Viessmann Vitocal 200 : Review of this Heat Pump

Viessmann is a German company founded in 1917 in a small Bavarian village called Hof. Its founder was Johann Viessmann, who returned from the war to set up his own business, carrying out all types of repairs on various machines.

He quickly modernized the boiler world by introducing steel into a market dominated by cast-iron boilers. Gradually over the years, Viessmann contributed to the spread of steel boilers, until 1957, when this market segment really took off with the Triola, a combined oil and coal-fired boiler.

If you would like a quotation for the Viessmann Vitocal 200, please contact our network of installers. RGE Qualipac in France and partners GSP in Switzerlandor RESCERT in Belgium : via the form below.

Viessmann is a specialist in conventional and condensing oil boilers, but also offers gas boilers and modern heating systems using renewable energy sources such as air-to-water heat pumps, photovoltaic systems and solar thermal systems.

Here we will look at the Viessmann Vitocal 200 air-to-water heat pump model, its monobloc version Vitocal 200-A and its split version Vitocal 200-S

This model is very popular in Germany, but also in Switzerland, as Viessmann's success in Switzerland is well known. The Viessmann Vitocal 200 is also found in private homes in a number of French regions, further east towards Metz Nancy Strasbourg, or Mulhouse, Bellfort, Lyon, Besançon, all towns not too far from the German neighbors.

The model in the photo Vitocal 200-A consists of an outdoor unit (on the right in the photo) containing the entire refrigerant circuit, evaporator, condenser, compressor, expansion valve and other standard components. This outdoor unit is usually placed in the garden on a concrete slab, and often on the facade. The model also contains an indoor unit (top left): this contains the control system and a circulator, and will distribute hot water for heating in the villa.

For the Split Vitocal 200-S version, the components are quite similar. The difference is that the condenser is not located in the outdoor unit (pictured right), but in the indoor unit. This necessarily requires the installation of refrigerant connections between the two units (whereas the 200-A only has hydraulic connections). This exposes the system to the risk of refrigerant leakage, and may complicate maintenance, depending on the skills available in your region.

Aesthetics

• A stylish outdoor unit with a sober black grill and a grey front that doesn't get dirty
• For the indoor unit, a classic white that blends in well with modern or refurbished interiors
• The product should age well over time

Performance

Performance of the Viessmann Vitocal 200-A

For this air-to-water outdoor monobloc heat pump, the manufacturer presents the output for outdoor air at -7°C and heating water at 35°C, i.e. for low-temperature distribution, underfloor heating.

In the single-phase 230V version, the model has 6 variants of increasing power, 201.A04, 201.A06, 201.A08, 201.A10, 201.A13, 201.A16. The powers of these models are as follows:

201.A04	201.A06	201.A08	201.A10	201.A13	201.A16
3,9kW	5,7kW	7,1kW	9,4kW	10,7kW	11,3kW

For the three-phase version for the Swiss market in particular, only 3 powers are available

201.A10	201.A13	201.A16
10,1kW	11,1kW	11,6kW

The coefficients of performance in each case are very close to the value of 3, which is a correct average. As a reminder, the value of the coefficient of performance depends on the desired output temperature, so if you have underfloor heating at the output or radiators, it's not the same thing and can vary by 20°C (floor 35°C radiators 55°C). Similarly, the COP depends on the outside air temperature, so it will be lower in winter. For example, with this Viessmann Vitocal 200A heat pump, your COP will be closer to 2 when it's -7°C and you want a heating water temperature of around 50°C in your emitters. For more details, see Viessmann's technical documentation, with precise curves.

Acoustics

The acoustic performance varies according to the power of the chosen model and the temperatures at which the measurements are taken. Viessmann indicates data for air at 7°C outside and hot water outlet at 55°C.

The sound power figures are around 57 - 58 dBA, which should make it possible (depending on installation on a facade, in a corner or in a free field) to go below the 45dBA residential noise level authorized by law. The noise circle form will enable you to calculate exactly this figure for your specific case.

On paper, the Viessmann model seems a little noisier than a NIBE, for example, but it's not far off.

Starting current

For models 201.A04 to 201.A16, the starting current remains moderate at 15A. This means you won't have to worry about modifying your switchboard with your electricity supplier. Most electrical panels are rated at 20A or 25A. And that's just as well, because the operation can be costly and surprising if you haven't planned for it.

The 400V 3-phase models also have a 15A compressor starting current.

The price of a Viessmann Vitocal 200

Starting at CHF 7-8,000 for the smallest model, and up to CHF 13-14,000 for the largest. These heat pumps are quite expensive. It all depends on the installer handling your project. They may benefit from more or less discounts, depending on their agreements with Viessmann, and may also apply more or less margin to their quotations.

This price is for the equipment only, excluding any accessories needed to complete the heat pump installation, and excluding any installation labor.

A project would cost between CHF 30,000 and CHF 37,000, excluding subsidies, which you can deduct depending on your situation.

Availability

All types of installers can purchase heat pumps from Viessmann and benefit from a discount that varies according to their annual order volume.

Viessmann provides a partner search tool at this url: https://webapps.viessmann.com/dealerLocator/restapi/#/?lang=fr&country=fr

All you have to do is enter your address or municipality to find partners. It's up to you to check whether these partners have real expertise in heat pumps. Viessmann has traditionally been a boiler supplier, and works with many heating engineers who don't necessarily master the refrigeration techniques needed to install a heat pump.

Regulation

Vitocal 200 boilers are equipped with a modern touchscreen control system called Vitotronic 200.

Thanks to a gateway called Vitoconnect 100, you can even manage your heat pump remotely via a smartphone application called Vicare App. You can find all the information here https://www.viessmann.fr/fr/applications-installation-chauffage-viessmann/vicare-app.html

Thanks to this app, you'll be able to remotely adjust not only the room temperature, but also the heating water temperature, and manage the system's time schedule. Viessmann and its engineers have set up a push notification system that keeps you informed of changes and the slightest problems with your heat pump. So in the event of a breakdown, you can contact your installer with a single click.

Footprint

The size of the indoor unit is equivalent to a small boiler with :

• A height of 960mm
• A width of 450mm
• A depth of 370 mm

It is easily wedged in a corner

The size of the outdoor unit depends on the power required:

From model 201.A04 to model 201.A08, the outdoor unit measures WxDxH = 1109 x 753 x 544 mm. It is quite low.

For the higher models, only the height increases to 1377 mm so LxDxH = 1109 x 1377 x 544 mm. This is quite high and will have difficulty to pass under certain windows if you decide to put it in front of the housing.

Here are the diagrams:

• Vitocal 200A indoor unit
• Outdoor unit Vitocal 200A from 4 to 8 kW
• Outdoor unit Vitocal 200A > 8kW

---

SEE VITOCAL 200A DATA SHEET

Overall

The Viessmann Vitocal 200A heat pump is renowned for its German-made quality. It is suitable for both small and large homes. Rather quiet, the Vitocal 200A also features an interesting COP if you connect it to a floor heating system. The savings will be on hand. Finally, Viessmann's presence in Switzerland has been established for many years. Viessmann is a well-established player in the heating sector in general, and in the heat pump sector in particular, and is set to replace more and more oil and gas boilers with air/water or geothermal heat pumps over the coming years. This means that the supplier responds technicallyif your installer needs advice. You have a double-decker safety system, so in the event of a breakdown your installer can call on the full range of services available. expertise supplier to solve any problem.
Finally, the Viessmann brand has all the necessary labels to get your grants in Switzerlandmunicipal or federal (PAC System moduleetc.)

Also read:

Review of the Stiebel Eltron WPL25A other German heat pump

More German heat pumps

All heat pump reviews

TOP 20 Best air-to-water heat pumps