Learning all about air source heat pump range

As the UK heating industry faces up to the challenge of transitioning away from fossil fuels, installers are not short of training options when it comes to heat pump technology, but how do you ensure you have sufficient skills and product knowledge to meet customer needs? One option could be to attend a course on Grant’s Areona3 air source heat pump range, as PHAM News reports.

Estimates vary as to exactly how many qualified heat pump installers will be needed if the country is going to get close to meeting government installation targets, but it is certainly considerably more than the 1500 or so currently registered with MCS. Industry bodies, manufacturers and training organisations have been tasked with the challenge of helping to ensure that heating engineers have the knowledge and skills to both drive the market forward and ensure that any installation performs to expectations.

While online training has its place, watching the odd YouTube video is not quite going to cut it when it comes to proving competence and having the confidence to tackle the installation of your first heat pump system. As well as understanding the basics of system design and low temperature heating solutions, it is also important to become more familiar with specific products and the different options available.

Well-equipped

The two-day installer course offered by Grant UK on its Aerona3 range of air source heat pumps is aimed at experienced heating engineers and provides an in-depth introduction to both the heat pumps and the company’s VortexAir Hybrid system, which combines the Aerona3 17kW model with a 15-26kW low NOx oil boiler. The course is held at Grant’s impressive Training Academy in Swindon, which forms part of the company’s head office and warehousing facility following a move to new, larger premises last year. As well as training rooms equipped with the very latest smart visual display units there are also practical assessment areas with working products to enable installers to gain hands-on experience.

The course on this occasion was hosted by Gavin McMullen, a key member of Grant’s training team who first joined the company as a technical advisor back in 2018. An ex-Royal Engineer and with six years experience of being a self-employed gas engineer, Gavin is more than familiar with the issues that installers can face out in the field and the skills required to succeed.

Limited numbers

Numbers who attend the courses are limited to ensure that all attendees are able to benefit from individual attention, and on this particular day there were six in the training room. After a brief introduction, Gavin launched into an illustrated PowerPoint presentation which provides a brief overview of the Aerona 3 air to water heat pump range. There are four models in the range, delivering outputs from 6 to 17kW – all inverter driven and all running on R32 refrigerant. Gavin then ran through all the key components, including a built-in high-efficiency circulating pump, plate heat exchanger, DC fan motor and factory-fitted pressure relief valve. Each model also comes with in-built frost protection and weather compensation control.

Everyone who attends the course is presented with a full pack of product information, including installation and servicing instructions and information to hand over to the end user. With frequent references to the facts and figures contained within, trainees are given plenty of opportunity to find their way around the documentation.

On the first day of the course, time is set aside to allow installers to get to grips with the wiring centre and controls and also learn more about various accessories, such as noise reducing anti-vibration feet. The benefits of fitting a combined low loss header/volumiser and external volumiser (which sits behind the heat pump if space availability is an issue) are also explained.

Aware of the danger of information overload, there are regular breaks throughout the day, with snacks available to help fuel the mind, and there’s also an opportunity to sample the benefits of Grant’s high-end coffee machine!

By the end of the course, attendees can expect to have a much better understanding about how to ensure that the appropriate heat pump is selected for the right property, how to hand over to end users, and how to commission a complete system.

Installer scheme

The course also provides candidates with the option of joining Grant UK’s G1 Installer Scheme. Those who successfully complete the written assessment can register with the scheme which, as well as a rewards programme, provides marketing support and further training resources.

◼ phamnews.co.uk/623/41

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