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[–] 12 points 2 months ago

Oh boy, a heat pump video!

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  • [–] 11 points 2 months ago (3 children)

    I didn't even have to watch the video to know he was talking about a heat pump water heater. I bought one myself when it was time for me to replace the water heater in my house. I installed it myself with the help of a friend and my power bill dropped about $30 a month.

    The $1,800 purchase price of the water heater was helped by a $500 cash rebate from my local power company and a $300 tax credit.

    It will have paid for itself in three years, and continue working an estimated additional five years past that.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 months ago (2 children)

    How much colder is your basement in winter? No one talks about this, the heat has to come from the surrounding environment.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 months ago

    It is a few degrees colder, but I also run a home lab and the water cooler is in the room where my homelab is, so some of the waste heat gets absorbed by my water heater.

    It's also in the room right next to my garage, so if I really wanted to, I could duct all of the cold air outside

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  • [+] 6 points 2 months ago (1 child)
  • [–] 7 points 2 months ago* (1 child)

    That sucks. Mine gets good and hot. I wouldn't want it to be cooler. Then it would be less effective as a heater.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago*

    Nah, my water heater is the size of several small blocks of houses, includes a large solar heat collector, gathers wasteheat from power plants and local biomass and provides warmth to tens of thousands of houses via a huge network of underground pipes.

    That's way cooler than this little thing.

    Edit: it apparently also includes an electric heating and storage unit that runs when there's an excess of electricity.

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  • 24 comments in c/solarpunk@slrpnk.net view that post
    [–] 31 points 2 months ago (7 children)

    At this rate he's gonna somehow find a car powered off a heat pump

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  • [–] 17 points 2 months ago (6 children)

    Or a heat pump dishwasher? If he finds a way to turn a heat pump into lighting he's got it made.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

    There are heat pump dryers. They plug into 120v and can often work without a drain if your willing to empty them manually afterwards.

    Honestly, a heat pump dishwasher is probally fully possible but not necessary, as they only use like 5 gallons of hot water.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

    Stirling engines have powered generators. No reason you couldn't run a light on one. However it would be impractical for any real world house use for a long list of reasons in not about to type up.

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  • [–] 14 points 2 months ago (4 children)

    I’ve heard of these! They are a really nifty innovation that’s ideal for warm climates

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  • [–] 6 points 2 months ago (3 children)

    In some special circumstances, yes. But I also have one of these air to water heat pumps and it is entirely off during half of the year or more as the much cheaper solar-termal tubes on my roof cover all the hot water needs (and use the same water tank). I was expecting to be able to use the cold air and installed special openings in the cold air duct, but in the five years or so since I installed the heat pump I never even once had the opportunity to do so.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 months ago (2 children)

    I'm not convinced that having solar thermal tubes on your roof is ordinary circumstances and not having them is special circumstances

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  • [–] 5 points 2 months ago*

    Unless you own an apartment in a larger arpartment complex, you are not allowed to install such a heat pump (as a renter), and in every other scenario of home ownership you are very likely better off installing solar-thermal tubes on your roof. And in hot climates these tubes are extremely common.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 months ago

    I've got one of these, tho its a 240v. State brand but same company basically.

    Heat pump failed last year, replaced under warranty, no issues since. Keeps the room with the networking gear and NAS nice and cool!

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  • [–] 4 points 2 months ago (4 children)

    Mine is cooler, it is a single unit that sits outside and heats my water and my house.

    Bonus: when someone has a shower in summer and I am sat outside in the garden, I can position myself in front of the fan of the heat pump for a nice cool breeze.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago (3 children)

    I have a heat pump water heater that's vented to the outside and I call it my outdoor air conditioner, it's so nice to stand under the vent on a hot day and get cold AC on my neck.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago (2 children)

    Kinda curious how much of a difference to efficiency you get with it being vented. Mine has a massive fan and heat sink on it and that sits outside. Surely limits the potential airflow unless you have a 1m wide hole in the side of your house.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago* (1 child)

    I have two 8 inch penetrations that are ducted directly to the water heater, an inlet and exhaust. During summer I imagine I'm getting fantastic efficiency with source air being from outside at 80+ degrees (F). In winter we do have occasional freezing temps but usually above 40ish. I don't have hard efficiency numbers but I've had it for over a year now and have definitely noticed savings on my monthly electric bill.

    I should mention the water heater is in a closet, hence why it's ducted.

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  • [–] 6 points 2 months ago (3 children)

    That's nothing to brag about. They're supposed to be hot, not cool.

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  • [–] [S] 8 points 2 months ago (2 children)

    It puts out cold air to warm the water, instead of generating heat. Temperature control is just moving heat around.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago

    I'll see your water heater and add the whole house climate control. Reverse cycle ducted heat pump aircon/heater

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  • 10 comments in c/videos@lemmy.world view that post
    [–] 17 points 2 months ago

    Fuckin love this guy

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  • [–] 6 points 2 months ago (1 child)

    You know it's funny, yesterday I checked his channel because it's been a while since I saw one of his videos. This isn't the first time it's happened like that

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  • [–] 5 points 2 months ago (5 children)

    It was a bit inevitable. I’m curious to hear how he reconciles taking heat from an already heated room, or if it’s a split system. Lunchtime video next week to find out!

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  • [–] 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 child)

    yeah it's mainly a benefit in summer.

    In winter it can be beneficial if you also have a heat pump furnace. Otherwise the heat is ultimately coming from gas or resistive heating. That's not a problem, it's just not a gain in efficiency in winter. Actually it is slightly more efficient as he explains later in the video.

    The main thing I don't like about my HPWH is it's a bit noisy when it's running.

    edit: I have not had the random cold water issues he said he's had in the video. I wonder if that's more of a pressure problem in the hot water line. Assuming he doesn't take 120-degree showers, if the hot water pauses for a bit, seems like he'd temporarily get only water from the cold water line.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

    I feel like it should be programmable. Like don't activvate if outside (of the device) temp is below 70. I also wonder if putting one of those insulation blankets made for hot water heaters in the winter would reduce it trying to use the ambient temp. ADDED: I also always kind of thought we should have these integrated with refridgerators. Like I realize how we do floorplans need to change going forward but if fridges had an insulated cabinet as part of a fridge that is made to swap since the fridge wants cold and it wants hot.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 months ago

    Nice way to dehumidify a room.

    On the other hand all the ones I had are never hot enough.

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