On Tue, 14 Oct 2014 07:43:04 +0100, Charlie+ wrote:
Interesting, I am UK based and energy costs here are probably much
higher here than in US which may alter the costings so much that a heat
pump wont be feasible for you...
True. The alleged savings of a heat pump water heater would be in the
reduced operating costs due to improved efficiency. My hot water
usage is so small that the initial entry costs (equipment,
installation, plumbing, and permits) would negate any short term
savings. Short term is important as I'm 66 years old, and would not
want to invest in a technology with a break even point that occurs
after I'm dead. I would do better with short term solutions, such as
better tank and plumbing insulation, which provide an immediate
savings with a minimal investment. (Actually, I'm looking for an
excuse to buy a FLIR thermal camera to play with).
Here is a link for info that might help:
http://www.wharfplumbing.co.uk/wp-co...-Pump-Docs.zip
Thanks. The plumbing diagram of a complete systems, with gas water
heater backup, and a typical installation, was sufficient to convince
me this was not an option for me. The amount of construction involved
in the installation alone is more than I could justify. I suspect
that an air source water heating system would be more suitable for a
larger installation, or for where the cost of electricity is much
higher.
I checked with Ebay.com and ebay.co.uk - completely different answers if
you feed in 'air source/water heat pump'.
The low cost heatpumps are mostly produced in China anyway and I guess
many are sold in the US for pool heating and air conditioning?
I don't know, but that seems likely. Swimming pool heating, hot tubs,
air conditioning, and apartment building water heating seem like a
better fit, where the savings in electricity would be larger than the
amortized initial investment.
Incidentally, you might be amused at how water heaters are rated and
priced. A few years ago, the bottom of my 40 gallon electric water
heater filled with calcium carbonate causing the lower heating element
to blow out. It was rusted in place and not easily replaced. The
heater was old, so I decided a new heater was best. I went to the
local Home Depot store and noticed that heaters were rated and priced
by their warranty life as 6, 9, and 12 year heaters. Current prices
a
http://www.homedepot.com/b/Plumbing-Water-Heaters-Residential-Electric/N-5yc1vZc1u1Z2bcu0t?NCNI-5
$248, $338, and $548 respectively. I asked what was the difference
and received a few bad guesses. The weight of these heaters was
exactly the same, so there was no difference in tank design or
construction. The 6 year heater used lower power elements, but that
shouldn't effect the cost.
I eventually determined that the primary difference was the anode
protection rod in each heater. The 6 year heater used a very small
anode rod. The 9 year used a much larger anode. The 12 year had dual
anodes. The problem was the rods cost about $25/each which is
reflected in the $100 to $200 price difference between the three
models. The 6 year heater had the port for the 2nd anode sealed shut,
so I bought the 9 year model, and added a 2nd anode for a cost of
about $25. Net savings from the 12 year model:
$548 - $338 - $25 = $185
I also installed a permanent drain line, so that the calcium carbonate
will not accumulate again.
But if
your electricity costs are low then the payback time on the equipment
may not make sense just for a little domestic hot water... Ground
source is much more expensive on the outlay than air source! C+
Yep. That's the problem. The most efficient system is not always the
most economical.
--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060
http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558