Alpha E-Tec Hybrid Heat Pump Boiler System Review

[@AllenHart999]

Ben is amazing on video, I am still his biggest fan.

[@roebuddy01]

Can the hybrid unit work in reverse to provide cooling in the summer?

[@AllenHart999]

Amazing video.

[@Heatable]

Thanks Allen!

[@DragonXDrei]

vaillant does a pump and boiler kit that work together.

[@martinmcguinness9482]

I normally fit alpha boilers but I have found the hybrid system works ok but better training req as all I have found is the customer now has a higher electricity bill but works ok I find it amazing that all these air source heatmpumps appear to change the laws of physics

[@neo_265]

I'd be very interested in a hybrid system as I have no room for a hot water cylinder. What sort of price would a system like this cost?

[@Heatable]

Hi Peter, the current sale price ranges from £5-10k, it all depends on the type of property and the products you go for.

[@avivscrewvalla]

They downgraded from a V200 Combi (the best on the market) to a Alpha!?!?

[@UrbanPlumbers]

Disturbing, isn't it? Total lack of awareness ;)

[@avivscrewvalla]

@@UrbanPlumbers Given your "love" for Viessmann, I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or really don't like Alpha!?

[@gino2465]

So a year on what have they saved

[@beardysam2052]

Why do you need to replace the combo with an alpha one? Can’t you just use the heat pump for central heating and the old combi just for hot water?

[@Heatable]

The Alpha heat pump can only be installed with the E-Tec combi boiler - it's sold as a hybrid package. This is due to the smart tech controls that work to use the energy prices and temperature to choose the most efficient combination to heat the home.

[@coasterfest]

I've just had a new Alpha Etec Plus 33NX installed last month. Loving it, it's a lot more economical than our old combi. would this work alongside that new combi?

[@Heatable]

Hi, the hybrid heat pump isn't compatible with any other model due to the hybrid boiler needing to have a receiver for the heat pump and controls to send signals to.

[@coasterfest]

@@Heatable Hey, thanks for the reply. No problem, the new boiler is worlds apart from our old ancient one, in terms of efficiency and costs so far, so we're happy with it. We're in a very old coaching inn. with very poor insulation. We've just had the windows changed to double glazing, and will look to insulate and improve heat loss further over the next few years, then maybe we can look at heat pumps again in the future. :) We have to get energy costs under control, as they're sinking the pub. The single biggest challenge we're facing in the hospitality industry right now in my opinion. Especially in older, traditional 'patch work' buildings like ours. 200 - 300kWh per day, depending how busy the kitchen is, and that's just electricity, before you factor in gas. :(

[@Heatable]

@@coasterfest Appreciate you came here through a boiler / heat pump video but have you looked into solar /battery storage and cheap overnight tariffs? It sounds like you have a huge electricity demand and could make a real impact on reducing your bills if you had the right set up and roof space?

[@coasterfest]

@@HeatableYes, we have a good amount of roof space too, it’s something I’d love to do, but the roof, as it is, is unsuitable. It’s mostly hipped and gable slated roof areas, with a lot of south facing sections, and plenty of East / West sections too. The problem is that, many years before the brewery sold the pub, instead of repairing / replacing the roof when required, they covered the slates in some sort of fabric membrane to extend it’s life (sorry, I don’t know what it’s called.) Adding solar alone is something we’d struggle to pay for, and would have to finance. (Ultimately it’d be worth the cost, and would pay it’s own finance off.) But, the cost of replacing this much roof, and adding solar simultaneously, is definitely beyond us financially at the moment. :(

[@ronseal02]

Can this hybrid system be used with a boiler fitted by yourselves, plus does it (Alpha E Tec) work with the Nest setup?

[@Heatable]

The hybrid system includes the Alpha E-Tec and heat pump system as well as the Alpha Smartech Plus. The idea is that the Alpha control uses smart technology and built-in weather compensation so you wouldn't have a use for your Nest.

[@simonparker4701]

Do you normally use a SWA cable for power supply to the HP?

[@ScottHetherington-mn4sh]

I am on the Octopus Agile tariff, so my electricity price changes every 30 minutes. Can the system controller/app recognise this or can only 1 value be input for electricity cost?

[@Heatable]

Hey Scott, the flexibility that it currently offers is 3 inputs for electricity. This is an F1 F2 and F3 slot. F1 is Mon-Fri from 8:00-19:00. F2 is Mon-Fri 7:00-8:00 19:00-23:00 as well as 7:00-23:00 on a Saturday. Finally F3 offers cheaper hours Mon-Sat 23:00-7:00 and 24 hours on a Sunday. If you know it's mostly cheaper rates overnight then it would make sense to use F3 and for the mornings and evenings use F2 for example.

[@johnnym1215]

I would be interested to know what efficiency you have reached in this property. You quoted you would like to see 130% other sales information on this system quotes 160%. thanks

[@Heatable]

Hi Johnny, we should be able to give an overview of efficiency when we go back to this property in a couple of months.

[@cloud12274]

What about if I have 10mm microbore?

[@dazzap1782]

Can a hybrid heat pump/boiler replace a system boiler connected to an existing thermal store/solar thermal install?

[@Heatable]

The Alpha Hybrid Heat Pump system has to be connected to the Alpha E Tec combi boiler so sadly this isn't possible with this system.

[@1982nool]

I've had mine fitted been left no instruction manual download of the app and it's asking for a SRT code 🤷

[@Heatable]

Hey Chris, this might be the boiler serial number which you can find at the top of boiler near the flue turret. Let us know if this works?

[@ram64man]

team can you please let users know if with this alpha e-tech hybrid is available with the heat pump grant? since this is the first combi heatpump single unit on the market, or is it only for full heat pump only units

[@Heatable]

Unfortunately, hybrid systems aren't eligible for the BUS scheme grant, only ground and air source heat pumps.

[@ram64man]

@@Heatable thanks

[@ram64man]

I’m sure hybrid’s units could be plugged in an existing system providing the appropriate weather compensation and smart unit wired via a wiring center were installed together with a low loss header effectively dividing the heating from the hot water completely

[@Heatable]

The Alpha E-Tec and Heat pump are sold as a package because they've been produced to work seamlessly together with smart tech that has been built specifically for the hybrid model.

[@ram64man]

@@Heatable thanks team

[@ram64man]

team its not detailed in the video, please ask Alpha how does the install for the condensate pipe work from the heat pump for when it goes into defrost cycle, specifically in cold weather, that can be a big issue such as in flat on the balcony, people down stairs will complain about a constant water flow etc, or is it pumped elsewhere

[@patrickwheeler2646]

I wonder what the carbon impact of replacing the most efficient boiler in the UK market with that hybrid is? The V-200 would have worked for another couple of decades and is the cheapest to run boiler you can have. This is an excellent advert for how NOT to do things.

[@DavidHeath-xg9os]

Hope the customer has plenty of money, what was the cost of all this !!

[@gavinhawkins705]

Looks good 👍

[@benediktasg807]

Best wood burner 🎉

[@itscoconutsaregood]

Interesting. Shame UK Government don't support them with a grant like they do for full blown heat pump install. Some lobbying your MP needed.

[@Heatable]

It is a shame there's currently no support but hopefully in the future there will be!

[@deanchapple1]

Gas = £0.10KW/h and Electric = £0.34KW/h So surely it’s always cheaper to use gas?

[@MuhammadKhan-yl7mt]

I'm thinking the same, if Heatable could comment on this please?

[@fredflintstone1428]

Gas by the end of the year 2023 (the EPG cap) will be 20p, by the end of 2024 will probably be 40p per kW/h. Electric overnight deals will probably be under this by that time. We are told that heat pumps are used extensively in colder climates such as Sweden and Norway, but I would be interested to know how they can make them work when the outside temperature is between --20 and 0?

[@deanchapple1]

@@fredflintstone1428 I can’t see gas going up that much. Basically it would bankrupt most people in the UK.

[@fredflintstone1428]

@@deanchapple1 You're right Dean......it will bankrupt most people.......and freeze the others. Do you know about WEF 2030? Have you heard of the Ukraine conflict? What do you think that is about? Do you know about BRICS and CBDC's? If not, then you have no idea what is coming. Do you know who is the UK's Prime Minister? When did he come into politics? Why did he come in? He was already worth £730 MILLION. I don't want to sound like a smart arse. I'm just a regular guy who has had the freedom to follow all of this stuff since 911 and the trajectory is simple to see. Get clued up now because you're already far too late to the party if you think Covid came from bats in a wet market in Wuhan.

[@deanchapple1]

@@fredflintstone1428 yeah I know what you are saying. But we have to be careful we don’t go down the rabbit hole. I’m a born again Christian so I’m fully prepared for what’s coming. It’s all prophesied in the Bible. We are in the end times. Jesus is coming back and we have to be prepared. Get yourself right with God, humble yourself and call on the name of Jesus and you will saved.

[@johnboy1232]

My electric is now 4 times the price of gas.Instead of talking about heating efficiency why not be honest and talk about cost per KW of fuel when you are using this combination of units so what does 130% efficiency cost per KW as compared to gas at 7.something pence per KW and 95%: efficiency . Franklin it does not even make sense to pull out a modern combi boiler untill it has reached the end of its life .Where is this technology going to be in even three years never mind a five or even ten which is the life of a modern boiler . Cost of servicing two units instead of one is also a consideration. Sell this as green which it is fine because it is but it will not be any cheeper especially on finance .

[@Heatable]

Hey John, thanks for your comment. I agree with your point on cost per kW, we'll look to do a video on this - so open to any further suggestions that you may have? We understand that right now a gas combi boiler is the most affordable and effective solution, but we're hoping that products like this will become more accessible and affordable in the not so distant future.

[@x-heat2666]

Just like fitting a radiator but it costs 7k lolol

[@garrywhiting8398]

"Draaaag the efficiency up". Oh my. Not suited to a heatpump? Oh dear.