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Rank 2
March 22, 2024

Air Source Heat Pump: Electricity bills have tripled since having solar installed - any advice?

  • March 22, 2024
  • 80 replies
  • 3135 views

Help, we have had air source heat pump fitted with solar panels and back up battery. This is our first winter with this new system and our electricity bills have tripled, we are afraid to turn the heating on. Our bill for the last 3 months is £1150 when it hasn’t been exceptionally cold. How can this be?

Pinned Reply By juliamc

Updated on 12/05/25 by Ben_OVO

Without any more to go on this is what I suggest you do: 

Turn the hot water down to 50 degrees C. Make sure you’re only heating it on a schedule, not on ‘reheat’. I heat our hot water at night during my cheap rate hours and again in the afternoon when the outside temperature is warmest. The space heating (ie radiators) won’t get any heat when the hot water cycle is running so do it at a time when you won’t notice it missing. Mine takes about 45 mins. If you have a ‘legionella’ or disinfectant’ cycle enabled you can disable it. It’s reckoned to be unnecessary in a domestic setting where you’re using and refreshing the contents of your hot water cylinder every day.

Next, rather than have the radiators on for a few hours at a time (generally an inefficient way of running a heat pump) run it at a lower temperature for longer hours. Without knowing what heat pump you have it’s a bit difficult to explain the changes you need to make. Mine is a Daikin Altherma 3 and I have a Madoka room sensor. I’ve set the controls to Weather Dependant, which means the radiators are cooler when it’s warm outside and warmer when it’s cool outside. You may have been set up with a fixed flow temperature which is not an efficient way to run it. Open all your radiator valves (the adjustable ones) fully so they all receive heat at the same time. The heat pump needs a good flow of water pumped around and there’s no benefit closing some off here and there. If that sounds extravagant then don’t worry, you’ll save by the hp running at tickover rather than having to burst into life every time a change of heat is called for, as it is currently. You can turn the overall temperature down to use less electricity rather than turn it off. This does all sound involved I know. With more info on your system I might be able to explain better how you can do all this. 

Tips for Air Source Heat Pump efficiency can be found on the Energy Saving Trust website, and further discussion on the subject continues in these other Forum topics:

 

 

80 replies

BPLightlog
Super User
Super User
April 3, 2024

Can you see by looking at the clamp itself ? Would it make the usage fingers triple ?

You can but it’s not straight forward unfortunately. It depends on the system, set up etc but generally you would find the CT (probably near the meter) and look for the arrow that’s moulded into the side. It should be on the cable after the meter, pointing back towards the meter .. I’ll try to find a photo. 
If the previous usage noted was before the installation, then a CT positioned incorrectly could add double the solar feed level. (So possibly near to tripling). 
Edit: arrow not always easily visible 

 

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
juliamc
Rank 20
Rank 20
April 4, 2024

If @serennu you are able to see a clamp like this and put a photo of it here that would be very helpful !! 
The more photos the better 

serennuAuthor
Rank 2
April 4, 2024

If @serennu you are able to see a clamp like this and put a photo of it here that would be very helpful !! 
The more photos the better 

I can’t see a clamp, would it be near my meter or near the heating controls which are situated in my airing cupboard

 

BPLightlog
Super User
Super User
April 4, 2024

If @serennu you are able to see a clamp like this and put a photo of it here that would be very helpful !! 
The more photos the better 

I can’t see a clamp, would it be near my meter or near the heating controls which are situated in my airing cupboard

 

It’s more likely to be near your meter if there is one there. 

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
serennuAuthor
Rank 2
April 4, 2024

If @serennu you are able to see a clamp like this and put a photo of it here that would be very helpful !! 
The more photos the better 

I can’t see a clamp, would it be near my meter or near the heating controls which are situated in my airing cupboard

 

It’s more likely to be near your meter if there is one there. 

There doesn’t seem to be anything like that in my meter box

juliamc
Rank 20
Rank 20
April 4, 2024

So @BPLightlog if there isn’t a clamp is that a problem ?

BPLightlog
Super User
Super User
April 4, 2024

So @BPLightlog if there isn’t a clamp is that a problem ?

Not necessarily. As I mentioned, it depends on the whole set up because some inverters have their own internal ‘measurement’ sensor rather than having an external clamp. 
Perhaps an idea of the inverter make/type might help if that’s visible or written somewhere. 

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
serennuAuthor
Rank 2
April 4, 2024

So @BPLightlog if there isn’t a clamp is that a problem ?

Not necessarily. As I mentioned, it depends on the whole set up because some inverters have their own internal ‘measurement’ sensor rather than having an external clamp. 
Perhaps an idea of the inverter make/type might help if that’s visible or written somewhere. 

Ooh heck where will I find the inverter please and what does it look like

BPLightlog
Super User
Super User
April 4, 2024

@serennu , the solar panels are cabled together and feed into the inverter. It might be anywhere (ours is in the garage but others have them fitted in the loft or similar).

There are various manufacturers but it will look something like this 

There should be some detail with the name, model and size (x kw) which will help. If someone can find these details, I might be able to check how it’s supposed to be set up

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
serennuAuthor
Rank 2
April 4, 2024

@serennu , the solar panels are cabled together and feed into the inverter. It might be anywhere (ours is in the garage but others have them fitted in the loft or similar).

There are various manufacturers but it will look something like this 

There should be some detail with the name, model and size (x kw) which will help. If someone can find these details, I might be able to check how it’s supposed to be set up

Aw thank you so much, I will have a look tomorrow, I think that it might be in the Cape Canaveral control room lol.