Buy the Numbers by Britt Storkson Owner, P2FlowLLC I’ve been researching the latest and greatest energy-saving devices lately - one of them being the hybrid or heat pump water heater. There are three basic types of water heaters out there right now. One is the tried-andtrue been-around-for-many-years tank type water heater. Another is a “tankless” water heater, and a third type is the hybrid or heat pump water heater. The tank type water heater is basically nothing more than a tin can with water inlet and outlet ports, a temperature and pressure relief valve for safety (as do all water heaters), a couple of electric heating elements (or a gas burner in the case of gas-fired water heaters), and a thermostat to maintain a reservoir of water (usually 40-50 gallons) at about 140ºF (60ºC). A tankless water heater heats the water as it flows through the heater, and a hybrid/heat pump water heater takes heat from the surrounding air as well as uses heating elements to heat the water. The advantage of a tank type water heater is it’s simple, reliable, and inexpensive. The disadvantage is heat is wasted by maintaining a tank of water at an elevated temperature even if no one is using it. While the heat losses from a properly insulated water tank are low, it is still wasted heat. The tankless water heater senses flow, then heats the water as it flows through the device and does not use heat energy when there is no water flow. The advantage is a much smaller size and weight as you can hang most tankless water heaters on a wall. The disadvantage is when the tankless water heater is on it uses a lot of energy. While the tankless water heater does use a lot of energy when it is “on” (heating water), it is “on” only for a short time, resulting in lower overall energy usage as it heats the water only when needed. Another disadvantage is often the wiring to the tankless water heater will cost more than the heater itself because of the considerable current (amperage) load the heater draws, but it’s a one-time expense and not recurring like electric power costs. The hybrid water heater uses a tank and heating elements along with a heat exchanger which extracts heat from the surrounding air and uses it to heat the water using complicated computer controls. It also costs about three times more than a conventional tank type water heater. I have issues with overcomplicated computer controlled anything and the energy saving claims are equally troubling. The tank type electric resistance heaters are 100% efficient. You cannot get any better than 100% efficient. Why do I say that? Check the numbers: 1 kilowatt hour (1000 watts over 1 hour time) of electricity equals 3414 Btu of heat. A Btu is a British thermal unit and is a measurement of heat energy. 1 Btu is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water 1º Fahrenheit. One brand of hybrid water heater claims to be 297% more efficient than a standard electric water heater, but they don’t explain how they got the 297% number. Remember when you were in school and your math teacher told you to “show your work” when completing an assignment? This advertisement did not “show their work.” How did they arrive at the 297% figure? It all comes down to energy in kilowatt hours versus heat produced. We know a conventional resistance heater produces 3414 Btu per kilowatt hour of electric energy input. So to be almost three times (300%) more efficient than a conventional water heater, that 1 kilowatt hour of electricity should produce three times more Btu or about 10,000 Btu of heat, but they don’t state the hybrid water heater Btu output. It’s suspect at best. Often, it’s what they don’t tell you that’s the problem and not what they do tell you ~ a concept which is true about most everything in life. Britt 2023 NDA Convention September 13-15 Lexington Griffin Gate Marriott Golf Resort & Spa Lexington, KY For more information call: 877-632-4748 or visit: www.nda4u.com Exhibitor & Sponsor Opportunities are Available! President’s Dinner with Awards and Entertainment • Golf Outing • Presentations for CE Credits • Cornhole Tournament • Outdoor Static Displays • And More. 17 MAY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource®
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