I know savemoney started a thread a while back on them. After I read the install instructions it requires 7" clearance all the way around. I'm trying to move the location closer to a corner, these clearances would put the tank further from the wall than the existing unit is. Trying to perform the replacement at the same time as re-tiling the floor(I've put it off for far too long) The clearances suggested are for "servicing the unit" - I think anyone that has worked on a newer vehicle had less than 7" to remove a couple screws? I guess air flow is out the back? as the filter is on top so a couple inches should be sufficient I'd think. I'm trying to move the heater to where the cupboard is now, and eventually swing the receiver tank towards the heater so that the washer dryer can actually sit where they were originally intended(right to left as opposed to left to right).
Yeah it's a mini heat pump so it will create some condensation, which I can plumb over to the washer drain. I might go look the unit over in person just to see if clearances are really that large or necessary. Half my AC condenser sits <3" from the house and is under a covered porch - air recirculation be dammed
I bought one in February 2013. Short of one glitch with the heat pump functionality a couple months after I installed it (fixed by GE three days after I called) it's been very reliable. My electric bill dropped about $20/month and my dehumidifier runs less. I run it in hybrid mode so the electric elements will kick in if there is a lot of hot water demand. There are only three people in our household, so it's rare that it will switch to the electric elements. In the dead of winter I'll switch it to electric elements only if it stays in the single digits outside, otherwise there is enough waste heat off the pellet furnace to heat water and keep the basement at a decent temperature.
The payoff calculator I ran came in at just shy of 2yrs payoff. I'd really have to put my power monitoring on the existing tank to see true usage for two of us. I'll have to rig up a double ended female to blow out the drain to the existing water heater - tried to drain it 1/2hr ago and its a trickle coming out I shut it off yesterday morning and had enough hot water to do a bunch of pots,pans, bowls from making salsa, and still had hot water for a shower this morning
Good choice. I installed mine over a year ago. Cold air flow is from the back and the recommended clearance has more to do with the service aspect. Significant savings over traditional electric resistance. My rebate was $500.00 Found the thread... http://firewoodhoardersclub.com/forums/threads/hot-water-cost.10721/
That was my assumption - thanks I'm thinking of gluing a sheet of poly carbonate to the bottom and using either similar flex hoses that are on the heater or unions so if needs serviced just drain and slide it out. I opened the upstairs bathroom faucet, something is blocking the drain - sediment(probably been 8yrs since I drained it) Part of me is hesitant to even try to move it for fear it really starts leaking, just need a couple inches to lay & grout new tile plumb new heater than I can proceed with the remaining floor - kind CF of a project if you get my drift
I get it.. I used the stainless flex hoses also for the same reason... I never had any luck draining a hot water tank without opening the pressure releaf valve.
I usually wont touch the PRV unless it's a must to get air in , even on new water heaters.. They quite often won't seat again and will drip. Or worse
I backflushed the drain valve and attempted to drain the water heater multiple times tonight, it just kept plugging up with chunks of calcium. Gave up after another 10min flush. I might wait until I'm off Saturday morning before trying it again
You could try removing the drain valve and catching the water/deposits in a bucket. If its a plastic valve it will most likely break off leaving just a small piece of the valve in the hole. you can use an easy-out to get the broken piece out then replace it with a brass boiler drain. Could also use a shop vac necked down to a piece of tubing and suck the junk out after the valve is removed. Yea ...I know... that sounds like a pita. You probably need a water softener to really solve your problem...
My Calcium hardness levels run ~70-80 (during the summer) when I'm testing pool makeup water. This is probably from me neglecting to flush the WH since maybe around the time I bought the house - at the time I found only a slight bit of sand. It seems to be flowing pretty well now.
Finally got it drained yesterday, had to take the flex hoses off the top to break vacuum, guess with the way the plumbing is run under the slab it wouldn't siphon out the water loop So I was at Lowes to get the new heater(the GE Geospring is special order anyways) the guy that works in plumbing talks me out of it. He's a licensed plumber, said these units are great and all for ~3yrs then the heat exchange element begins scaling to the point that the heat pump becomes inefficient. Picked up a standard 9yr whirlpool with the touchpad, has some extra energy saving features. With just 2 people in the house 98% of the time we probably wouldn't see enough usage to see a huge payoff for the added complexity and stuff to break.
