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Thread: Whirlpool Water Heater Problem

  1. #46
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Posts
    15,332
    I thought I'd revive this thread since I am now the owner of an AO Smith HPWH (PHPT60, 60 gallon heat pump/electric water heater). My father and I installed it last weekend and it has been running nicely thus far. It is too early to figure out any cost savings yet.

    I found a place in NJ online selling it for $1036 including shipping/tax (of which there wasn't any). My local utility will rebate me $500 (right away) and the Fed will provide an energy credit of $300 (to be filed next year). For those not familiar with a heat pump, it sucks in ambient air, removes the heat (and uses it to heat the water) and moisture (condenses and drains out) and then blows out cool, dry air. My location is somewhat confined and I've determined that I need to pick up AO Smith's outlet duct kit and redirect that cool, dry air to ensure it is not being sucked back into the inlet side. That is another $120. I had about $100 in various parts (copper pipe/fittings, pvc, electrical box/outlet/wire, valves, pipe insulation, etc.). I figure I have another $450 to make back to break even on this deal. I don't imagine that will take longer than a couple of years. I get 10 years on the tank and parts. AO Smith's customer service has been pretty good as I had some issues. One was the display panel that they forgot to plug into the circuit board. One was a wire I cut that I shouldn't have (for the float switch on my condensation pump) that they helped me diagnose via feedback from the display panel. I also have very small bubbles of paint (i.e. rust forming under the paint) on the outer "tank" or sleeve of the water heater here and there. Since this isn't the actual tank, I'm not too worried but there are some issues with quality control for the painting, I think.

    I'll post some pics later of my install.
    Wood: a fickle medium....

    Did you know SMC is user supported? Please help.

  2. #47
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Medina Ohio
    Posts
    4,514
    Some of them also have a one shot gas valve if it trips you can not light it again. My sons tripped after Sandy and I tried everything to relight it. Ended up putting on a new used gas valve that I got for a supply house they looked at the old one and told me they have replace a few of them.

  3. #48
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Posts
    15,332
    Here are some shots of the "almost done" install of my AO Smith Voltex Heat Pump Water Heater.

    I still need to figure out where I'm going to route the cool, dry output air. The manual is pretty clear than I cannot use more than 10' of 8" flex duct.

    I purchased the output duct kit as a separate option after my father and I figured that the heat pump would work better with the cool air sent further away.

    The orientation of the water heater probably isn't as ideal as I'd like but we turned it like this with the idea of needing to get 8" duct on the output and that elbow in there does just barely clear some obstacles so I guess we did all right considering we didn't have the output duct kit at the time of install.

    The water heater's cold and hot lines are not on top as you can see...that is where the heat pump is located. So it took a bit of copper and some fittings and some time to get everything lined up close. A new rule here in California for the pressure valve is that it needs routed outside more or less. We routed it outside on a slight slope so that I can detect if it is leaking at all.

    I don't have a drain nearby so we used a condensation pump. California isn't very humid but the heat pump still pulls some decent moisture out of the warm air.

    I have the water heater sitting on some "milk jug" lumber that I salvaged from a long-ago project that is no longer.

    So far so good with the water heater. We are happy with it and now only use natural gas for the furnace and fireplace which means no NG use for half a year or so.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Wood: a fickle medium....

    Did you know SMC is user supported? Please help.

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