the new 'more efficient Rheem'

What is this new Rheem- the one that take heat from the air? I live in northern Wyoming where:
1. Our electricity rates are sky high- co-op is almost double than the city.
2. I use the tub 1-2 times a day to soak for 1/2 to 1 hour due to a severly injured neck/back.
3. Well water- extremely alkaline.

The currnet wh is 8-9 yrs old. I always tried to flush it, but when it was about 4-5 years old there is so much scale in it (up to the lower element that it won't flush out anymore).

Would this new Rheem be worth it?
I think it comes in a 50 gal, which I would like.

Would there be a better one?

Would a 3/4" quarter turn ball valve help me flush it out easier?

TY

can't help on the WH, but using a 3/4" full port ball valve would allow you to more easily shove a coat hanger, or rod into the bottom of the tank to help dislodge built-up crud during the flush.

You might want to consider a water softener and conditioner...things would last longer.

IT is a heat pump water heater, like an air conditioner in reverse. IT uses electricity to run its compressor, and one byproduct should be more cool air in the house.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hj

IT is a heat pump water heater, like an air conditioner in reverse. IT uses electricity to run its compressor, and one byproduct should be more cool air in the house.

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Which is exactly what you're looking for in the snowy WY highlands in January, eh? ;-)

Tank top heat pumps have GREAT benefit in cooling dominated climates, but in heating dominated climates they're only as efficient as your heating system, less the power required to run the pump (net efficiency is far lower than an indirect-fired tank on a heating boiler, f'rinstance.) If you're heating with really cheap fuel (far cheaper than electricity), you may have some benefit from one of those. But the coeffeiciency of performance on 'em are typically ~ 2.0 (it takes a kwh of power to pump 2kwh of heat into the tank, and you have to provide that 2kwh of heat with the heating system), and the first-hour ratings on 'em are pretty abyssmal compared to a fossil fired tank (or even a higher power electric tank.)

And they'll sludge-up as fast as any tank heater wood, no advantage there.

I'd consider one only if I lived someplace with 2000 cooling degree-days per year or higher, where the annual net-benefit of the reduced cooling load more than breaks even on the adder to the heating load during the cooler months. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that this climate doesn't exist anywhere in WY.

The heat pump units have a range of operation from about 1.0 (resistance heating) to 2.0 (heat pump.) They use resistance heating backup. They typically have some charts showing a range of likely performance depending on your climate (1.0, 1.2, 1.5, 2.0). My guess is you would do little better than resistance heating in WY.

keep in mind that this new water heater
that is worth about 1700 plus installation
can still spring a leak in 7 years from now or sooner.


getting it repaired would be a new experience too
for the fellow that installed it..

sitting a per heating tank next to a normal electric heater
wrapped in a blanket might be something to consider....