ᐅ How complex are heat pumps in everyday use?

Inrush/start-up currents always put stress on the power grid.
However, my concern is the total load of all heat pumps. If they all ran continuously for 24 hours, the base load (or peak load in winter) would be much higher than that of a single heat pump causing peaks, whose surges never add up.
We are talking here about heat pumps with small peaks, not industrial-scale systems...

No, it doesn’t work like that. Heating load is heating load. And heat pumps use less electricity overall when they run as steadily as possible.

Formerly. For the traffic network, it also makes more sense if everyone commutes to work at the same time and takes 3 hours to get there, rather than if everyone takes just 30 minutes each but is spread out over more than 3 hours in total.

The question was about why an ERR is required, not what is most efficient for heat pump operation... 🙄

My explanation is not something I made up; it comes from several utility companies.

Or do you think the German circuit breaker manufacturers’ mafia is behind it, trying to sell thermostats?! 😱

Deliverer schrieb:

This has long been standard practice with heat pump tariffs, hasn’t it?! That’s why my heat pump is connected to the house meter! ;-)

Well, I was referring to short-term grid interventions at the lowest distribution level. Scenario: The on-off heat pump sends a signal via data link to the grid control center that it plans to start a heating cycle within the next 15–30 minutes. The grid control then sends a release signal at a favorable moment, for example when another load drops off. Or, a second scenario: the neighbor, Mr. Meyer, presses the paid “turbo charging” button on his wallbox to quickly charge his Porsche Taycan. At that moment, there isn’t enough capacity available in that section of the grid. So all modulating heat pumps are throttled down to their lowest power level, and perhaps one on-off heat pump is temporarily switched off until capacity frees up again or the Porsche is fully charged. *That* would be adaptive load management with heat pumps.

In Norway, things are already much more advanced than here. A friend recently showed me the app for the direct electric heating system of his holiday cabin there. He can see the day’s current electricity price curve (apparently updated by the minute) and set a threshold at which the heating turns on to maintain the target temperature. Alternatively, he enters two days in advance when he will arrive and by what time the indoor temperature should reach the setpoint. Then the heating control optimizes the heating schedule to ensure the accumulated electricity cost is as low as possible. Here in Germany, this is science fiction; there, it is everyday reality. Hard to believe...

Alessandro schrieb:

That in turn relieves the power grid. And that is exactly the goal.

Well, the heat pump typically draws about 400-800 watts of continuous power. It doesn’t relieve anything when it’s not running.

Benutzer200 schrieb:

Uh, the heat pump usually draws about 400-800 watts of continuous power. It doesn’t help if it’s not running.

One million controllable heat pumps with that power, adaptively switched or modulated according to the current grid stability, would be a noticeably effective tool.