Heat Pump Hot Water System employs the cycle of refrigeration to draw heat from the air surrounding. They then employ an exchanger to heat the water inside an enclosed storage cylinder. The typical use of these systems is 60-75 percent less electricity than an electronic hot-water system. This is because electric power is utilized to power the heat pump but doesn’t provide heat directly to the water by using an element.
They function in a similar manner as reverse-cycle air conditioners when they are running with a heating process, but they use water to heat the air in your home.
A heat pump hot water system that uses a heat pump is an example of a solar water heater as the heat generated by the air comes directly from the sun. Contrary to solar hot water heaters, heat-pump hot water systems do not have gas or electric boosting system. However, they do make use of electricity to power the compressor and evaporator fan when they are heating water.
A heat pump hot water system is typically one unit that is installed outdoors at the bottom. In other instances, the unit can be split between the heat pump, which is situated outside along with a storage tank that is installed outdoors or within. This could be a plus over a solar water heater as collector panels don’t need to be placed on top of the roof, which makes installation simpler. It is crucial that they’re located in a ventilated area because they require access to a constant flow of air in the surrounding area when they are operating.
Like air conditioners, heat-pump hot water systems also has fans and compressors that emit a sound when the unit is working to heat water. This should be taken into consideration when they are installed. Ideally, they should be placed far from the windows of your bedroom and in a location that doesn’t create any noise disturbance to neighbors.
The supplier should be able to provide the level of noise (decibel) degree of the unit before you receive a quote. Also, inquire about the installation options which will minimize noise problems.
Types of systems
There are 2 types of heat-pump hot water systems:
- integrated
- Split.
Systems integrated
In a system that is integrated, it is usually placed on the top of the storage container comprising an evaporator, fan compressor, condenser, and evaporator. In certain cases, the condenser (which absorbs the heat of in the air) is distinct from the storage unit or is wrapped around it. Because these systems are one unit, they’re usually heavier than separated systems.
Split systems evaporator compressor and fan are placed in a separate unit, and are connected to the storage container by a refrigerant pipe – the heated refrigerant gas flows over a heating exchanger inside the cylinder, which heats the water. They’re like a split-system air conditioner.
System efficiency
Heat losses
Each storage system loses heating through the walls of the storage cylinder. This is called the “standing losses” which is the same for heat water heaters that are powered by pumps. They use energy even though you don’t make use of hot water. The larger the cylinder larger, the more heat gets lost. Smaller households can experience heat loss could add up to a large percentage of the total usage of hot water energy.
If you’re planning on being away from home for a prolonged period then turn off the heat pump water heater off on the switchboard in order to conserve energy.
Tarifs for off-peak electricity
If you plan to run the water heater with a heat pump with the lower off-peak electricity price, and it is primarily heating the water for the night, it’s vital that the system is designed to ensure that the volume of water that is heated during the night will meet your needs for the day. If the size is too small and you’re not careful, you’ll be running out of hot drinking water. Talk to your provider about this when you request a quote.
Reheat rate
If you reside in a cold climate , and you are a frequent user of hot water and reheat, the recuperation amount (litres each hour) will be crucial. It is affected by:
- Design of the system
- humidity and temperature of the air around
- The temperature of the cold water you drink.
The rate of reheating is slower when the temperature is lower. Certain systems come with an electronic boost feature that will activate when the temperature of the air is low. This can reduce the amount of time needed to heat the water within the storage tank. However, this could cause it to be more costly to operate.
Use the timer
Most heat-pump systems today come with a built-in timer, that can be used to regulate the duration of time that the it is running to warm water. This is useful in the case of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system that generates electricity. If you run the water heater using a peak electricity tariff and you want to set the timer so that it operates it during the middle of the day in order to make use of the power produced from the sun.
Operating costs
A hot water heater that is a heat pump requires less power than an electric hot water storage system. This is due to the fact that it makes use of electricity to power the compressor and fan, not energy to cook the water by using electricity.
They can run with the lower off-peak electricity rate overnight in the event that the cylinder size is sufficient. However, it is essential to ensure that the system is the proper size to meet your requirements.
These systems also function with a high-power electricity tariff which means they warm water throughout the day when you need it.
If you own a rooftop photovoltaic (PV) system that generates electricity, it could be beneficial to run the heat pump water heater with a tariff for peak electricity and limit the period the water is heated to the middle of the day with the use of a timer. This will help make the most of the energy produced by PV systems because it will decrease the amount of power that is sent back to the grid.
Check out the running costs for hot-water systems.
The ideal conditions for heat pumps
They can be utilized across Victoria however they’ll perform more efficiently and warm the water faster when the temperature outside is higher.
There aren’t any energy ratings labels for hot water heaters with heat pump. There are two different schemes which require that they be tested to determine their effectiveness The small-scale Technology Certificate (STC) scheme and the Victorian Energy Upgrades scheme.
Save money on hot water systems with heat pumps
If you are changing an electric hot-water system an electric hot water heater or installing a brand new one, you could qualify for a discounted rate through the following incentive programs:
Every incentive program has its own qualifications for participation. Speak to your supplier of hot water systems about the options offered to you.
