ᐅ Outdoor heat pump unit very noisy – possible solutions? Quiet mode? Effects?

Hello,

the outdoor unit of our Elco Aerotop Split 07 air-to-water heat pump is quite loud.
The outdoor unit is located very close to the neighbor’s property, and they have started to complain. I can understand this, as I also find the unit very noisy.
Other units in our new housing development are noticeably quieter.

Are there any ways to reduce the noise level of the outdoor unit? It would probably also help if the unit did not turn on as frequently.

I found one option in the manual:

Silent mode (if available): This function limits the performance of the heat pump system to reduce noise. WARNING: Activating this function limits the maximum output of your heat pump to about 70%, which may result in insufficient heating capacity.

What effects does this have? Does it increase energy consumption, or is this mode harmful to the system? Obviously, I want to avoid the latter. To compensate for the 30% reduction, I would probably need to adjust other settings? Which parameters would those be?

Tx-25 schrieb:

What are the effects of this? Does it increase the energy demand, or is this mode bad for the system? Obviously, I want to avoid the latter. To compensate for the 30%, I would probably need to increase other parameters? Which ones would those be?

The effect is that the heat pump provides only up to 70% capacity now 😉. So it no longer runs at full load.
As long as – which has been the case this winter in the Lower Rhine region – that level of performance is not required, it is not an issue.

BUT: Since the heat pump has not had to deliver maximum output so far (except maybe for heating the domestic hot water), the impact should be manageable.
Why don’t you just try it? On my heat pump, it’s simply a button on the control panel.

What kind of noises does the heat pump make?
Could it be coming from the casing? Often, panels contract in cold weather and start to vibrate.
According to the datasheet, your Elco should not produce more than 52dB. That’s actually not loud.
Where and how is it installed?

Try this with the 70%. Your heat pump is probably running too often and too intensely anyway, as is the case with almost everyone else. Limiting it most likely won't do any harm. And if it gets too cold for you, you can simply disable it again without any loss. Then you can reevaluate the situation.

I will give it a try. I just didn’t want to start the mode and mess up other settings. Everything is connected after all.

I performed a thermal balancing and disconnected the ERR. Except for the bathroom and bedroom, all rooms are at 20°C (68°F). That is currently fine for us, but it definitely shouldn’t get any cooler. So the question remains whether I need to increase the ERT when switching to silent mode.

The noise only comes from the fan. There is no metallic sound. The outdoor unit is mounted on the wall, facing the neighbors with its outlet. We went for a walk yesterday evening (it was completely quiet) and could clearly hear the unit from 50 meters (164 feet) away behind the neighbor’s property. Since everything here is newly built, there are no significant hedges or fences yet.

Are there any other settings to make the outdoor unit run more quietly?
What I find odd is that the unit operates almost all day and night continuously, despite night setback and buffer storage.

Hot water should only be heated between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. because of our photovoltaic system.