Daikin Altherma 3 and Sunamp zero emissions boiler - Annual service

Can only answer for the Altherma part - see 

Had second service now but didn’t get the sheet of info on what was done. 

Thanks for your reply, have just spoken to Daikin and all they want to do is sell you their service package and wont disclose any information to me, only to say that the installers have access to the service details, Help!! I would have thought that a yearly service report would be integral to supporting and validating the insurance issued covering the system installed?

Still awaiting further info from the installer.

That sounds familiar. Daikin were like that when I asked them anything 🙄, refer to installer… Eventually my installer did what was necessary but always seemed overwhelmed with work. Who are your installers? PM me if you’d rather not go public !!

Yes, i told Daikin about my 3 yr contract but they just chunted on about their`s!! My Installer was Ecolution who to be fair did a good job given the circumstances with both Daikin and Sunamp. It just nags me that if this continues there will be no service, or record of servicing to show for the system for our peace of mind or even a possible hand over in the future. I have printed your attachment thanks again Juliamc.

There’s a Daikin owner on the renewableheatinghub forum who’s signed up with Daikin, the gold service I think. He’s happy ! though he’s not on our trial. His system is the High temperature Altherma but I imagine the service is the same. I think he mentions what was done on this thread (somewhere!).

 https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/forums/renewable-heating-air-source-heap-pumps-ashps/worcestershire-ashp/paged/11#post-19794

@PHILLI2 thanks for sharing. 

Can I check that the heat pump and heat storage battery, they’re working OK performance wise? And costs?

You had a annual service by the installers, which was included in the trial agreement but you’re not able to confirm what actions they took or the results of the service? 

Would love to hear more about this and I’m sure others who have this technology will find it valuable whether they’re on an OVO trial or not!

Hi, Tim the system is working fine, but as far as performance is concerned i have had no feedback from the monitoring company apart from when the feedback information is sometimes interrupted, via batteries/ signal problems, they have been recording since May 2022 ! and it is ongoing.

I have just spoken to the service engineer who attended the property, and he admitted he was unfamiliar with my set up and could not carry out any service or had any service guide therefore could not provide a service report.

Tim do you know if this, in any way, affects the guarantee on our system? 

The engineer did however highlight that in his opinion there was a missing meter to record and send back information  regarding the hot water , so if this is true why has Passive not registered this “missing” information?

I have asked Ecolution the installers, to enquire why they have not provided their engineers with the relevant service information as when i contacted Daikin they stated that all this information was available to all registered installers.

Tim would you or Retrofit works like to comment on this? or have heard of any similar circumstances regarding on going service ? appreciate any help you can!!

Daikin LT Split system, 8KW ASHP, Altherma 3 Indoor Hydrobox,  Sunamp heat battery.

Thanks for this context, @PHILLI2. 

For OVO’s advice, your best bet is to email the smart home team directly: smarthome@ovoenergy.com. 

In the meantime I’d like to check if @M.isterW has any take on this missing meter and service reports while they had heat storage. And @hambrook @Nicllb @Adam Vetere @Primary Pro and @OrphM62 are on my list as having this kit… 

Thank you Tim its good to find were not alone!!

We never had a service! Had a Mitsubishi team member come out and perform an update about 12-18minths ago but didn’t look at the heat pump/anything else, and then had the Sunamp batteries removed and exchanged for a hot water tank by original fitters this Feb. As far as aware no service of the other components took place. Unfortunately I think the systems installed were originally so complex and due to their trial nature very few of those involved  understood the set-up. Unfortunately this part of the contract was not fulfilled. Hopefully something the trial researchers /runners learn from.

Should have mentioned we had no feedback/reports either from the monitoring. Was advised by Ovo that as trialists this info was not for our eyes! Plus turns out similarly to @PHILLI2  lots of gaps in the data collected. 

Thank you your comments Nicllb, it does seem strange this lack of onward service and data info? Firstly why give out a service package without conducting a service and i was under the impression that the monitoring of the system was to record and assess the data to help efficiency for both the system and the consumer (trialists) so we could reap the benefits of this new technology.

I had the same experiance, it's unfortunate that the home client being kept in the dark regarding data and system operation meant that the homeowner had very little opportunity to ensure the best performance was gained by using real-time operating data and what level of service / monitoring they should be getting.    3rd party ASHP engineers like HeatGeek were also unwilling/unable to provide help regarding info/service if there were gaps in the initial installers provision due to lack of system design specs, monitoring data and access to the hardware/software.  These issues were probably accepted as just part of the trial phase but it seems lack of info sharing between the technical teams rather than between client and technical teams were a significant barrier and probably an unnecessary level of separation for the confidential and impartialit/confidentially  needs of the Trial parameters.

Now the trial has ended for the clients who have had the Heat Batts removed, it would be proper for OVO to do an review in order to check whether all the systems are in the correct condition and then going forwards provide the info to the clients regarding ongoing service plans, schedules and details of companies to contact for any issues.

Overall I was very happy to have been part of the Trial, but also I think it perhaps didn't achieve the best performance outcomes because there wasn'ta very effective program/communication to refine and improve the systems according to real-world feedback. This also had an impact when there were system problems as the lack of data or sharing of information, caused delays in getting the system repaired/working again.

Totally agree that all the data collected ought to have been monitored like a hawk by the installers and they should have kept our heat pumps running at the highest efficiency possible. Mine suffered a leak of nearly half the refrigerant when it had been running for only four months, amazingly it kept going but at reduced efficiency. The installer and OVO smart homes could see the lower COP, but it seemed anything over 2.8 was deemed acceptable. It’s only because I’d recorded the meter readings myself every day that I could see the drop in performance. In spite of me requesting that it was looked at to find the problem, it took 20 months running at that poor state before the problem was diagnosed and dealt with.

Now I’m getting a much higher COP no one will see that because the Passiv monitoring system has been flashing a fault for the last three months. Emails to all and sundry have had no effect. I’ve unplugged the Passiv now.

We also didn't have a service from the installers. But I did get a local company do an annual inspection and service on the heat pump. They did a great job but we're unable to check the control system due to the complexity (although I don't think it needed any checks). Although the company are also a Sunamp installer there wasn't anything that needed doing to the heat batteries.

My plan is to continue using this company for annual services.

Hi

what would usually get done on an annual service? Is it worth for the cost?

is a ratio of 2.5 energy in to energy out reasonable?

Hey @Boots and Bens 

Hope the annual service goes well. You may find this topic particularly helpful on this:

Hopefully that’s helpful, or someone who’s recently had an annual service may step in and share.