Comment by DrScientist

Comment by DrScientist 15 hours ago

Indeed.

In the UK there was a unfortunate trend of ripping out these energy storage devices and replacing hot water tanks with on demand electric hot water heating ( only heat the water you need ). And new builds often have no tanks ( as it saves space in the new tiny homes ).

Very short sighted in my view - a very simple way to store energy and everyone uses hot water directly.

coryrc 2 hours ago

They don't work well with heat pumps. Heat pumps lose efficiency as the differential increases, so if you try to store heat in a tank, you quickly drop capacity and efficiency.

Versus resistance, which is exactly as efficient at 0°C and 1000°C, and why those storage heaters used to make sense.

(And storage is directly proportional to temperature differential above interior ambient)

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Xylakant 4 hours ago

it also reduces peak load - you can heat water up slower with a lower powered heater. I have a 35 liter warm water tank in my garden shed that pulls about 3.5kw - an equivalent on demand heater would need 14kw or more.

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a_better_world 4 hours ago

My hot water tank once fell off the wall. On Christmas day. Expensive repair.

Hot water tank was in the basement, which was not insulated. So the mass of hot water contributed very little as a heat reserve for the house.

House was in a northern clime.

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manmal 2 hours ago

Those are great for buffering only a few hours though. That would help avoid the expensive electricity price peaks.

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