Comments on: A Bit of Confusing Heat Pump Terminology

By: John Gellatly

John Gellatly — Sun, 07 Mar 2021 13:45:37 +0000

The water to wine heat pump is of very limited manufacturing, I’ve only heard of a single unit being made which only functioned on one recorded occasion ;).

By: RoyC

RoyC — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 20:17:12 +0000

When it comes to heat pumps that can heat or cool a house by exchanging heat with the ground, I claim that they should be called “ground-coupled” heat pumps. “Ground source” is wrong because that only applies in heating mode. “Geothermal” is even worse. In a true geothermal system, you should be using the heat from the ground directly for heating without a heat pump. This can be done anywhere if you drill deep enough.

By: Cameron

Cameron — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 21:51:56 +0000

Glad another finds annoyance in recent GSPH lexicon shifts.
Clearly, however, I was duly tickled by the one, the church-HP–“water-to-wine!”
…Hmm, wonder if that applies to the opossum-shack?

By: Brennan Mulcahy

Brennan Mulcahy — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 15:12:51 +0000

“A household built with proper HVAC appliances is a blessing for the people living in it as it makes life much more comfortable and convenient for them.

But if someone is looking forward to installing HVAC products, it sometimes becomes confusing when it comes to its terminology, which was rightly mentioned in the article. Air to a water heat pump is a new terminology you get to know about, and it’s like increasing your HVAC vocabulary.
HAHAHA, Thanks, mate, for this one!!”

By: Jordan

Jordan — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 03:23:57 +0000

At my previous house I had an air-to-water heat pump. It was a pool heater. https://www.hayward-pool.com/shop/en/pools/res-in-ground/res-heaters/heatpro-i-hhpro–1

By: Allison Bailes

Allison Bailes — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 23:29:12 +0000

In reply to Curt Kinder. Yes indeed, Curt! As you point out, if that "radiator" really did transfer heat to the room mainly via radiation, it would also be a fryer.

By: Allison Bailes

Allison Bailes — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 23:27:36 +0000

In reply to Bill Bahnfleth. Bill, I don't know why I didn't look there because I have a copy on my desk. Happy New Year to you, too!

By: Allison Bailes

Allison Bailes — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 23:26:40 +0000

In reply to Lloyd Alter. Lloyd, your mention of ASHP reminds me that I didn't really explain that the source in an air-source heat pump is the outdoor air, even though it acts as the sink in summer.

By: Allison Bailes

Allison Bailes — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 23:25:00 +0000

In reply to John Proctor. John, yes, you're right, and I thought about bringing that up in this article. But the cat looked so peaceful, I didn't want to disturb it. ;~)

By: Curt Kinder

Curt Kinder — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 01:40:04 +0000

“cat on radiator”…only it really ain’t a radiator…its primary mode of heat transfer is natural convection – air moving up along fins, so it is a “convector”

Same applies to automotive “radiators” – in fact most heat transfer is via forced convection (vehicle forward motion or fan), not radiation.

Heat transfer components that get hot enough to glow (1600*F +) such as electric or gas fired infrared heaters are properly called radiators, but the cat would be long gone…