greenteam84 wrote:I want to try solar power but I find it expensive
Don wrote:I installed a 4 by 10 foot (AE40) solar water heating panel on my roof 12 years ago with two 55 gallon storage tanks in the basement. Total coast was about $3K but I got half that back when I filed my taxes. It has paid for itself many times over and I figure the electricity it saves me is about the same amount I use charging my EV's. So, even though I don't have solar electricity, I'm still driving pretty much free!
Switching from gas to electric for heating water might just be a losing proposition - Same for gas or electric clothes dryers. Unless your electric rate is very low, gas is probably cheaper. If you use more solar than you're generating, your new water heater may be part of the problem
Don
JoeS wrote:ed5000, does your water heater have a heat pump? I have a GE GeoSpring, but it had issues and I've modified it for TOU.
JoeS wrote:ed5000, your tankless water heater is drawing 112.5 amps at 240vac??
JoeS wrote:ed5000, your tankless water heater is drawing 112.5 amps at 240vac??Wow! Makes our car charging currents seem puny. Just how big is the circuit breaker for this thing?
Good that you relocated the water heater location. When I designed my house, I located my (electric) water heater centrally with respect to the already-grouped plumbing, with very short runs to all the bathrooms and kitchen.
Insulation really helps. After installing my new water heater and insulating the input/output pipes, there is virtually no warmth emanating from that thing and it holds hot water for the entire day as I cut off its power input as soon as TOU partial-peak begins in the late morning, and only turn power back on in the evening. Simply don't do laundry during the day, that's all, especially now that summer rates are about the kick in.
With respect to tankless vs. tank vs. tank+ heatpump, that's a separate discussion...
ed5000 wrote:JoeS wrote:ed5000, your tankless water heater is drawing 112.5 amps at 240vac??Wow! Makes our car charging currents seem puny. Just how big is the circuit breaker for this thing?
Good that you relocated the water heater location. When I designed my house, I located my (electric) water heater centrally with respect to the already-grouped plumbing, with very short runs to all the bathrooms and kitchen.
Insulation really helps. After installing my new water heater and insulating the input/output pipes, there is virtually no warmth emanating from that thing and it holds hot water for the entire day as I cut off its power input as soon as TOU partial-peak begins in the late morning, and only turn power back on in the evening. Simply don't do laundry during the day, that's all, especially now that summer rates are about the kick in.
With respect to tankless vs. tank vs. tank+ heatpump, that's a separate discussion...
It does have three 40 amp two pole breakers and I have a 200 amp service for the house. I’ve been trying to keep an eye on it. The specs claim it can handle up to 3 showers at once and we only use one at a time so our power draw is lower. The highest I’ve seen close to 70 amps.
I like your idea of a heat pump water heater especially on a time schedule and Don’s idea
of an 120 volt element is great too. I’ll keep them in mind if the tankless doesn’t work out.