Heat pumps?

[russd7]

ok, bit of a dredge here, but our toshiba heat pump has decided it don't wanna go no more and now we are lookin at replacing, we are limited by the height of the indoor unit (needs to be less than 720mm high floor mount). sifting through the specs it seems that a fujitsu will be best fit, what do people know about them, experiences etc.

the floor unit is wider than the other manufacturers and the guy that came out to do the quote suggested that the wider units can move more air which makes sense.

the old unit is a 5.6kw but struggled when it was really cold and seemed to need to defrost a hell of a lot,

the fujitsu is a 6kw (been quoted) or we could go to an 8kw, is it worth going for the bigger unit.

the biggest daikin that we could put in is 5.6kw.

suggestions please, we need to make a decision fairly smartly as the panel heater just isn't working out

[Honest Andy]

Check the specs before you choose. Particularly check for reductions in output when the outside temperature gets really cold

[russd7]

Check the specs before you choose. Particularly check for reductions in output when the outside temperature gets really cold

thats why we have come to the fujitsu, based on the spec sheets of the ones we have looked at,

compared specs on , Fujitsu, Daikin, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Toshiba.

the Fujitsu on paper is still a better unit but what have people experienced in real terms and what do our resident heat pump installers think. always good to get the opinion of someone who doesn't have finger in this particular pie.

[neels]

Fujitsu is good gear, despite the twat they have advertising them, it's one of the two makes a mate who is independent of franchise influence installs.

Installer should be able to recommend what size you need for the area you're heating, we've got something around 6kW for the living area of our house which works good with the fan on low so it doesn't make too much noise, and our house leaks air like a sieve.

[Drew]

The Fujitsu is a good unit. Don't remember doing any warranty work on them.

8kw doesn't come in the small size I don't think.

[russd7]

The Fujitsu is a good unit. Don't remember doing any warranty work on them.

8kw doesn't come in the small size I don't think.

cheers drew, was hoping you would reply, the height of the 8kw in the specs is the same as the 6kw but cheers. looks like the fujitsu will be the answer, now another 2 weeks before we can be warm.

[Honest Andy]

now another 2 weeks before we can be warm.

Awww, you should come up norf mate, lovely up here!

[pete376403]

We have a couple of Panasonics which have been pretty good since installation (3 and 4 years) I put the outside units up on the roof as I didn't want them in the outside deck area. The kitchen one does go into defrost a bit on cold mornings and we're in Upper Hutt so not going to get extreme cold of Riverton. Cleaning the filters has a huge bearing on how well they work.

8/10 mostly happy with them

[eldog]

Check the specs before you choose. Particularly check for reductions in output when the outside temperature gets really cold

although not really related to russd7 question, here is a few extra things I be looking at before I brought again.

From memory, I think Mitsi put a heating element in the outside unit to keep it working in low temp areas, not a bad solution if it gets really cold as long as there is power.

myself I would put in the next size up from recommended, but is usually doesn’t matter.
check out the sound specs if you want to have it on while you sleep.

nice options are to have: sensor so you can get unit to either blow onto you, which can get annoying or everywhere you aren’t. Especially at night.

if it’s programmable check out the number of total steps available. The Daiken unit I have only allow 4 points per day, 2 on, 2 off. It would be the minimum. Nice in the middle of winter to wake up with the unit running then it auto turns off (in case you forget) then on again when you get home and off again later. Etc. copying one days setting to other days easy.
it can be frustrating to program but you will get there with practise.

if you get more than one controller, label them and set them up how you want.
place them out of the way of children, otherwise there can be a shit fight in the middle of the night. Getting accused of bad programming and or faulty machine by people who can’t believe little kids can use controllers, can lead to ‘problems’. The solution is to disable system in that part of the house, calls that it’s cold fall on deaf ears as the machine is ‘faulty’.

i placed the outdoor unit under the eaves on the south side up on wall mounts, no problem.

the machine does quite work as I expected it to, but now used to it. Set the temp to how you feel, adjust as necessary. Check out if system has 0.5 increments in temp setting very noticeable. 1 degree can be too much.

place sticker over ON light if in sleeping area, otherwise you will be awake......

i would recommend separate power power circuits back to circuit breakers on distribution board.
get a signed COC for the installation.

important to work out with installer how and where they are going to route the cables/hoses. Do this with the actual person who is doing the install. Make sure it is that person.

[russd7]

Awww, you should come up norf mate, lovely up here!

maaaate, i left Te Puke back in 82 because the area was getting to crowded and slowly but surely worked my way further south and if there was good riding to be had on Stewart Island i would probably be over there, i go norf for holidays as needed, now have Two stepkids living round Tauranga but still no interest in shifting back north. funily enough when the whole country is getting crap weather it normally means we are getting good weather but keep that to yaself, don't want anymore norf islanders down here (apparently im enough for them down here ) just at present it tis a tad chilly when the only heating we have is one small panel heater

[russd7]

although not really related to russd7 question, here is a few extra things I be looking at before I brought again.

From memory, I think Mitsi put a heating element in the outside unit to keep it working in low temp areas, not a bad solution if it gets really cold as long as there is power.

myself I would put in the next size up from recommended, but is usually doesn’t matter.
check out the sound specs if you want to have it on while you sleep.

nice options are to have: sensor so you can get unit to either blow onto you, which can get annoying or everywhere you aren’t. Especially at night.

if it’s programmable check out the number of total steps available. The Daiken unit I have only allow 4 points per day, 2 on, 2 off. It would be the minimum. Nice in the middle of winter to wake up with the unit running then it auto turns off (in case you forget) then on again when you get home and off again later. Etc. copying one days setting to other days easy.
it can be frustrating to program but you will get there with practise.

if you get more than one controller, label them and set them up how you want.
place them out of the way of children, otherwise there can be a shit fight in the middle of the night. Getting accused of bad programming and or faulty machine by people who can’t believe little kids can use controllers, can lead to ‘problems’. The solution is to disable system in that part of the house, calls that it’s cold fall on deaf ears as the machine is ‘faulty’.

i placed the outdoor unit under the eaves on the south side up on wall mounts, no problem.

the machine does quite work as I expected it to, but now used to it. Set the temp to how you feel, adjust as necessary. Check out if system has 0.5 increments in temp setting very noticeable. 1 degree can be too much.

place sticker over ON light if in sleeping area, otherwise you will be awake......

i would recommend separate power power circuits back to circuit breakers on distribution board.
get a signed COC for the installation.

important to work out with installer how and where they are going to route the cables/hoses. Do this with the actual person who is doing the install. Make sure it is that person.

pretty much the conclusion we came to as it is a replacement for the unit that is in the house when we bought, was on the plan to replace but wasn't really wantin to do right now, all the units bar 1 work in temps down to -15 according to specs and one only did down to -10. to be fair the daikin was the worst overall spec of the lot and their website is shit, ya can't print the specs off so you can sit down with all in front and compare

[granstar]

don't want anymore norf islanders down here (apparently im enough for them down here ) just at present it tis a tad chilly when the only heating we have is one small panel heater

True; but ya can visit us anytime, i'll close the fridge door quickly and keep the burner stoked so you don't chill yer NI arse.
P.S bring all those heatpump brochures, they burn well.

[russd7]

True; but ya can visit us anytime, i'll close the fridge door quickly and keep the burner stoked so you don't chill yer NI arse.
P.S bring all those heatpump brochures, they burn well.

its alright, i will bring the Red and the firewood

[Honest Andy]

its alright, i will bring the Red and the firewood

Isn't Red more of a north island beer...?
(you can pick up lots of firewood in Ak at the moment too )

[Moi]

its alright, i will bring the Red and the firewood

Isn't Red more of a north island beer...?
(you can pick up lots of firewood in Ak at the moment too )

the "red" might be dali plonk from out west rather than chateau de lyon rouge...