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| Hot Water Heat Pump | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Sun Mar 7th, 2010 07:01 pm |
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1st Post |
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woodysil Member
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I recently purchased and installed the AirTap Heat Pump on my newly purchased Water Heater. The dielectric nipple supplied with the AirTap would not work on my Water Heater for it was way to short, so I had to purchase an 8" standard nipple in order to mount the AirTap on top the Water Heater (count not find an 8" dielectric nipple). This will cause a rust problem within the nipple in a few years. After carefully reading the AirTap manual, I discovered that the AirTap people recommend the anode rod(s) be changed out every six (6) months. Their reason, copper tubing is placed within the tank which is part of the AirTap system. Thats an extra expense of approximately $100 year. Not counting the electricity cost to run the AirTap, my initial expense has been $569 (AirTap), $300 (Water Heater), and $89 (Pumping Supplies). Add approx. $1,000 (Anode Rods for 10 years), now I have a substantial investment. Due to the anode rod expense my savings will be about $500 over a 10 year period. Providing the AirTap and Water Heater last that long. In conclusion, think hard before you buy it. There is another unit which is more portable and easier to attach, being sold by North Road Technologies called the Geyser. This unit attaches to the drain on the botton of the tank without copper tubing placed inside the tank. This unit, to my knowledge, does not require the anode(s) to be replaced. So if you purchase a 12 yr warranted tank, the anodes should last 12 years without being changed. This unit is also costly at $1,999. GE now makes a Hot Water Heat Pump combination for $1,599 with a 10 year warranty. That may be the best way to go especially if your electric rates are high. Last edited on Sun Mar 7th, 2010 07:03 pm by woodysil |
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| Posted: Mon Mar 8th, 2010 01:33 am |
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2nd Post |
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elenano GCF-GL 
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Thank you for sharing your experience. Someone recently asked if the AirTap could be used with my products and suggested I offer them for sale. The answer to the first question was no because that long nipple is needed to support the unit in a level position. But I didn't know this thing put copper into the water heater. That's very bad design. Copper will considerably speed up anode consumption and then rust out the water heater if people aren't vigilant -- and who is that vigilant with their water heaters? Some years back, during the dip tube debacle, a number of people suggested making dip tubes out of copper, not realizing what a catastrophe that would have been for the anode and then the tank steel. It appears the manufacturers are slowly engineering themselves past the FVIR problems, with have been numerous and widespread. Perhaps someone will come up with a better mousetrap for the heat pump. Randy Schuyler Last edited on Mon Mar 8th, 2010 01:34 am by elenano |
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| Posted: Mon Mar 8th, 2010 10:55 pm |
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3rd Post |
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eleent Member
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Hello: I would check the anode in six months, but let this guide you in how long the anode actually lasts in your heater. It may last twice as long. If you use a fat anode, (like Randy sells) there will be more magnesium to protect the tank and a longer period of time can go between changings. It may ultimately not be a big deal. Of course, it would make sense for Air Tap to engineer in a solution so the copper heat exchanger doesn't have an effect on the life of the tank  Yours, Larry
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