4 ms·

>water heaters Are we being serious? I have an electric water heater. I have an induction cooktop, which is electric by necessity. I have an electric clothes d

>water heaters Are we being serious? I have an electric water heater. I have an induction cooktop, which is electric by necessity. I have an electric clothes dryer. (Is there even a consumer-grade gas-fired clothes dryer on the market?) The consumer experience is fine. I turn on the hot water tap and hot water comes out. What am I missing?

bombcar 4y ago
The only thing I can think of is a water heater that knows when power is cheap and preheats water hotter than it needs to be so it's available when you need it without using power ... I guess?
- nawitus 4y ago
  This is becoming quite common in Finland (thanks to insanely high spot prices of electricity). Shelly is usually used to do the automation. Note that the water is not heated "hotter than necessary" but rather water is heated up to the max amount when the price is cheap. Traditionally water heaters were only on at night.
  - bombcar 4y ago
    Yeah the "max amount" can vary - I have mine set higher than "you should" to prevent Legionnaires' disease and then have a mixer that reduces the temperature back to safe for the house. https://www.amazon.com/Cash-Acme-Thermostatic-Temperature-Application/dp/B01CIRY99A/ https://www.amazon.com/Cash-Acme-Thermostatic-Temperature-Ap... That's a very low tech solution that could take some advantage, and thermal mass of water is pretty high, especially if the tank is well insulated.
- danans 4y ago
  This has started in California in the form of a utility pilot that controls heat pump electric water heaters. I know because I'm a participant in the pilot. The opportunity to reduce carbon emissions is pretty massive when done at scale, because water heating accounts for 25% of home energy use in California. In general, there is a big rush of companies, both startups and established, into the DER space right now, I suspect because of both the relatively low cost of entry and the high value of the grid services (frequency regulation, peak load avoidance) they are usually bidding on.
malfist 4y ago
You mean you don't want to download an app to your phone that steals your data so you can....adjust the temperature setting of your hot water heater?
- bombcar 4y ago
  If you're heating hot water you already have a problem ;) (I know, I know).
ZeroGravitas 4y ago
One existing water heater innovation: https://www.mixergy.co.uk/products/mixergy-tank/ https://www.mixergy.co.uk/products/mixergy-tank/ Has both stupid innovation (Alexa integration) and sensible (working with the grid to balance demand, innovative design that saves energy and heats up faster when you need it quickly)
fomine3 4y ago
Efficiency by heat pump

bombcar 4y ago

The only thing I can think of is a water heater that knows when power is cheap and preheats water hotter than it needs to be so it's available when you need it without using power ... I guess?

nawitus 4y ago
This is becoming quite common in Finland (thanks to insanely high spot prices of electricity). Shelly is usually used to do the automation. Note that the water is not heated "hotter than necessary" but rather water is heated up to the max amount when the price is cheap. Traditionally water heaters were only on at night.
- bombcar 4y ago
  Yeah the "max amount" can vary - I have mine set higher than "you should" to prevent Legionnaires' disease and then have a mixer that reduces the temperature back to safe for the house. https://www.amazon.com/Cash-Acme-Thermostatic-Temperature-Application/dp/B01CIRY99A/ https://www.amazon.com/Cash-Acme-Thermostatic-Temperature-Ap... That's a very low tech solution that could take some advantage, and thermal mass of water is pretty high, especially if the tank is well insulated.
danans 4y ago
This has started in California in the form of a utility pilot that controls heat pump electric water heaters. I know because I'm a participant in the pilot. The opportunity to reduce carbon emissions is pretty massive when done at scale, because water heating accounts for 25% of home energy use in California. In general, there is a big rush of companies, both startups and established, into the DER space right now, I suspect because of both the relatively low cost of entry and the high value of the grid services (frequency regulation, peak load avoidance) they are usually bidding on.

malfist 4y ago

You mean you don't want to download an app to your phone that steals your data so you can....adjust the temperature setting of your hot water heater?

bombcar 4y ago
If you're heating hot water you already have a problem ;) (I know, I know).

ZeroGravitas 4y ago

One existing water heater innovation: https://www.mixergy.co.uk/products/mixergy-tank/ https://www.mixergy.co.uk/products/mixergy-tank/ Has both stupid innovation (Alexa integration) and sensible (working with the grid to balance demand, innovative design that saves energy and heats up faster when you need it quickly)

fomine3 4y ago

Efficiency by heat pump