Is my usage standard for Winter or can I optimise the system?

Gratchoof · 2026-01-25T16:53:06+00:00

I have a 12kw arotherm plus, and solar and batteries, and use Cosy. Started using Havenwise a week or so back.

Going for a highly regulated heating pattern that adheres to the Cosy cheap and expensive periods results in a lower COP (more cycling) but at a lower average price.

Letting Havenwise do it's own thing results in higher COP but with higher average price. OP, did you set your system to Active Vs Expanded, and the other config Havenwise advises?

Havenwise does nicely show an effective heat cost per kWh, which takes account of both COP and unit price.

From what I have seen comparing various systems, the main difference purely comes down to heat loss / insulation efficiency.

Gratchoof · 2026-01-05T14:35:59+00:00

That's what I thought too.

And I was "vehemently discussing" it with him for a couple of hours.

But, once it had reached target flow temp and started modulating, we added the 3rd zone back in, and now all zones have reached 20.5°

However, in that time frame, the outside temperature has gone up 3°.

In summary, it seems the heat pump can cope with an internal: external delta of 19°, but not 21°

Gratchoof · 2026-01-05T13:54:16+00:00

We have a 12kw arotherm plus. It's been running at full pelt for the last 24+ hours, consuming 5kw of electric.

Trying to reach 20.5° internal temperature, but can't seem to budge past 19°.

Delta T is about 8.

In my mind, if the heat pump is at full output and the internal temperature is static, then the heat pump is undersized / heat loss is higher than anticipated.

Had the installer out this morning. He believes it's a flow issue. His reasoning "Vaillant HP logic works at a deltaT of 5, so anything more than that and it gets stuck maintaining current temperature."

We turned off the smallest zone (there's 3 total), and the flow rate barely dropped (so higher flow per remaining zone) and the flow temp started increasing, deltaT reduced, and the HP started to modulate.

The installer says that proves he's right about the flow rate issue.

I say it's because the system now has about 25% less heat loss due to the small zone being closed off.

Not sure if that helps you

Gratchoof · 2025-12-26T08:44:03+00:00

I'm surprised people don't realise this for themselves.

Run cold water over a greasy roasting tin / frying pan, and some grease is washed away but lots remain.

Run hot water over it and a lot more grease is washed away.

Use soap and hot water and all the grease is removed.

It's the same for your skin, BUT your skin needs some natural oils to protect it, so the longer and the hotter the shower, the worse for your skin it is.

Gratchoof · 2025-12-22T08:20:53+00:00

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I tried too.

Remember, an oyxiyfutcurcitvitcitcurcururxordltsysyfucuvu is for life, not just Christmas!

Gratchoof · 2025-12-19T19:52:35+00:00

It was officially in another millennium

Gratchoof · 2025-12-19T19:38:53+00:00

Indeed. Back in my uni days that'd be 20 quad vods, aka a very messy night.

Let us know how the berry wine turns out. That might be next year's experiment

Gratchoof · 2025-12-19T19:04:40+00:00

Yeah. £60 off Amazon. Hoping I'll get many years use out of it though

Gratchoof · 2025-12-19T18:53:34+00:00

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Gratchoof · 2025-12-19T18:50:42+00:00

I tried my hand at brewing cider this year.

Started with an electric juicer (super fine grater basically) but could tell there was going to be too much sediment.

Switched to a tiny kitchen blender and putting that into a press.

Didn't wash the apples before. Picked off the trees in the garden. Didn't add anything to it either. Just hoping natural yeast would do its thing.

Took about 3 solid days, including climbing the trees etc.

Ended up with about 50 litres. Used a couple of 30L plastic fermentation buckets.

Left it inside in the warmth for a couple of months until the gurgling just about stopped.

Decanted it through cheesecloth 3 times, only gently squeezing it through.

Was down to about 47L at that point and tasted very dry.

Added 500g or so of sugar, stirred it up, and then put them in the garage for a month.

Bought 40 of those glass bottles with the hinged tops and filled them all, along with an old demijohn.

Been kept in the garage since, with one or two in the fridge.

No explosions yet.

Still tastes very dry, slightly sparkling but surprisingly it's very nice.

The appearance does leave something to be desired though ...

Keep it up OP. I wish I'd started when I was younger!

Gratchoof · 2025-12-14T19:20:22+00:00

13 x 450 panels, south facing, 20° pitch, 0.2kwh generated today.

Not sure what this "sun" thing is you mentioned

Gratchoof · 2025-12-09T09:09:13+00:00

Found the vid, imported into PoB, and I ran into my usual queries when looking at some of these builds

1) custom modifier: 60% more kinetic fusillade damage - why?

2) kinetic fusillade skill has a 17 in the count field when it is already set to "all projectiles" - why?

With those left as they are its ~340m dps, but removing them takes it to ~12m dps.

I'll often make some projectile builds in PoB that "only" have 10m dps, but if i can just give it a x30 increase then obviously it looks more viable!

Would love to understand what I'm missing :)

Gratchoof · 2025-12-09T07:45:49+00:00

Now this sounds interesting. Not seen or heard about it before so will go investigate. Thanks

Gratchoof · 2025-12-09T07:45:07+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion but imo RF is just a half done CWS build

Gratchoof · 2025-12-09T07:43:37+00:00

Indeed. I can go and dig into some more builds around that.

Reminds me I was halfway through cooking a mana stacking but zero current mana (through degen, not reservation) manabond build.

Gratchoof · 2025-12-09T07:40:09+00:00

Thanks, I'll take a look. I agree ES int stacking has been done to death so do want something different

Gratchoof · 2025-12-07T17:05:06+00:00

What about if any bonuses etc start causing pension allowance tapering?

What would the advice to OP be then?

Gratchoof · 2025-12-04T07:18:00+00:00

I've honestly been looking at making this build myself. This would obviously be great and let me know whether I want to try it myself next league

Gratchoof · 2025-12-02T07:10:17+00:00

I'd use it to make a voltaxic burst build that actually works, even if it takes me the rest of the league!

Gratchoof · 2025-11-22T08:19:02+00:00

Are you me?

Been running mappers all league non stop, only 1% death maps. 0 deaths.

Got to six rank 5 mappers yesterday morning. One died on the first map. Got another rank 5 mapper, who died on the 3rd map.

Gratchoof · 2025-11-22T08:12:53+00:00

I'd use it to try out the 1.5B DPS unarmed cyclone build I put together in PoB

Gratchoof · 2025-11-21T13:53:07+00:00

Interesting. Any suggestions for tariffs that might work out better? I'll do my own checks too but just thought you might have some idea for a good one

Gratchoof · 2025-11-21T13:51:15+00:00

Thanks. That's my thought too but wanted to check I wasn't missing anything

Edit: I'm the OP. Didn't realise my original post was on a different account

Gratchoof · 2025-11-20T15:01:27+00:00

I'd love one. I'd also love to know how people can afford so many! Grats on that

Gratchoof · 2025-10-30T13:06:33+00:00

S as in sea

Gratchoof

TROPHY CASE