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This is awesome. Making a Smart Water Heater utilizing the existing hot water system in our homes would be very useful as well, and I would like to know if the
by foolinaround 12y ago
This is awesome.
Making a Smart Water Heater utilizing the existing hot water system in our homes would be very useful as well, and I would like to know if there are any efforts in this area.
There could be two ways (independently) that energy could be saved:
1) The water level in the tank could be varied by time depending on various parameters
2) The temperature level of the water could be varied by time as well. ( Keep it above freezing throughout the night, and trigger the heater at 5 am so that when I get to my shower at 6 am, I have hot water).
- maxerickson 12y agoYou're headed in the direction of a tankless/on demand heater (which are more efficient than tank heaters, but I guess not always cheaper overall).
- analog31 12y agoAn issue with the tankless system is that the chimney has to be updated, adding to the cost and complexity of the project.
- blcArmadillo 12y agoJust a warning on point two. Decreasing the temperature of a water heater too low can result in bacteria growing in the tank.
- joezydeco 12y agoAnd a clarification on point one, you can't change the water level in a hot-water heater. Outgoing hot water is always replaced by incoming cold water. What you could do is use a second electric water heater as feeder tank to the primary one, and only raise the setpoint above vacation-idle when electricity prices drop very low or below zero (if you're in an area that offers real-time electricity pricing).