LG Red HeatPump (ducted) energy consumption

MattT

@Hot_water_fan the boiler only runs when it hits 60-62 degrees in the finished basement (no duct work down there) maybe an hour or 2 a day just to maintain temp down there. But it's still set the same way down there so I would see those advantages in the month of novemeber, yet I still have the high energy usage.

I've gone down there before and checked the zone valves and pipe temperatures (see my other post about issues with my boiler before I got the heat pump).  Only the basement pipes are circulating for 1 12 foot forced hot water baseboard.

GGross

Jamie Hall said:

Something doesn't add up. In one post, it is stated that the estimated heat loss is around 36,000 BTUh. If we assume a COP for the heat pump at that outside temperature of 3 --which is probably generous -- that's going to take just about 3 KW power input to the heat pump. If the heat pump runs an hour, that will be 3 KWh of energy.

Which it seems to me is what you are showing?

Yeah it seemed to me that more than likely OP is using the correct amount of energy to heat the home. I don't really see the average temperatures shown on past usage reports that were shown (though admittedly I have not looked too closely at those) for reference that unit has a COP of 3.81 at +5 F. It seems odd to me that the estimated heat loss would be so accurate, usually estimated heat loads are way higher than actual usage but unless my math is off OP is a bit above that load already in terms of usage, or the heat pump is not performing optimally. I would still take a look at the plug to be sure it is not leaking personally

ethicalpaul

But if in the dead of winter the boiler was running a lot to warm the basement, those BTUs are still going into the house envelope and many of them are heating the upstairs one way or another (including possible gravity flow)

in November the basement may not get cold enough to run the boiler.

the number of variables here keeps increasing 😅 But yeah check for refrigerant leaks. 

Is the domestic hot water heated with that boiler ?

GGross

Lets see the gas usage for the same corresponding months maybe? If the boiler is running at all, then the reports on energy usage don't really mean much as we would just be guessing and splitting hairs. Currently we have a house that has an estimate heat loss of 36k btu/hr using between 36k and 38k BTU/hr which seems correct by all accounts.

MattT

@ethicalpaul there is a separate gas hot water heater, boiler runs on average 1 hour 20 minutes a day spread throughout the day in the winter (according to my Nest thermostar) boiler is doing the same work now as it did last winter.

@GGross I believe the gas bill I posted yesterday in this discussion has the previous months gas usage on it.

So today, in a 12 hour period, I have used more electricity than I have in any full day over last winter... (hi 37 lo 25 today)

MattT

Compared to a winter day in January earlier this year... notice the spikes only go over 3kwh 3 times the whole day and now it's every time the pump kicks on... 

Hot_water_fan

When your installer gets out there, please update us on the findings! If you can return to March performance, you’ll be in a great spot.  

EBEBRATT-Ed

I agree with @ethicalpaul that it could be a refrigerant issue. At least the charge should be checked

MattT

I will update as soon as I find out the issue.  If there are any more suggestions for a diagnosis please let me know.

MattT

Wellll, I'm not crazy, there was something wrong which was causing the high energy consumption.... a leak, @ethicalpaul and a few others were right.... techs are here now repairing the lines set... a pin hole? Bend? Idk... he said that the levels were so low he didn't know why it didn't shut off by itself and throw a code... here is what he showed me... 

pecmsg

Those line sets had issues. 

Get it all replaced with muller copper. 

ethicalpaul

Congratulations! Knowing is the battle!

MattT

Before repair....


After repair.....