Water heater question

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Banjo Bud

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The elements on my electric tank have corrosion around the mounting plate. Looks like what you’d see on a car battery. I keep up with tank draining and replaced the anode rod 4 years ago. But the tank is 14 years old. Do I need to worry? I have a water softener and an acid neutralizer tank and keep the PH at around 6.8-7.0.
 

Banjo Bud

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Thanks guys. I was just telling my wife that I think I’ll be proactive instead
of reactive. 14 years is pretty good but my dad has a gas one that is 26 years old. It’s in his basement next to a sump so he’s just gonna wait it out.
 

Reach4

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Thank guys. I’m gonna get a regular tank.
If going electric, a "hybrid" tank is worth considering. Those have a heat pump taking heat from the air, and moving it into the water in the tank. The main point is to use less electricity. The incidental cooling might be useful part of the year.
 

Master Plumber Mark

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If going electric, a "hybrid" tank is worth considering. Those have a heat pump taking heat from the air, and moving it into the water in the tank. The main point is to use less electricity. The incidental cooling might be useful part of the year.

These suck too.... you will never recoup the investment before the tank gives out
 

Terry

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These suck too.... you will never recoup the investment before the tank gives out

Mark,
I'm finding answers other places that say the hybrids last longer. I wonder if there is any fact to that, or is it just a guess. I mean, how long have they been out? It seems like for just a very short time. And then there is the condensation issue, what to do with the water. And they are much larger than the existing tanks. How do you fit them into the old space? Mark, tell us more. You're the Indy water heater dude, fer sure!

Here is what a web site says about their advice.
"is not a government agency. Companies displayed may pay us to be Authorized or when you click a link, call a number or fill a form on our site."

Sounds legit? And they advise on anything under the sun. Wow!

I'm going to go with what Mark says. He installs and services water heaters. And his father before him did too.
 
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Terry

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Okay, how much can you save with hybrid? Am I missing something here? Up to 4x savings per year? And perhaps a rebate for a new installation?


  • Your new electric hybrid heat pump water heater should be located in a space with about 1,000 cubic ft. For example, in a basement with 7-foot ceilings, a water heater would need open floor space of roughly 10 by 14 feet around the unit.
  • For the most efficient operation, the air temperature where the water heater is installed should average 40 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Garages and unfinished (unconditioned) basements are ideal for heat pump water heaters.
  • Because the heat pump exhausts cool air in the area where it is located, the water heater must be installed in a location that would isolate cool air, or is ducted to the outside. Examples are in a garage or unheated/unfinished basement, attic or crawlspace.
  • Electric hybrid heat pump water heaters make about as much noise as an air conditioner. Consider this when making your purchase and placement decisions.
 
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wwhitney

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All those things make it sound pretty stupid to me.
It's a question of how important the efficiency and reduced energy usage are. I'd certainly go for it, but then again it's mandated in California now, I believe (tankless gas or heat pump electric are the baseline choices for the energy code).

Cheers, Wayne
 

Reach4

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All those things make it sound pretty stupid to me.
If "it" is the hybrid, some places have high marginal electric rates. So maybe for you with an $0.10 marginal kWh rate, it is not worthwhile. If you have a $0.40 marginal kWh rate, you might come to different conclusion, even with a given life-of-investment forecast.
 

Master Plumber Mark

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I dont know what to say except I have seen a number of those units in the dumpster at the local supply houses
that did not look that old// maybe it was a fluke...

I would guess they cost about 1400--1600 plus installation...... so maybe you get it installed for 2200??

I dont know what the math and pay back is on one of them....
considering you can install a common 6 year Rheem heater
for about 1200 .

My guess , just a guess that is... a shot in the dark... just spit-balling here.....
they cost at least a grand more so if you are saving
200 a year its a break even point at 5 years--- that is not factoring in any issues
that might arise like breakdowns...

You can throw a water heater blanket on a common heater and save 25% of the cost to heat one
so its basically a coin toss which way you want to gamble on it..

Now if the hybred starts to leak a month after the 6 year warranty, then you are basically screwed...

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-P...S_fYyG4BaQ-W_hIjPtcaAsh5EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds


 

Master Plumber Mark

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Okay, how much can you save with hybrid? Am I missing something here? Up to 4x savings per year? And perhaps a rebate for a new installation?



  • Your new electric hybrid heat pump water heater should be located in a space with about 1,000 cubic ft. For example, in a basement with 7-foot ceilings, a water heater would need open floor space of roughly 10 by 14 feet around the unit.
  • For the most efficient operation, the air temperature where the water heater is installed should average 40 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Garages and unfinished (unconditioned) basements are ideal for heat pump water heaters.
  • Because the heat pump exhausts cool air in the area where it is located, the water heater must be installed in a location that would isolate cool air, or is ducted to the outside. Examples are in a garage or unheated/unfinished basement, attic or crawlspace.
  • Electric hybrid heat pump water heaters make about as much noise as an air conditioner. Consider this when making your purchase and placement decisions.


Terry , this sounds like a huge load of horseshit....
they are trying to appeal to the young "woke" people with erasing their carbon footprint...


I like that they warn that they make as much noise as an air conditioner... SWEET

according to the government energy guide on the side of every rheem heater we buy it says
that a commmon electric heater in our area will use about 500 a year to heat the water...
then if you throw a blanket on the heater and you save around 25%... basically 100 a year...

it seems like they are trying to squeese just a little more savings with a hybred but its like they
are taking a common outhouse and trying to make it into a space shuttle with all the technology
that they are throwing at it.......

and their is no guarantee that the ac or tank part of the unit will
last long past the pay back time....
 
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wwhitney

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they are trying to appeal to the young "woke" people with erasing their carbon footprint...
Which is, of course, what we all need to do in the long run, and time is running short.

Now if heat pump water heaters don't work well, then we may be better off using electric resistance water heaters with low carbon electricity.

Cheers ,Wayne
 
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Reach4

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The more people using the hot water, the more the heat pump would pay off. I have read there is a setting to make the resistance element not kick on. So long shower-takers might learn to use only what has been saved in the tank.
 

Banjo Bud

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Ok so today I’m replacing the tank with an identical one. There are no flex lines on the old one so I bought the flex lines for this install. The flex lines are SS, the compression fittings to connect the lines to my copper pipes are brass, (these brass fittings came with the flex line kit) and the other end of the flex lines connect to the tank, which is steel. So I’ve got 4 dissimilar metals here. Do I need something at all the joints to eliminate electrolysis?
 
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