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A. O. Smith simply launched a 120V plug-in warmth pump water heater (HPWH), which is the second mannequin to reach on the mass market (the primary to market, Rheem, I reviewed right here). It’s an thrilling product with some revolutionary designs that enables many households to extra simply substitute their fuel water heaters with warmth pumps. It makes use of nifty know-how to supply a number of sizzling water whereas nonetheless (miraculously) solely plugging into the identical commonplace 120-volt outlet the place you cost your cellular phone.

How The 120V Model was Born

The thought for the 120V plug-in HPWH was born 5 years in the past. Producers and a big group of stakeholders got here collectively at a convention in California to dream up the concept of a HPWH that would plug into a typical outlet. That dream has now turn out to be actuality. The 120-volt warmth pump water heater is designed for same-day fuel water heater replacements. A water heater that plugs into a typical outlet avoids having to run a brand new 240-volt line from {an electrical} panel to the water heater location, which may save a whole lot of money and time throughout set up.

However for the practically half of American properties which have an electrical water heater, this product will not be for you. Your own home already has 240 volts of electrical energy powering your water heater, so the 240-volt HPWH (that has been in the marketplace since 2009), is a greater possibility as a result of it has backup electrical resistance components that may get well quicker in periods of excessive demand.

After the preliminary stakeholder and business assembly 5 years in the past, A. O. Smith went to the drafting board to create a 120V HPWH. The corporate went by means of an extended and rigorous product growth course of and researched how individuals use their water heaters and what they anticipate from them. A key activity was to create a water heater that wouldn’t disappoint prospects by not producing sufficient sizzling water, whereas on the identical time drawing solely as a lot power as a typical plug might present. One other problem was to create a water heater that was environment friendly sufficient it could save households cash even in areas the place electrical energy is pricey and fuel is affordable.

4 Similarities With The 240V HWPH

A. O. Smith’s 120-volt product growth coincided with the following technology of 240-volt HPWHs they had been constructing known as the Voltex AL (which I reviewed right here). The 120V model makes use of lots of the identical elements and has lots of the identical options of the Voltex AL which embrace:

1) Prime water connections (which make it straightforward to switch a typical fuel water heater)

2) Extraordinarily quiet operation at 45 decibels as a result of the water heater makes use of a blower quite than a fan

3) Solely requiring 450 cubic toes of air to run effectively

4) Good connectivity and a simple to make use of app the place you possibly can set your water heater to run throughout instances of cheaper electrical energy.

7 Variations From The 240V HWPH

However A. O. Smith designed its plug-in water heater with extra options that permit it to perform on solely 120 volts of electrical energy. These embrace:

1) Built-in good valve: A. O. Smith’s 120-volt HPWH has a sensible mixing valve that’s built-in into and contained in the water heater (which is completely different from Rheem’s which is on the surface with a canopy on it). This good valve is essential as a result of it permits the water heater to retailer water at a a lot increased temperature, normally twenty levels hotter than what’s going to truly come out at your faucet. Storing water hotter means you’ll have extra sizzling water (an estimated 32% extra for water 20 levels hotter), which is necessary if the water heater recovers extra slowly (which the 120-volt naturally does). Thus for those who purchase a 50-gallon HPWH and warmth it to 140 levels (with an externally put in mixing valve), it might present as a lot sizzling water as a 65-gallon water heater heated to the usual 120 levels. A. O. Smith’s good valve does this mechanically, so that you set the water temp you need and the water heater will warmth the water hotter after which combine right down to the setpoint temperature earlier than sending it to the house.

2) Steering to upsize the tank two sizes: Warmth pumps warmth water slower than fuel water heaters, so sizing is necessary. A. O. Smith (together with different producers) recommends that owners upsize their tank two sizes when going from a fuel to a 120-volt HPWH. Identical to the blending valve, a much bigger tank will retailer way more sizzling water lowering the chance {that a} family will ever run out (or in business lingo “have a chilly water occasion”).  A. O. Smith has a useful chart to point out what upsizing seems to be like — a 30- to 40-gallon fuel water heater must be upsized to a 66-gallon warmth pump, whereas a 50-gallon fuel water heater must be upsized to an 80-gallon warmth pump. Consider, extra tank capability will imply you’ll be putting in a water heater that’s bigger than the one it’s changing. The 120-volt HPWHs are normally 6 toes tall (as a substitute of the usual 5 toes) and 24 inches (as a substitute of the usual 22 inches). I changed a 40-gallon fuel with a 50-gallon 120-volt HPWH that I preserve at 140 levels and this has labored positive in my expertise. However the residence additionally has just one bathe with a really environment friendly showerhead.

3) Dearer: The added options and (presently) low manufacturing quantity make 120-volt HPWHs costlier (for instance the 50-gallon prices $2,159, the 66-gallon prices $2,594, and the 80-gallon prices $3,251 at Lowes) than the 240-volt HPWH (which usually prices between $1,600 and $1,900). This additional expense may very well be effectively value it although, particularly if it permits you to do a same-day gas-to-heat-pump set up and saves you from having to run {an electrical} wire or upsize {an electrical} panel. All of A. O. Smith’s HPWHs additionally qualify for the 30% federal tax credit score and native utility rebates.

4) Decrease world warming potential (GWP) refrigerant: If the refrigerant in warmth pumps (and vehicles and fridges) escapes, it might contribute to world warming as present refrigerants entice way more warmth than CO2. However refrigerant GWP ranges are enhancing, and A. O. Smith has turn out to be the primary main water heater producer to make use of low GWP refrigerant utilizing the refrigerant R-513A on this 120-volt plug in warmth pump water heater. Kudos to the corporate for doing that.

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5) Electrical components are smaller: Electrical water heaters warmth water like toasters warmth toast, with what are known as electrical resistance components. 240-volt HPWHs have massive electrical resistance components however don’t use them a lot, normally counting on their environment friendly warmth pumps to warmth water. The A. O. Smith 120-volt  HWPH has small 900-watt electrical resistance components, not like the Rheem 120-volt which doesn’t comprise components. These 900-watt components can’t present very a lot warmth and gained’t ever activate in regular operation. However they’re there for emergencies, like when temperatures are outdoors of the warmth pump’s working vary of 37 – 120 levels or if for some cause the warmth pump had been to interrupt.

6) Appropriate for chilly climates: The truth that A. O. Smith’s 120-volt mannequin has small electrical components means the corporate is making this product out there in every single place, together with colder climates. Rheem, however, hasn’t marketed its 120-volt HPWH in chilly climates as a result of it doesn’t have an electrical resistance backup. As you go additional north within the U.S., it’s extra doubtless that the water heater is put in within the residence in a utility closet or basement, so temperatures are unlikely to drop beneath the warmth pump’s working vary and in my humble opinion, you’re most likely positive both with or with out components. However these small components add an additional peace of thoughts that the 120-volt will present sizzling water even in excessive circumstances.

7) Decrease effectivity: Storing water at a warmer temperature (to verify properties have sufficient of it) means the 120-volt HPWH is normally 20-25% much less environment friendly than its 240-volt counterpart (for the water heater nerds, the 120-volt has a 3.0 UEF whereas the 240-volt has a 3.8 or increased UEF). However 120-volt HPWHs are nonetheless 3X extra environment friendly than electrical resistance water heaters and 5X extra environment friendly than fuel water heaters. So whereas it has barely decrease effectivity than one of the best HPWHs, the 120-volt remains to be a gamechanger in saving power and carbon emissions. A. O. Smith additionally believes the 120-volt will save on utility payments over fuel in just about each a part of the nation, and this squares with the findings from the primary 120-volt area examine carried out by the Superior Water Heating Initiative (full disclosure — I work on this initiative), which discovered that 72% of properties saved on their utility payments in California which has among the highest electrical energy charges within the nation.

What does all this add as much as? A plug-in water heater that may work effectively in virtually any residence and local weather. A. O. Smith’s 120-volt HPWH, whereas not low cost, is a testomony to good engineering and design that does the close to unattainable; it produces and shops a number of sizzling water whereas utilizing hardly any power and solely plugging into a typical outlet. For the half of the U.S. wanting to save cash on utility payments and 1 ton of CO2 emissions per yr, this product permits you to take action shortly and simply and in just about any local weather.