew that (which was on the first unit!), then no other problems.

They do need to be installed in a primary/secondary installation.