heat pump running costs and noise

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heavyusr

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#104644 19-Jun-2012 12:21

Well my place does not have a heat pump but I want to get one installed

If I leave it on the entire day for 1 week what would?you estimate the?cost?to be?

I have been searching youtube for the noise the outdoor unit of the heat pump makes but all the videos are of defective outdoor units. Could someone record their outdoor heat pump unit for 20 seconds and upload the video so I can?hear how loud the noise is?

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#643110 19-Jun-2012 12:30

heavyusr: Well my place does not have a heat pump but I want to get one installed

If I leave it on the entire day for 1 week what would you estimate the cost to be?

I have been searching youtube for the noise the outdoor unit of the heat pump makes but all the videos are of defective outdoor units. Could someone record their outdoor heat pump unit for 20 seconds and upload the video so I can hear how loud the noise is?

I dont have a recording, however for your reference: When my heatpumpt goes into 'unfreeze' (which is does when its really cold outside) it's the only time that only the outdoor unit is working. At this time if I sit next to the wall the unit is against, I can JUST hear it. When the indoor part goes, I cannot hear the outdoor unit at all.

As for power, not sure, but I have not seen any increase in usage (however we did change from a hot water cyclinder to continous gas at the same time, and we use a lot less power than before the change, so it costs less than the cylinder did!)

And dont forget they dont run all the time - they have thermostat functions so it only runs when it needs to.

wallop

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#643112 19-Jun-2012 12:30

All depends on what heat-pump, what house, what insulation, what temperature is it set to, where in the country etc etc. We leave 2 going 24/7 during winter and pay about 300-350 extra per month. Thats in Christchurch.

johnr

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#643126 19-Jun-2012 12:41

New Panasonic head pump installed last week and it's super quiet

sep11guy

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#643132 19-Jun-2012 12:50

there is some kind of a tv scheme going on with heat pumps, i read somewhere. can anyone confirm brands??

Regs

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Snowflake

#643133 19-Jun-2012 12:53

heavyusr: Well my place does not have a heat pump but I want to get one installed

If I leave it on the entire day for 1 week what would you estimate the cost to be?

I have been searching youtube for the noise the outdoor unit of the heat pump makes but all the videos are of defective outdoor units. Could someone record their outdoor heat pump unit for 20 seconds and upload the video so I can hear how loud the noise is?

what kind of house do you have - older bungalow/villa, modern concrete pad house?
is it insulated - ceilings, floors and/or walls?
do you already use reticulated (piped) gas (then gas central could be option)?
what area of teh country are you living in (gas and elec prices differ based on your region)?

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keewee01

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#643148 19-Jun-2012 13:05

sep11guy: there is some kind of a tv scheme going on with heat pumps, i read somewhere. can anyone confirm brands??

My brother just got 3 new 24in Panasonic TV's, so assuming the Heat Pumps he got em with were Panasonic also - but I could be wrong.

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Jaxson

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#643165 19-Jun-2012 13:24

heavyusr:
If I leave it on the entire day for 1 week what would you estimate the cost to be?

How long is a piece of string.

They 'go' when the temperature indoors is different to the set point you have selected. They are fan heaters that get their heating and cooling from the outdoor unit. When it's really cold the outdoor unit will freeze up and require defrosting. Often an additional electric element will provide heat, inefficiently, during this period. The outdoor unit can be quite noisy during these periods.

If your room is huge, has lousy insulation or you want set point temperature very high with regards to the ambient temperature outside then it will cost you a lot to run and vice versa if you have a small, well insulated home targeting realistic temperatures etc.

Shoes2468

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#643169 19-Jun-2012 13:35

johnr: New Panasonic head pump installed last week and it's super quiet

Same here and +1 for super quiet and a free TV coming my way too.

As to running cost, as everyone else said its really dependent on many factors

oxnsox

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#643187 19-Jun-2012 13:59

How much does it cost you to heat your house now?
And how do you do that? (types of heaters and running times)

A heat pump is more efficient, but how you use it will determine how much it costs to run.

sbiddle

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#643193 19-Jun-2012 14:04

There isn't really an answer to the running costs because there are so many variables. It's a bit like asking how long a piece of string is.

To leave a unit on 24/7 you would probably want to budget for anywhere from $40 - $100 per week,

nakedmolerat

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#643196 19-Jun-2012 14:05

johnr: New Panasonic head pump installed last week and it's super quiet

i havent heard of 'head' pump yet.. is this a new type?

currently we have fujitsu air-conditioning plasma/inverter. it works like a charm. i never notice any noise from the outdoor unit. mind you, our house is well insulated, double glazing etc.

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keewee01

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#643208 19-Jun-2012 14:35

nakedmolerat:
johnr: New Panasonic head pump installed last week and it's super quiet

i havent heard of 'head' pump yet.. is this a new type?

Try asking for one down K' Road?

(Yes - I know that is not relevant these days before anyone flames me)

jonherries

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#643216 19-Jun-2012 14:45

"If I leave it on the entire day for 1 week what would you estimate the cost to be?"

If it runs at maximum for the entire time and has a 4800Kwh heating unit you can expect to pay at 24c per KWh ~ 168 hours * 4.8 * 0.24 = $193.54 per week.

However they can't/don't run 24/7, and how much they run depends on the ability of your property to mantain the temperature inside (how insulated they are).

Although a heat pump is worth considering (3 units of heat energy for each unit of mechanical energy) buying better and more insulation is actually relatively cheap compared to buying power... (as it is a one off not repeating cost).

Hope this helps,

Jon

Jaxson

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#643222 19-Jun-2012 14:54

Also, the 3 times better than a standard electrical heater is only relevant during the optimum operating conditions, namely when your desired internal set point is very close to the ambient temperature outside.

ie You would expect 300% efficiency during periods where it's 20 degrees C outside and you want the room to be 21 degrees inside. The efficiency drops as the differential temperature gap increases. Simply, it won't be 300% efficient when it's 1 degree outside and you still want the temperature inside to be 21 degrees.

Flued Gas heaters are roughly 80% efficient at all times and temperatures. Gas costs roughly 1/3rd the cost of electricity so can work out cheaper during cold periods where the heat pump is not operating as efficiently.

Gas heaters don't cool so well though. Heat pumps can dehumidify, but only in cooling modes, which you don't tend to use so much when it's cold.

Pros and cons to everything.

nickb800

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#643224 19-Jun-2012 14:57

jonherries: "If I leave it on the entire day for 1 week what would you estimate the cost to be?"

If it runs at maximum for the entire time and has a 4800Kwh heating unit you can expect to pay at 24c per KWh ~ 168 hours * 4.8 * 0.24 = $193.54 per week.

However they can't/don't run 24/7, and how much they run depends on the ability of your property to mantain the temperature inside (how insulated they are).

Although a heat pump is worth considering (3 units of heat energy for each unit of mechanical energy) buying better and more insulation is actually relatively cheap compared to buying power... (as it is a one off not repeating cost).

Hope this helps,

Jon

Remembering that the commonly quoted Kwh output ratings include the energy that it pulls from the outside atmosphere as well as electrical energy from the grid. So the actual electricity consumption is the figure that you want to work out costings. For most domestic units, I wouldnt think they would draw much more than 3Kw peak (thats already over 10 Amps at 240V)

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