Heat Pump water Heaters

[DPC]

This 65 gallon Rheem is on sale for another 2:45 - crazy deal! 20% off (-$389). If in California, $900 instant rebate, and qualifies for 30% federal tax credit. Under $540!!!

Rheem Performance Platinum 65 Gal. 10-Year Hybrid High Efficiency Smart Tank Electric Heat Pump Water Heater XE65T10H45U0 - The Home Depot

The Rheem ProTerra Electric Hybrid Electric Heat Pump Water Heater. Heat pump technology makes it 4X THE EFFICIENCY of a conventional electric model (of the same or similar capacity). It's so efficient,

www.homedepot.com

Holy Shit!

In Ontar-I-O
big middle finger from the province that...

These kinds of progressive grants tax breaks for home improvements make a real difference.

 

[Zwy]

I had that in my cart yesterday ready to check out, then I read reviews sorted recent first... Seems that QC and longevity is lacking.
The shitty part is, it's almost cheaper than a good conventional heater after the rebates.

My Richmond has worked perfect since install 2 months ago.

The propane never gets fired up anymore.

 

[42OhmsPA]

My Richmond has worked perfect since install 2 months ago.

The propane never gets fired up anymore.

Looks like Rheem manufactures Richmond?
If the heat pump unit / electronics were to fail would the heating elements still function?

I kind of regret not ordering but they go on sale at least once a month as a HD deal of the day, along with mini splits.

 

[Ampster]

Seems that QC and longevity is lacking.

I had bad luck with a GE Geothermal HPWH six years ago. GE eventually sold that business and service was lacking. I havebut have put it three Rheems or Ruuds which are esssentially the same company and they have done well.

 

[ginmtb]

I figure at under $540 it is worth the risk. I also got the 5-year extended warranty through HD for $75 for some additional protection. All in with everything I need to install this including electrical addition it will be under $800.

 

[Madcodger]

Has anyone tried the AOSmith heat pump water heaters? In looking at their specs, they seem to need about half as much space (cubic feet) as the Rheem units (450 CF vs about 800). That could be a big difference in many mechanical rooms, but you have to wonder if they sized things correctly. Performance specs were otherwise similar for comparably sized units.

 

[Zwy]

Looks like Rheem manufactures Richmond?

Same company

If the heat pump unit / electronics were to fail would the heating elements still function?

I kind of regret not ordering but they go on sale at least once a month as a HD deal of the day, along with mini splits.

Tax credits and dump load is why I bought one. I think these are mature enough .

 

[Zwy]

Has anyone tried the AOSmith heat pump water heaters?

Not heat pump but my previous experience with a few AO Smith water heaters turned me off for good.

In looking at their specs, they seem to need about half as much space (cubic feet) as the Rheem units (450 CF vs about 800). That could be a big difference in many mechanical rooms, but you have to wonder if they sized things correctly. Performance specs were otherwise similar for comparably sized units.

A few ways a water heater can be made smaller: smaller tank size, less insulation, smaller heat pump, this includes not only the the compressor but heat exchanger which would require longer run time.

I can say the unit I have is bigger diameter than my propane. Both 50 gallon.

 

[ginmtb]

Got it installed - went pretty well, except the hot water threaded connection leaked, so had to redo that. Took longer than I thought it would but not like I install water heaters for a living lol. One less natural gas appliance, excited to pay PG&E even less money!

 

[goldserve]

The thermal pressure relief valve should be cpvc? Anyways, I installed the aosmith vortex hpts-50 and it’s great. I like the water connections on top more but the control app is a joke. I thought rheem was a joke and this is worse.

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

Not heat pump but my previous experience with a few AO Smith water heaters turned me off for good.

It's been extended to HPWH. Friend of mine acquired one new at 1/5 price so he has nothing to lose, but I investigated reviews and failure rate was abnormally high. (AO Smith 900)

 

[ginmtb]

The thermal pressure relief valve should be cpvc? Anyways, I installed the aosmith vortex hpts-50 and it’s great. I like the water connections on top more but the control app is a joke. I thought rheem was a joke and this is worse.

Actually that’s the condensation line in regular PVC. My thermal pressure relief valve is a copper line (which is hard to see). That’s how I ran my old line, I reused most of the original.

 

[Zwy]

The thermal pressure relief valve should be cpvc? Anyways, I installed the aosmith vortex hpts-50 and it’s great. I like the water connections on top more but the control app is a joke. I thought rheem was a joke and this is worse.

Once I had the Rheem app up and running, it has worked just fine. Accurate, can access the water heater anywhere I have cell phone data connection.

I found out that using a phone that the mobile data connection needs to be turned off when setting up the wi fi. That took me a few tries.

The worst app I have found has been the Alexa app Senville and other mini splits are now using. Just terrible.

 

[gotbeans]

I had that in my cart yesterday ready to check out, then I read reviews sorted recent first... Seems that QC and longevity is lacking.
The shitty part is, it's almost cheaper than a good conventional heater after the rebates.

wew really? heat pump is too new for them I guess, the water heater is so unique. refrigerators only been using it 100 years

 

[kendive]

Ok I totaled up my gas usage in dollars for the last year-it was $1,400,
Thats split between
cooking (gas stove and oven)
forced air heating -Low use as wek have mini splits and a pellet stove but do use it on cold mornings to take the chill off
water heating (as noted have a solar asset system that feeds the 80 gallon solar holding tank feeeding the 40 gallon gas water heater)
cloths drying (gas dyer)
my guess is water heating is at most 50% of this cost=$700 a year.
I think the heatpump/ electric water heater will cost more than that during the 4-5 winter months in power usage at our .43cent per kilowatt that our UTILITY charges off peak ,when solar power is much less avalible for us in winter.
Looks like another gas water heater makes the most sense. This Rheem has 11 years on it now.

Wow .43 a kWh. I would try to not have anything electric if possible.

 

[ginmtb]

Wow .43 a kWh. I would try to not have anything electric if possible.

For me peak is $0.523 and "off-peak" is $0.495 thank goodness for solar!!!

 

[42OhmsPA]

wew really? heat pump is too new for them I guess, the water heater is so unique. refrigerators only been using it 100 years

Yea, they weren't very reassuring, but you can't always trust reviews... Lots of members here have been running them without issue. My brother has one in his house that's been working well for years. He did have something on it fail shortly after he bought the house but said it was warrantied.

 

[Zwy]

Wow .43 a kWh. I would try to not have anything electric if possible.

A tank type water heater is an energy storage device, just like any battery. A HPWH is a smart appliance that can be programmed with an app or home energy management system to run only at times of cheap electricity or excess solar production. I originally wanted to install a dump load for excess electricity available from PV and decided to buy a hybrid HPWH instead of heating element only water heater.

The HPWH is so efficient it really isn't a dump load, I just let it run all the time. Come winter, with the HPWH ahead of the propane water heater, I can use the propane during extended periods of low PV production.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Once I had the Rheem app up and running, it has worked just fine. Accurate, can access the water heater anywhere I have cell phone data connection.

I found out that using a phone that the mobile data connection needs to be turned off when setting up the wi fi. That took me a few tries.

The worst app I have found has been the Alexa app Senville and other mini splits are now using. Just terrible.

I guess I totally do not understand why the heck I'd ever want to access my water heater from anywhere. Only place I want to access it is either the hot water from the shower head, or get to the physical tank to replace it whenever it needs replaced.

I've used/installed standard old Rheem electric and gas water heaters, they always seemed decent, even their cheapest 40 gallon electric for $375 (back in the day...)

 

[markpj23]

Has anyone tried the AOSmith heat pump water heaters?

I 'found' an AO Smith 80g unit in the clearance section of our local blue big box store. Was a previous year model advertised as 3x as efficient - the new ones advertise 4x efficiency. Anyway, orig price $2600 +/-, fir st saw it marked down to $1,600 and offered them $1,000. No dice. Went back 3 weeks later and the same unit was marked down to $672 so I bought it. Bigger than what I need but cheaper than the better grade 50g standard electric ones.
Works like a champ - keeps my garage cooler in this FL humidity. Runs quiet, has good recovery time after the wife fills the big jetted tub. I really see the difference in our electric bill. I run it in hybrid mode just in case but have yet to see it switch on the stinger heating elements. Been running for 7 months now with no issues. I do recall something in the owners manual about hot water circulating systems not being recommended for use with these, however.
Oh yeah - after reading this thread I will never again whine about being charged $0.17 / kw hour......