Extra cooling

[Yuff]

25°c downstairs with a few bi-folds open is pretty nice temp.
Upstairs is too hot for me to sleep in, so needs to sub 23°c, radiator cooling on from 8pm-1am, although I think I’ll need an extra hour to night as it’s for east to be pretty hot around here today.
Still getting to grips having no buffer tank anymore, 2 wifi stats, open loop UFH and trying to work out how everything operates.
Tiled floor is quite cool after the cooling has been on the previous night for 5 hours.

[Moxi]

Do you get any issues with condensation on the floor or rads in cooling mode ?

Moxi

[Yuff]

The radiators, which are low water content, have a heat exchanger in them and a fan blows hot or cold air depending on the setting.
Not had any issues with condensation

[Moxi]

Thanks, I was just curious as it’s been discussed hypothetically on here before but you’re the first person I’ve heard using it so it’s nice to hear some real life experience as well. Is the cooling like the heating where you don’t really notice it other than it being a comfortable temperature?

Moxi

[Yuff]

If I left it on constantly it would work like that but I’m balancing export and import so I only turn the cooling on early evening and it takes about an hour for the water to cool sufficiently for the fans to come on, on certain radiators. Our property is 90 years old and has had a few additions so pipe runs aren’t totally straightforward. The flow temp has to be 16°c or lower for the radiator fan to start blowing cold air out.
I am looking at adding to our batteries and that might enable me to heat/cool at the same time, as exporting, but waiting for electrician to come up with a suitable system.

[Stinsy]

Thanks, I was just curious as it’s been discussed hypothetically on here before but you’re the first person I’ve heard using it so it’s nice to hear some real life experience as well. Is the cooling like the heating where you don’t really notice it other than it being a comfortable temperature?

Moxi

There are a whole load of problems related to running an A2W HP backwards for cooling. All can be overcome.

- Rads are typically plumbed at the two bottom connection points. Great for heating terrible for cooling. Diagonal is required for heating/cooling.
- Condensation can be a huge problem. I’ve heard anecdotes of water streaming down rads. The dew point can be managed with modest flow temps and a dehumidifier.
- Ice can be a problem if you don’t have glycol in your rads (not typically added).