Welcome to Koi Forum. Is this your first visit? Register
Results 1 to 14 of 14
  1. #1
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Eccounts's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Wiltshire
    Posts
    20
    Thanks / Likes
    6

    Help needed to unblock ASHP

    The flow out of my ASHP is dropping off over the last few weeks. I’ve checked the flow from the pond and that’s fine, so it looks like there’s a blockage inside the ASHP.

    any ideas how I can clear the blockage ?



  2. #2
    maybe disconnect it and flush it through backwards ?

  3. #3
    Senior Member Rank = Rokusai Simon Fish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Nottingham
    Posts
    357
    Thanks / Likes
    485
    What's the usual way to pipe these up.
    Is it pond water straight in or does a seperate stainless steel heat exchanger get piped up?

    Asking from the point of view of a gas engineer, if pond water went direct through a boiler it would block up quickly and the pond water be in contact with metals that would not be good for the fish.
    Wonder if there's a comparison??

  4. #4
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Eccounts's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Wiltshire
    Posts
    20
    Thanks / Likes
    6
    Quote Originally Posted by familyman View Post
    maybe disconnect it and flush it through backwards ?
    ive tried that but nothing came out, so I’m feering something’s stuck in there hence the manual pipe clearing question.

  5. #5
    There is very little inside the heat exchanger of a heat pump. Most designs are just a jacket with a heating coil or a concertina thingy so, if you disconnect the pipework from the heat pump unions, you should be able to see inside or at least poke a curtain wire into it and find out if there is any blockage. It isn't flimsy so you won't break anything unless you're brutal.

    Must dash, dinner's ready but if you get any problems, I'll look in again tomorrow.



  6. Thanks Andy1671, Scamp, milaz Thanked / Liked this Post
  7. #6
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Eccounts's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Wiltshire
    Posts
    20
    Thanks / Likes
    6
    Quote Originally Posted by Manky Sanke View Post
    There is very little inside the heat exchanger of a heat pump. Most designs are just a jacket with a heating coil or a concertina thingy so, if you disconnect the pipework from the heat pump unions, you should be able to see inside or at least poke a curtain wire into it and find out if there is any blockage. It isn't flimsy so you won't break anything unless you're brutal.

    Must dash, dinner's ready but if you get any problems, I'll look in again tomorrow.
    That’s great to hear, I’m going to try the old school method of poke and hope then.

  8. #7
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Mature Champion pip895's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Nr Farnham, Surrey
    Posts
    2,069
    Thanks / Likes
    831
    Is there a filter that might need unblocking? I just had a feeling I read about one needing to be unblocked from time to time in a troubleshooting section.
    6000g in ground koi pond
    +3000g lily/Anoxic pond attached
    29 koi (40 to 65cm)
    Bottom drain, Mid water & Skimmer to Drum
    JBR boichamber->Blue eco 500 pump ->below surface return.
    Blue Eco 240 -> Large MB -> Waterfall -> Planted Anoxic pond (25 baskets)

  9. #8
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Eccounts's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Wiltshire
    Posts
    20
    Thanks / Likes
    6
    It’s a Hydro-Pro Inverter and there’s no mention of a filter in the manual.

  10. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by pip895 View Post
    Is there a filter that might need unblocking? I just had a feeling I read about one needing to be unblocked from time to time in a troubleshooting section.
    Pip,

    In all the years I've played with heat pumps of just about every manufacturer and model available in the UK I've never seen a one with an inbuilt filter. There is no reason for one to be installed since they are designed to be fed with a high flow rate of filtered water. There isn't anything in the heat exchanger that could block anyway so t
    he restriction of a filter inside it would be counter productive.

    Heat exchangers are just as in the diagram above - an empty box that the water flows through where it can pick up heat from a coil or finned thingy that is connected to the compressor circuit.

  11. Thanks Andy1671 Thanked / Liked this Post
  12. #10
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Kyusai Scamp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Posts
    1,087
    Thanks / Likes
    1192
    Quote Originally Posted by Manky Sanke View Post
    There is very little inside the heat exchanger of a heat pump. Most designs are just a jacket with a heating coil or a concertina thingy so, if you disconnect the pipework from the heat pump unions, you should be able to see inside or at least poke a curtain wire into it and find out if there is any blockage. It isn't flimsy so you won't break anything unless you're brutal.

    Must dash, dinner's ready but if you get any problems, I'll look in again tomorrow.


    Well I never knew that, and I’ve had one for a few years, that’s a simple but interesting diagram...I always thought the flow of water had some complicated route to heat up...but now I know! Cheers Syd helpful as always..

  13. Thanks Manky Sanke Thanked / Liked this Post
  14. #11
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Fry Roy V's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    11
    Thanks / Likes
    9
    Quote Originally Posted by Scamp View Post
    Well I never knew that, and I’ve had one for a few years, that’s a simple but interesting diagram...I always thought the flow of water had some complicated route to heat up...but now I know! Cheers Syd helpful as always..
    Disconnect the pump piping at the heat exchanger and check the water flow from the pump before you get too

    involved in the heat exchanger. Maybe the pump impeller is restricted.

  15. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Scamp View Post
    Well I never knew that, and I’ve had one for a few years, that’s a simple but interesting diagram...I always thought the flow of water had some complicated route to heat up...but now I know! Cheers Syd helpful as always..
    Of course my diagrams are simple Scamp. My brain can't cope with anything complicated.
    Last edited by Manky Sanke; 14-02-2019 at 06:37 PM.

  16. Thanks Scamp Thanked / Liked this Post
  17. #13
    I would be checking for restrictions elsewhere, basket pre filter perhaps, pump would be well worth a look, has it been cleaned lately, can get a coating of crud on the impeller affecting the performance.

  18. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Doitsusanke View Post
    I would be checking for restrictions elsewhere, basket pre filter perhaps, pump would be well worth a look, has it been cleaned lately, can get a coating of crud on the impeller affecting the performance.
    Indeed - this is what I would look for first - pump blockage - as Manky correctly pointed out, heat exchanger of any ASHP is only SST or Titanium coil inside plastic or SST jacket - so reversing the flow through cleans it easily - I need to do it once every two years or so - as I feed it from mid water pump w/o any prefilter other than pump's cage with 8mm holes in it.

    There is also flow sensor inside - which blocks easily - should be cleaned carefully - as if stucked, ASHP will switch off automatically to prevent damage.
    You get what you pay for - or better - what you make yourself.

 

 

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:53 AM. Online Koi Mag Forum
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3
Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

vBulletin Improved By vBFoster® (Lite Version), © UltimateScheme, Ltd.