I want my 22 min back. Your (valid) concern about the filtration and potential evaporator restriction could have been summarized in 1 minute or less. And dude... how much dust is in your basement? Hard to take you seriously with all that crap on the floor, exposed wiring etc. if you clean up once in a while, you will probably have less of a concern with the filter needing to be cleaned. TDLR - if your basement is a dirty as mine, keep up on the filter cleaning and if extremely dirty, consider additional filtration.
I’m not buying the fact that the basement is that dirty. Peoples houses have dust all over them. That’s why you replace your air conditioner filter every three months. Honestly, don’t think the results would be much different.
The video would have been better if you could have shown the coils. I was considering one, but, getting older, I'm not going to be able to clean those coils. And people don't realize how dusty a house is. Just ask your wife (if she dusts every week) mine would go in my shop where I occasionally work on wood.. so absolutly not for me. Appreciate the video !
You need to get down to the root cause…if your basement is that dusty/dirty get a HEPA shopvac and clean it up. Also when cleaning the screen use water and clean it outside. If you just hit it with air in the same room where the water heater is in…your just contributing to your issue. ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS. I have the gen before yours in my attic and its been kicking butt! I clean the filter every 3 months and it still doesnt get to your level. GOOD LUCK.
I agree that mechanical space is dirty AF - if he cleaned up the dirt and dust that I see in that space it would certainly be helpful to the longevity of the filter and exchanger. These can't just put it in a filthy, dirty dusty environment and expect it to perform the same as in a clean air space. This is a stupid no point rant.
If exposure to dirt/dust was a big problem for air source heat pumps then wouldn't outdoor HVAC heat pumps also have problems exposed to all the elements? It's difficult to believe inside anywhere is worse than 247 outdoors.
Outdoor heat pumps have to be cleaned also depending on location and circumstance. But this Heat Pump Water heater has a air filter before it hits the condenser...big difference.
We have 1 micron filtered, water softened well water (zero grains hardness). Sediment is a non-issue for us. I clean the air filter regularly. We've been running our's for 4 years, so far, in heat pump only mode, with zero issues.
Are there morons who don’t read their manuals or spend 5 minutes familiarizing themselves with things they purchase, of course. Should the world bend over backwards to accommodate them, hell no c’mon man.
Good video. I have that same water heater in the 40 gallon size. After 4 months it had an error that I didn’t understand. I called Rheem and it was a bad thermistor. They sent me new thermistors to swap out. I had to pop the top to do that. It was a pain to get to some of the sensors but it worked fine after that. After popping the top I also realized it will get dusty in there regardless of cleaning the filter monthly. I’m planning on cleaning the heat exchanger at least annually. I agree this water heater is more for DIY’ers who can figure this stuff out. I use it in heat pump mode only so I don’t burn through my batteries on my off grid solar system. It works great for that. Thanks for the video.
I put in one of the early GE models way back in 2009. Coming up on 15 years, no maintenance other than periodically cleaning the integrated filter which lifts out and washes in 5 minutes. I estimate it is saving me about $15-20 mo over the old electric unit it replaced and far more efficient than on-demand gas (my only option was expensive propane). It completely paid for itself in < 10 years. Also it was like adding an air conditioner to my garage.
..,and a built in dehumidifier. Love our AO Smith. The right tool for the task at our job. Helps keep our basement garage drier. Finished basement area dehumidifier runs less. Whole basement - both sections - smells better with no mildew smell.
I bought one of those GEs, back then, on sale at Lowe's for US$1200. The heat pump on top crapped out after three years. It still operates using the heating element.
@@sciptick Wow, I wonder if I was extremely lucky, you got a lemon, or there is some substantial difference in the operating conditions (temperature, air quality, etc.) between our units.
I’m fortunately a DIY’er. Good lecture. I’ve had my Rheem hybrid for 11 months. I just replaced my anode with a powered anode, so I don’t have to worry about changing it later. It’s located between the heat exchanger and the fan. It was a lot of fun having to remove the plastic grommet around the anode. Reason being the factory misaligned the hole and I had to remove the grommet in pieces to get the 27mm socket on the anode. It took a 20” long 1/2” breaker bar with an 18” pipe on the handle for leverage and my body builder neighbor to bear hug the unit while I loosened the anode. Can’t imagine why it would be tightened so hard. Last, I was quite surprised at how much the anode corroded in 11 months
You are correct that Home Depot does not and is not really staffed to give proper advice on maintenance. This is on Rheem. Thet need to do a better job with the owner's manual, I agree. What I don't agree with is that you have a Debbie Downer attitude and delivery style. I own one of these, and I am an engineer, so yes, an advanced DIYer. I run on Heat Pump Only Mode and am saving $45 per month. I spend 5 minutes per month washing the filter. I have it programmed to heat tp 140 F on the off-peak rate, and 120 F on peak rate. Another thing that Rheem doesn't tell customers is that if you run at 120 F all of the time (which they "imply"), you WILL grow bacteria in the water which is very hazardous for showering and washing dishes in the sink. The solution is to set the schedule for 140 F for 6 hours per day which will kill legionella and listeria.
Not sure I get the problem fully, I have one of these and so far (approx 1 year) it costs a third to heat my water compared to a conventional tank, I am still working on my home which involves mudding and other mess and dust, as a matter of course I check and clean all the filters in my house, mini splits , ERV, water heater etc monthly, it takes around 15 mins to do all of them. If there is dust it will collect on filters, if it passes through the filters and arrives on the evaporator then it makes sense to clean it, not a massive issue. I understood that this involved a heat pump component from the start, that means input filtration and a TINY bit of cleaning, I am happy to do that and save 2/3rds of my kilowatt usage, and in the summer like now its super efficient, sorry you feel its so difficult, and I do agree its not an install and leave, but I also check the coolant and oil in my car often and expect some maintenance is required now and then. I guess it's no such thing as a free lunch, you save 2/3rds by having to do a bit of the work. For me its a great solution.
Your heat pump is likely in a cleaner environment. Because of his less than optimal environment his heat pump often switch to non heat pump mode, hence less savings. ✌️
I have that same one or pretty similar to it and it was put in in August 2018 and it is December 2023 now I think I’ve cleaned the filter a handful of times and I’ve never had a problem with the unit other than my Water drip hose was not angled right and it backed up into the unit but it alerted me I happen to be in my garage and I put a different hose on it and now it’s back to working perfect. So I believe that you have had much trouble with yours, but I would not Speak those absolutes in your video because every situation is unique. And looking at the overall long-term data it looks like these things last 12 to 15 years in a multiple variety of environments with regular use. You are obviously an outlier and people need to know that when they watch this video. But I agree you need to clean that screen out which seriously takes one minute at the most and it would be good to do it probably every few months.
To start with PLEASE stop calling them Hot water heaters. If I have hot water then I would not need a Water Heater...I have had mine in my house(laundry room) for almost 2 years and check the filter every few months. Just cleaned it today and have to say I had probably less than a tenth of the dust you have on yours. Only 2nd time cleaning, Maybe I have just gotten lucky but have yet to have any codes or problems. I found mine from a reseller on marketplace for 600$ brand new but a couple dings. I have the 50 gallon Proterra. The only issue I have (and I called Rheem about this) is that it actually uses less electricity than the app shows. I checked it with 3 other energy monitors. With my usage I am saving about 25$ a month so in a few months it will have paid for itself minus the cost of fittings I used to install. I do agree with you that these aren't maintenance free and are not for everyone. Still don't understand your rant though....
"Anode rod" I know that you know exactly what you're talking about here. For that, I'm giving you a thumbs-up. Older model tanks (the ones built in the 90's) are just vessels; with proper fittings (not factory installed, of course), proper draining every year, every 5 years change the anode rod, change the Temperature Pressure Valve every few years, use anti-corrosion, anti-oxidant gels ("Naval Jelly, "Ox-Gard", similar) around outer fittings in order to alleviate corrosion, etc...the vessel will last almost forever. Our own vessel? 35 yrs. and counting...
Yes there is more maintenance to these. We put ours in December 27, 2022 but have our intake air pipe run to our main floor hallway and haven’t gathered any particulates on the screen or heat exchanger. Great point on the fact that these are not walk away devices. We do love ours so far. Getting the wrinkles figured out has been frustrating for sure as Rheem has definitely failed on the need for more depth of instructions and care. We run ours on solar and have found the energy usage very good once I learned it. They need to share the algorithm as to when the elements would turn on in energy save mode and high demand mode. Also put an actual temp of water gauge on the main screen and app. Not only the set temp with a 1/3, 2/3 Full indicator.
These systems are very efficient if designed with the space it's setup to provide water heating for. If the situation is a retrofit where we have a load of prep that we may or may not know about. Yeah these systems need good planning and design values whereas older electric just can be thrown anywhere and work. Therefore the person paying the Piper will always be the user not the installer. So much of heating revolves around location planning and design values of where it is.
Toss the plastic filter, purchase the ducting kit and make a filter box. Furnaces come with crappy filter systems too and the owners manuals make it seem like it will do the job. It won’t. Go the extra mile to protect your investment. I use paint booth filter material in my HVAC return air vents as pre filters feeding a huge home made box that uses two 25x25x2” pleated filters. I tape them so no air sneaks by. Works like a charm and has very low restriction. A-coil stays nice and clean.
Ty for the INFO they should of let us know before purchasing. I would of still bought it but I would of took some precautions towards filtering it and placement on install.
Like you said these companies know customers are not going to do the maintenance they're pretty much in the business of just producing products if it fails replace it simple as that that's what these companies expect to happen I'm sure you noticed there's not much trade people in the business that much especially in the repair side of things.
Wash that "filter/rock stop" out with water and let dry out. The rotary compressor is the same as a 5200 btu window unit. The heat exchanger is called the evaporator, the condenser is the tube wrap around the vessel.
How often do people do maintenance on their main heat pump in their kitchen??? The refrigerator!!!! The refrigerator has the same coils that rarely get cleaned and no filter to clean the air.... All high efficiency appliances need some tender loving care. You have the worst dust with the wood heat and the ash dust...
I have an aosmith hybrid heat pump and it ended up with compressor error so all aosmith does is replace the whole thing. Luckily, i received it from my energy provider and they installed it for me. So are you making a video on showing how to clean the compressor?
Thanks for finally saying the truth. This is the same concept as the tankless water heaters that builders are now putting in houses and selling to people who are clueless about this. Sometimes it’s best to not reinvent the wheel.
I bought the same water heater on 3/18/2020 and installed it myself. I've had no problems with mine at all. Clean that filter and drain 5 gallons of water off bottom of tank twice a year and have had no issues at all knock on wood to thi point 1/23/24. I also, have an electric meter on the heater and I've averaged a total of 786.5 KWH per year x whatever your electric supllier charges per KWH. Where I live in Maine that cost me roughly $190.00 per year to heat all my hot water needs. When I used to heat it with the firnance that useses #2 heating oil, it cost me $80-90.00 a month to heat my water for a yearly total of $960-1080.00. So for the last 4 years in March my total savings is roughly $3,180.00. Oh, and I run it on the energy saving mode heat pump with top element. I paid $1100.00 for it at Home Depot and got a rebate from Sate of Maine for $750.00, so all said it's saved me a bunch of cash.
I don't even own one yet and the first thing that I thought was that the filter you get seems to be not very good. So I thought, just place a hepa house filter on the top of it. I also use Hepa filters on the back of box fans to suck the wildland smoke out of the air.
It depends on various factors. There are places where it's a no brainer over electric and potentially gas. For example in my situation, I live in Florida and one of the two water heaters is inside the living area of the house. I've replaced it with a heat pump water heater, so not only does it help save money from heating water, it also helps cool down the room, which is needed 8 months out of the year. Also I have yet to clean the filters since installing 2 yrs ago (checked regularly and it looks like the state I installed it). This is probably because my air is pretty clean given the HVAC filter which I do replace regularly.
I installed my water heater this past weekend in my garage. I plan to also get the inlet air duct adapter and make a intake air filter box so I can have all the air pass through actual filters like HVAC filters. They should be easier to maintain, and do a better job than the built in dinky little screen
I would suggest that people who don't notice the spike in electric bill from their water heater operating on only the heating elements just didn't need a hybrid water heater in the first place.
i switched from gas to one of these and saved an average of 90 a month on a 700sq ft home.i ran prefilters and expansion tank going into the waterheater and my water has remained mid hard/soft. if i had ran a duct from my attic to the heatpump intake itd improve it even more. after rebates when purchased it has paid for itself in less than 2 years. my only complaint it the matching components such as the a/c for econet are pricy.
For anyone interested in these hybrid models, be aware that Rheem put of a notice that these essentially don't work if you have a water recirculator pump. I installed one of these in 2017, had a water recirculator, but no indication that it wasn't compatible, and I've had to run it only in the high demand mode, but their service bulletin indicates it will not work effectively even in this mode. My unit runs about 300 to 800 kwh per month, for 50 gal, 4 person. I have suffered from multiple issues with the relays integrated into the circuit board getting stuck and tripping the overheat switch. Mine also leaks at both the pressure relief valve, and at the lower drain valve. It was also a huge pain running copper to the middle of the unit for got water and the bottom of the unit for cold water, very non standard. Customer service was very friendly, but unfortunately have no idea how the unit works.
If I had a house I would remodel it for my electrical and mechanical room differently so I can vent out air all the time so I have fresh air in that room and do the filters change regularly it would be nice if there was a system that could automatically dump the water out for me say every 8 months instead of once a year and I'll just change out the filter and have one of those elements in there then you were talking about that can automatically clean itself then I would call maintenance-free.
2nd hpwh from Rheem, they replace the first one after two years. This hpwh has been throwing error codes 005 for the last six months at its 2year anniversary and I now have to pull the thing apart and put three thermistors into it. This water heater sits in the basement of a 184-year-old house and the filter was a little dirty, but not as bad as my upstairs heat pumps get. My opinion of Rheem heat pump water heaters is that they are fine 2 year water heaters. Oh forgot to mention mine runs about 60 to 70 dB, so I’m gonna try putting the three thermostats in, but my next step is to get a Bradford white hpwh. The service technician that I called said that he services Rheems all the time, error codes is what they do.
This is definitely fixable in theory! Attach some ductwork to the intake. If you have a lot of space, connect the ductwork to a giant filter grille, like at least 20x30. Use one of the excellent filtrete filters that have tiny pressure drop even at MERV 13. If you have less space, you could probably get away with the ductwork by adding a current triggered relay on the integrated fan, a small inline booster fan, and an inline filter box somewhere. If you do it yourself, it could be a few hundred bucks. They ***absolutely*** should just have better filters on the units than those rock catchers. I've always hated them, especially in window ACs. If someone wanted to be clever, what you'd do is measure the diameter of the water heater, imagine it is a trunk line, and get one of the nice takeoffs that perfectly fit a round trunk line, so you could duct up the intake.
Damn that's a lot of dust compared to mine. After one year of use so far, I've checked my screen numerous time, but rarely do I see any dust on it. Mine is kept in my garage that's converted into a living space. The only problem I've had was the one sensor kept causing an error code, but it still worked. I contacted Rheem and they sent all 3 new sensors from a different manufacturer and a tech to change them out for nothing. No more issues with sensor/s. I will change out the anode next spring/summer. But for my home with my heating coils in on my oil furnace I had a company come to clean out my coils after 15 years of use and he was shocked that I had absolutely no buildup of calcium deposits, so I have to assume my water is not going to damage my anode rod on the water heater either. Getting back 750 dollar rebate for purchasing the heater from the government I've way ahead of the game already. Not to mention I do all my own installations on Hvac mini splits and this inverter water heater. Cleaning these and also both my mini splits are just a matter of using either a garden hose for the mini splits on the coils or an air compressor on the indoor water heater which I've already check and personally have absolutely no problem with dust accumulations. Again my heater is located in a living space that's not a dust host.
I only paid 500 for my 50 gallon rheem hybrid water heater.. 800 out of the store with local tax credit and another 300 later for fed tax rebate. I was paying 50 a month using propane to heat my water before. That means it paid itself off in a year, and now its just saving me money. I did have the evaporator (Et) thermister fail twice in the last 2 years.. BUT I was able to replace them myself after rheem sent me replacements for free. Where I keep the water heater is clean so I don't have the dust issue clogging up the radiator. You could buy a small furnace filter and set it on top of the intake that would fix that issue. There is an alarm that reminds you to clean filter. So if you have the app it will message you this.
Plus they don’t mention that in colder climates it is pulling heat from your home and if you have an all electric hvac that could be problematic and costly. You’re basically using your home heating to heat the water.
Matt Risinger refers to "a couple of studies" about the colder temps from these being several degrees but I'm reading it's up near 10 degrees and this would be installed in my daughters big walk in closet in the basement that she needs heated to 67 so it's going to pull that heated air and make me electric bill higher. Think I'm going with another rinnai tankless and pray it doesn't leak for 15 yrs.
Self Installed mine 1-7-2019 (Now 8-12-2023) in garage next to side door that is open all day cleaned the filter once not even dirty the only problem I have is it thinks the condensation line is clogged a few times and it is clear but this doesn't stop it from functioning. Rheem Prestige Professional from plumbing wholesaler I am a pool contractor and my supplier sells home plumbing supplies also my unit looks a bit different but similar I run on heat pump mode only we smoke in garage so the nicotine protects it LOL.
My heat pump clothes dryer has a flap you can open up to get easy access to the heat pump fins. I'm surprised they don't have something like that on any heat pump device. My Heat pump mini split you can get easy access to the fins on the outdoor unit and indoor unit. All Heat pumps will eventually need the fins cleaned for a long and efficient life.
FUD. The devices are smart... they can alert you of everything. And you definitely don't want set-and-forget. You want to take advantage of the benefits, including time of use benefits. They're not unreliable. It is a heat pump... we've been using them since the beginning of refrigeration... that is what our refrigerators are... that is what our air conditioners are. The FUD I have heard always comes from plumbers because they think they need to get their EPA 608 certification to be able to service them. It isn't required unless you need to work on the refrigerant loop if it leaks. If you want someone to perform maintenance... you could just have your HVAC person do the maintenance if they come out. Just clean the coil... like your would the AC. All of the concerns that you have are unjustified. The drain? You have a condensation drain for the AC, too... You will also know if the heat pump isn't working if you go around it... it works by taking heat from the surrounding space, so it will be rather noticeably cooler around it.
I wonder if you have a hybrid water heater, if the heat pump fails, whether or not the water heater reverts to working just like a conventional electric water heater, or whether it stops working altogether.
This is no different than your standard FVIR gas water heater. The combustion air opening on your gas water heater also has a pre-filter. Lack of cleaning will cause the internal tank temperature to increase and trigger the high-limit ECO (Energy Cut-Off switch.) Also, do not stack filters on your water heater, as this will also increase the internal tank temperature due to the lack of airflow, thus tripping the tank's ECO or TPR (temperature pressure relief valve). TPR valves pop off at a predetermined pressure/temperature, thus reducing the tank temperature/pressure and preventing an explosion.
Yeah I got one too. Modulating burner, digital temp changeable on the fly. I do have to run vinegar thru every few months due to high calcium, otherwise its great. Had a cheap cheap battery powered gas. Lasted about 7 years. No complaints, I got my money and had hot water when power out due to two D batteries that went 3 or 4 years.
I agree with the comments - these aren't maintenance free devices (well, if you replace the anode rod, and flush occasionally - no HWH is). I saw enough videos like this to already have an HVAC filter on top of the inlet. I'm hoping that helps. Rheem sells adapters to allow ducting the in and our email. A nice bracket to hold an HVAC filter (vs our jury-rigged ones) would be nice. I disagree with, "If you need it serviced, it will cost more than a conventional HWH". Will it cost something, yes. But after the payback time, if this is saving $350 a year, and you have one $500 service call every three years, you are still saving money overall. While the parts warranty is 10 years, I think the labor is a measly one. So, "The compressor died after 2 years? We'll send you a new one" isn't great if I need to pay for the de-install and reinstall. For the anode replacement, I would have preferred an access panel on the top to get to it, vs having to remove the entire top shell (and from your photo, also disconnect the electricity. I'm sure I'll push that replacement off longer than I'd like. But based on the kWh ratings of my old HWH, and now the Rheem hybrid, at my c/kHr rate, it projects to over $600/yr savings. If that comes true, then even some potential service calls, still has the savings well into the black. So I'm generally optimistic that changing our my still working 10yr old heater was a good investment.
Nice theory, but my AO Smith failed at one year and one week so they refused to cover labor and now my replacement unit has failed at six months. First was Freon leak and second is just compressor failure, also no labor coverage on replacement units. Paying more than half of the cost of the water heater in service labor every 6-12 months is a joke.
@@JohnCBarsoom I'm sorry you had that issue - twice! Definitely unfortunate. But I'd also say very abnormal. Nothing is going to stay on the market if that is the average lifetime and experiences of owners.
In my situation, there is an ice formation on coil radiator. Coverng up to quarter or more, depending on humidity in my garage. I live in humid South East conditions. That is major problem, by design. No defrosting abilities by design.
It’s a water heater. It is not a hot water heater. If the water is hot there is no need to heat it. All brands of tank and tankless water heaters recommend both maintenance and flushing. Most people don’t read the manufacturer’s instructions. You have to clean the air filter just like you do on a forced air furnace or air conditioner. Set a reminder on your calendar to clean or replace your furnace and heat pump filter and floor the heater once a year. I have had one Rheem Tank Heater and three Rheem gas tankless heaters in the various house I have owned I always maintain my heaters. Yes you will have to also periodically clean the condenser. There’s no free lunch no matter what brand of heater. There’s always maintenance.
I've never had a water heater last 10 years. Have had a Bradford White which lasted 9 years, and an American water heater for 7 years just prior. Both of these were gas water heaters that were drained 2 times a year. Not sure where I can buy a water heater that can last the average you mentioned about 15-20 years.
Honestly, have not changed the anode rod. I do run a softwater system and my water heater guy said that actually helps reduce the mineral content going into the tank. Not sure if he meant that would help lessen the wear and tear on the anode. I looked into the corro rod and am considering getting one. Thanks!
My house in San Ramon, CA was built in 1992 and came with AMA brand 75 gallon gas water heater. It failed just this month after 32 years of trouble free service , including last 14 years during my ownership. I never flushed the tank nor did any other kind of maintenance. Its a testament of quality American manufacturing in those days.
Outdoor heatpumps suck air through the evaporate coil, but also on shutdown reverse and blow air backwards out of the evaporator coil. Regardless, you should be cleaning your coils already on any outdoor unit. Honestly dunno why this guy doesn't just pop the top off and clean the coil off himself.
New homes almost all have them here, but some models have some massive reliability issues. There was a power surge recently that wiped out an entire block of heat pump water heaters. Guess what they were replaced with? Standard electric water heaters. 🤦Sometimes efficiency loses to simplicity.
My Dad being a refrigerator repairman, I built one of these back in the 70’s from a watercooled heat exchanger and window unit. It worked. In the 80’s I remember a headline “get ready to replace 20 million water heaters” today, my brand new S$&@?!/refrigerator had to have the entire ice maker and computer board replaced. My brand new G* Range is defective. G* tells me the service company is not taking new clients, so tough luck. Sorry. I wouldn’t put a bet on anything lasting 30 years, but anyone who would pay what these things cost and think a compressor, fan, and controls would not give trouble and would pay for itself, or that you can open it up without disturbing the warranty and fix it, to me just reinforces what P. T. Barnum said. No offense meant, every single thing you say is accurate. Use your head folks. Keep in mind too, if you put this thing in a space you heat at all, the energy equation is not in your favor since the heat is extracted from the room, which is replaced by whatever heat source used. Summer may balance out some, if you cool the space. Still as Sean explains, it is not as simple as the advertising would suggest.
Agreed. I wont consider buying a new truck today. Overpriced, overly complex. I can get an 87 c3500 pickup for 10 grand and spend another 20 grand fixing it all up and have a nice truck to give out years of service. Sure I won't have the fancy heated and cooled seats, auto park assist, self driving, 25 inch backup camera but I know if anything does go wrong I will be able to fix it.
@@GenetrySolar I agree….with reservations. My Prius is a fine dependable low maintenance vehicle. (150k miles) my Lincoln Navigator, Chevy Cruze… colossal POS. Some of the safety tech… radar cruze, blind spot warning, cameras….remote start/ keyless entry.. I consider to be valuable improvements. And all of it depends on technology. The problem is when the accountant and CEO’s don’t vett the design and manufacture instead turning out crap betting the odds it will last thru the 30 day warranty. Then overprice it. You are a good example….. you have worried with every screw, nut, bolt, connection, wire, every component of your inverter. With no compromise. Thats why it will be a fine product despite the technology. And if there IS a problem, I doubt you will send your customer to voicemail hell to talk to someone with only passing knowledge of the language, and a call center computer to puke up responses to key words. Technology and sophistication are not the problem. WE are the problem in not demanding better quality and forcing better warranties. The very idea telling me tough luck on an essentially new manufacturers defect stove.
What are your thoughts on the two-piece units,where the boiler and the air con compressor are separate units. Eg, the tank is indoors and the compressors aircon like unit is outdoors. Hope that makes sense
i added a contactor to my existing wh and use google home and simple 15$ wifi plugin and schedule on/off works great. Much simpler too. If my wifi adapter failsl simply plug 120 contactor in to power and its a reg wh. Still dialing in, but way simpler. I'm getting older and don't want maint. thanks i was considering but 2k vs 500. Looks like ROI for me not there. If you young couple maybe. Tax credit pretty dang good though.
I agree with much of what you say, and thank you for the review/information, particularly the part about a better filter; but those better filters, they cost money too. One point -and i'm sure you based you longevity expectations on something- even a. conventional water heater -with not a single moving part- lasting "decades" ? seriously? I've worked in maintenance and lived in a home for 57 years,. I have seldom heard of a conventional water heater lasting much over ten years, usually less: often much less. In my own home I've yesterday replaced mine at 11 years - a personal best and i flush annually.. this is the 4th i've installed and my mother did at least three before me and probably more : the home is 58 years old.. I do see you have water filters and softeners, but that too is a huge and going expense. your basement is seriously dusty. i've never seen anything like it. i presume you live in the southwest. your dust seems particulate in nature: our's here is more fibers. nothing like that in the north east. so i guess another difference. as far as savings... I don't know anyone that has an 80 gallon heater anymore -That's 1970's-80's size. Even in a large home, that is a HUGE water heater. i guess i can see it if have 4 teenagers or some huge draw(?)... but wouldn't one half or thee quarters size, on a timer, or app scheduler save a ton of money too? Mine sure did. with the recovery rates on today's water heaters, a house of three with water entering at 43 degrees in the winter, three of us can shower and prep without running out. can't be wasteful about it, but it works great. Again, thank you for doing this and just wanted to add something someone might find useful. My next door neighbor has one of those -a Rheem too- and i'm pretty sure it already burned. up its bearings. a top heavy dangerous thing until filled.. i'll ask him what he's found/experienced.
Great warning/learning video. Still, it makes me wonder about environment the heater is in that your filter collects that much crap in just one month! Are you folks breathing it as well?
You mentioned the energy saver mode basically uses the heating elements and heat pump at the same time. That is false. Energy saver mode defaults to heat pump mode, and only adds the heating element when there is a risk of cold water. 99% of the time, it uses the heat pump and extremely rarely uses the heating element to catch up. High demand mode will use both heating elements and heat pump at the same time.
I feel your pain and I know where you're coming from. If you're heating your house with wood, you're probably cutting wood maybe within inside your house.?? The buildup on that filter looked like fine wood dust... I would suggest if you do have a basement woodworking shop that creates a lot of fine air particle, wood dust, just lay a furnace filter on top of the intake and see what you get after a month.
if you have that much dust in one month you have other issues, mine is 5 years old and filter is cleaner Than your 1 month and never cleaned it once. and you talk too much, on and on
Can I use my Rheem heat pump hot water heater on Electric mode to heat the water? Anything I see says to use electric mode only if you are doing some maintenance. The heat pump seems to not be working, I have no hot water, and I am nervous about leaving it on electric mode.
My car has a heat pump working in both directions for A/C and Heat. Hopefully the technology that Tesla used to keep its systems clean can be transferred to this application
They have a hepa filter on the interior AC blower. Can be replaced. No filter on the radiator outside, but those see rainwater regularly enough to not get super clogged up.
bro , if your filter is that dirty then that means you're environment is dirty. Maybe you do a ton of work in you're garage? I mean you can tell by all the dust on your other equipment. So you cant really fault the hybrid water heater
Thanks for the video but just a request and tip for future ones, please do not move the camera so much, Not sure if you have watched this yourself but you constantly are moving in and back which causes dizziness. I had to stop watching and just listen. Lol! Maybe get a tripod and leave it rather than hold the phone.
had mine 3 years, and other than cleaning the filter which takes maybe 3 minutes a couple of times a year, no maintenance and it has worked great, saving me about 75% of the electric costs, plus giving me free AC, I suppose putting it in a dirty, dusty space might cause some issue, but just put a pre filter on it. You are projecting what makers think. Stop doing that. They want to make money not irritate customers. And it does indeed puts out alarms, visible on the front panel.
Trouble with alarms is we never heard it. It’s on our basement. Just stopped getting hot water and found several code with compressor shutting down as I’ve several times after various others.
The design life of a water heater is no where near 30 years. 12 years more likely. 99% of Americans have some heat pump; window AC, central AC and "heat pumps" Maintenance is a must for our mechanical world, even our bodies. Preventative maintenance is a rarity, ie. car brakes, filters, oil, house filter, lube garage door, fridge filter, lint filter...on & on. I'd say dont bust on these water heaters, they do a good job with fast pay back. Understand what you have and take care of it.
Heat Pump Water heaters are only as smart as the consumers. Anything you wouldnt do with a fridge you shouldnt do with this. "Also, are you blowing your filter out into your basement?" Definitely should like into rim joist and sill plate air tightness improvements in your basement. Regarding standard maintenance on the heat exchanger that's why we get annual maintenance professionally recommended by manufacturer. So we also have an evap coil in our fridge and HVAC system indoors in the indoor coil. So yes many consumers won't recognize that a heat pump water heater removes moisture and is boiling off sending out condensate. This is like saying hey I stuck a fridge I'm my garage around loads or dirt and air leakage. And now my fridge evap coil is gummed up and dirty.
The only people who seem to be complaining about heat pump water heaters are those who actually have hybrid systems! The hybrid system is essentially a regular resistive element electric hot water heater with a piddly little heat pump attached to it! Yeah it's saving money but nowhere near as much as a proper split system type hot water heater! You also need a much larger storage tank than you would with the other types as it does work slower but the trade-off is much lower power consumption! We don't have a basement where I'm from and thus the boiler is mounted outside! My AC unit has never been cleaned from the outside, the inside unit where there's household dust needs to get it's dust filter cleaned periodically and as for the heat pump boiler being outside, it too stays clean and needs no maintenance either! I thought that it was only the American market that was using these hybrid models but I have seen these stupid things popping up down here in Australia also, I think that because people call them heat pumps instead of hybrids, a lot of people don't realise that there's a huge difference between the two and possibly purchase a hybrid because they are cheaper and then wonder why they are using so much more energy! The manufacturers don't seem to want to educate the public either, it's just a basic electric hot water heater with a cheap little heat pump attached to it and then sell it for way above the cost of what it actually costs to make but cheaper than the proper thing! There's a really old video that was filmed on a VHS camera here on RUclips of possibly the first person to make a heat pump water heater and shows that it works well even though it's snowing outside, although the the heat exchangers outside are quite large, this means that the companies who build these things today are not designing them for the conditions that they are going to be installed in! I personally would not be surprised that even though there's a brand on the side of it that you recognise, it's probably a generic model made in china that works well in one specific area in the world and zero f..ks given to research and development for everyone else! Sue, they might have been thinking about redundancy when they developed it, but their knowledge in HVAC systems is definitely lacking... With a tiny condenser, it's going to freeze up in colder temperatures but a larger condenser can spead out the temperature over a larger surface area and not freeze up even during snowy conditions! Which is why a large storage tank and a larger condenser is what you should be looking for when considering a proper heat pump water heater! The hybrid with its little condenser needs a fan with much higher airflow possibly raising dust and eventually clogging up it's air filter... A larger fan doesn't need to spin as fast and it will operate quieter! Don't buy a hybrid! It's cheaper than the generic electric unit but it's still too expensive to run than the proper heat pump model!
As with all modern equipment these days it needs attentions from time to time. If you're not able to do the work then you'll pay someone to do it. I heat my house with heat pumps so when I got the HW heater it was no big deal. Your video was interesting but you repeated yourself 3-4 times on 4-5 different topics. this entire video could have been 3-4 minutes and covered the same info.
If someone can’t figure out that “how come the compressor is never running” that’s on them. I bet they buy high octane gas too when it’s not necessary.
That's kinda the point in the video. No one tells the customers about this issue and the issue isn't obvious. Many people couod care less about a hot water heater app. So unless they look at the hot water heater and see the alarm they would have no idea there is a problem.
@@GenetrySolar I would hope a plumbing company would go over some things with their customers. Also no one is saying the tank will last 25 years. The reason your filter is getting full is because you have a fireplace/wood burning stove. But yes if the intake air is bad you shouldn’t have one and it’s good you’re pointing this out.
Were you born knowing that or did someone teach you how these things work? Crazy seeing someone here mocking people who are trying to learn. I imagine you had a bunch of things you didn’t know at some point, eh?
This makes sense. And now I know what everyone can do with all of their leftover N95 masks sitting around. MacGyver a HPWH filter for the air intake! LOL
Considering what I paid for the unit and the installation and the unlimited problems. ... Im going to loose a boatload of money... In sure it will be toast once its 10-15 years old too.
I want my 22 min back. Your (valid) concern about the filtration and potential evaporator restriction could have been summarized in 1 minute or less. And dude... how much dust is in your basement? Hard to take you seriously with all that crap on the floor, exposed wiring etc. if you clean up once in a while, you will probably have less of a concern with the filter needing to be cleaned. TDLR - if your basement is a dirty as mine, keep up on the filter cleaning and if extremely dirty, consider additional filtration.
😂
I’m not buying the fact that the basement is that dirty. Peoples houses have dust all over them. That’s why you replace your air conditioner filter every three months. Honestly, don’t think the results would be much different.
Thanks for saving me 22 minutes.
The video would have been better if you could have shown the coils. I was considering one, but, getting older, I'm not going to be able to clean those coils. And people don't realize how dusty a house is. Just ask your wife (if she dusts every week) mine would go in my shop where I occasionally work on wood.. so absolutly not for me.
Appreciate the video !
It's wild that dudes like you act like women. Keep your insane comments to yourself
You need to get down to the root cause…if your basement is that dusty/dirty get a HEPA shopvac and clean it up. Also when cleaning the screen use water and clean it outside. If you just hit it with air in the same room where the water heater is in…your just contributing to your issue. ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS. I have the gen before yours in my attic and its been kicking butt! I clean the filter every 3 months and it still doesnt get to your level. GOOD LUCK.
I agree that mechanical space is dirty AF - if he cleaned up the dirt and dust that I see in that space it would certainly be helpful to the longevity of the filter and exchanger. These can't just put it in a filthy, dirty dusty environment and expect it to perform the same as in a clean air space. This is a stupid no point rant.
If exposure to dirt/dust was a big problem for air source heat pumps then wouldn't outdoor HVAC heat pumps also have problems exposed to all the elements? It's difficult to believe inside anywhere is worse than 247 outdoors.
Outdoor heat pumps have to be cleaned also depending on location and circumstance. But this Heat Pump Water heater has a air filter before it hits the condenser...big difference.
I'd be looking for how the dust is getting into your utility space.
We have 1 micron filtered, water softened well water (zero grains hardness). Sediment is a non-issue for us. I clean the air filter regularly. We've been running our's for 4 years, so far, in heat pump only mode, with zero issues.
Are there morons who don’t read their manuals or spend 5 minutes familiarizing themselves with things they purchase, of course. Should the world bend over backwards to accommodate them, hell no c’mon man.
One suggestion, try ducting in your intake air from a cleaner environment.
Good video. I have that same water heater in the 40 gallon size. After 4 months it had an error that I didn’t understand. I called Rheem and it was a bad thermistor. They sent me new thermistors to swap out. I had to pop the top to do that. It was a pain to get to some of the sensors but it worked fine after that. After popping the top I also realized it will get dusty in there regardless of cleaning the filter monthly. I’m planning on cleaning the heat exchanger at least annually. I agree this water heater is more for DIY’ers who can figure this stuff out. I use it in heat pump mode only so I don’t burn through my batteries on my off grid solar system. It works great for that. Thanks for the video.
I put in one of the early GE models way back in 2009. Coming up on 15 years, no maintenance other than periodically cleaning the integrated filter which lifts out and washes in 5 minutes. I estimate it is saving me about $15-20 mo over the old electric unit it replaced and far more efficient than on-demand gas (my only option was expensive propane). It completely paid for itself in < 10 years. Also it was like adding an air conditioner to my garage.
..,and a built in dehumidifier. Love our AO Smith. The right tool for the task at our job. Helps keep our basement garage drier. Finished basement area dehumidifier runs less. Whole basement - both sections - smells better with no mildew smell.
I bought one of those GEs, back then, on sale at Lowe's for US$1200. The heat pump on top crapped out after three years. It still operates using the heating element.
@@sciptick Wow, I wonder if I was extremely lucky, you got a lemon, or there is some substantial difference in the operating conditions (temperature, air quality, etc.) between our units.
I’m fortunately a DIY’er. Good lecture. I’ve had my Rheem hybrid for 11 months. I just replaced my anode with a powered anode, so I don’t have to worry about changing it later. It’s located between the heat exchanger and the fan. It was a lot of fun having to remove the plastic grommet around the anode. Reason being the factory misaligned the hole and I had to remove the grommet in pieces to get the 27mm socket on the anode. It took a 20” long 1/2” breaker bar with an 18” pipe on the handle for leverage and my body builder neighbor to bear hug the unit while I loosened the anode. Can’t imagine why it would be tightened so hard. Last, I was quite surprised at how much the anode corroded in 11 months
rheam will always ream you - did to me with a tankless gas water heater
You are correct that Home Depot does not and is not really staffed to give proper advice on maintenance. This is on Rheem. Thet need to do a better job with the owner's manual, I agree. What I don't agree with is that you have a Debbie Downer attitude and delivery style. I own one of these, and I am an engineer, so yes, an advanced DIYer. I run on Heat Pump Only Mode and am saving $45 per month. I spend 5 minutes per month washing the filter. I have it programmed to heat tp 140 F on the off-peak rate, and 120 F on peak rate. Another thing that Rheem doesn't tell customers is that if you run at 120 F all of the time (which they "imply"), you WILL grow bacteria in the water which is very hazardous for showering and washing dishes in the sink. The solution is to set the schedule for 140 F for 6 hours per day which will kill legionella and listeria.
Did you mean less than 120° then the bacteria doesn’t get killed?
Not sure I get the problem fully, I have one of these and so far (approx 1 year) it costs a third to heat my water compared to a conventional tank, I am still working on my home which involves mudding and other mess and dust, as a matter of course I check and clean all the filters in my house, mini splits , ERV, water heater etc monthly, it takes around 15 mins to do all of them. If there is dust it will collect on filters, if it passes through the filters and arrives on the evaporator then it makes sense to clean it, not a massive issue. I understood that this involved a heat pump component from the start, that means input filtration and a TINY bit of cleaning, I am happy to do that and save 2/3rds of my kilowatt usage, and in the summer like now its super efficient, sorry you feel its so difficult, and I do agree its not an install and leave, but I also check the coolant and oil in my car often and expect some maintenance is required now and then. I guess it's no such thing as a free lunch, you save 2/3rds by having to do a bit of the work. For me its a great solution.
What do you find is the best way to clean the filters? Vacuum? Washing in the sink? Something else?
My fan coil is getting frozen, have you ever had that problem?
Your heat pump is likely in a cleaner environment.
Because of his less than optimal environment his heat pump often switch to non heat pump mode, hence less savings.
✌️
I have that same one or pretty similar to it and it was put in in August 2018 and it is December 2023 now I think I’ve cleaned the filter a handful of times and I’ve never had a problem with the unit other than my Water drip hose was not angled right and it backed up into the unit but it alerted me I happen to be in my garage and I put a different hose on it and now it’s back to working perfect. So I believe that you have had much trouble with yours, but I would not Speak those absolutes in your video because every situation is unique. And looking at the overall long-term data it looks like these things last 12 to 15 years in a multiple variety of environments with regular use. You are obviously an outlier and people need to know that when they watch this video. But I agree you need to clean that screen out which seriously takes one minute at the most and it would be good to do it probably every few months.
To start with PLEASE stop calling them Hot water heaters. If I have hot water then I would not need a Water Heater...I have had mine in my house(laundry room) for almost 2 years and check the filter every few months. Just cleaned it today and have to say I had probably less than a tenth of the dust you have on yours. Only 2nd time cleaning, Maybe I have just gotten lucky but have yet to have any codes or problems. I found mine from a reseller on marketplace for 600$ brand new but a couple dings. I have the 50 gallon Proterra. The only issue I have (and I called Rheem about this) is that it actually uses less electricity than the app shows. I checked it with 3 other energy monitors. With my usage I am saving about 25$ a month so in a few months it will have paid for itself minus the cost of fittings I used to install. I do agree with you that these aren't maintenance free and are not for everyone. Still don't understand your rant though....
"Anode rod" I know that you know exactly what you're talking about here. For that, I'm giving you a thumbs-up.
Older model tanks (the ones built in the 90's) are just vessels; with proper fittings (not factory installed, of course), proper draining every year, every 5 years change the anode rod, change the Temperature Pressure Valve every few years, use anti-corrosion, anti-oxidant gels ("Naval Jelly, "Ox-Gard", similar) around outer fittings in order to alleviate corrosion, etc...the vessel will last almost forever. Our own vessel? 35 yrs. and counting...
Yes there is more maintenance to these. We put ours in December 27, 2022 but have our intake air pipe run to our main floor hallway and haven’t gathered any particulates on the screen or heat exchanger. Great point on the fact that these are not walk away devices. We do love ours so far. Getting the wrinkles figured out has been frustrating for sure as Rheem has definitely failed on the need for more depth of instructions and care. We run ours on solar and have found the energy usage very good once I learned it. They need to share the algorithm as to when the elements would turn on in energy save mode and high demand mode. Also put an actual temp of water gauge on the main screen and app. Not only the set temp with a 1/3, 2/3 Full indicator.
its only more maintenance if your a woodworker and your garage is crazy dirty... look at his video LOL its a joke
These systems are very efficient if designed with the space it's setup to provide water heating for. If the situation is a retrofit where we have a load of prep that we may or may not know about. Yeah these systems need good planning and design values whereas older electric just can be thrown anywhere and work. Therefore the person paying the Piper will always be the user not the installer. So much of heating revolves around location planning and design values of where it is.
It is what it is, an honest video telling us the pluses and minuses helping us making better decisions. Thumbs UP
Toss the plastic filter, purchase the ducting kit and make a filter box. Furnaces come with crappy filter systems too and the owners manuals make it seem like it will do the job. It won’t. Go the extra mile to protect your investment. I use paint booth filter material in my HVAC return air vents as pre filters feeding a huge home made box that uses two 25x25x2” pleated filters. I tape them so no air sneaks by. Works like a charm and has very low restriction. A-coil stays nice and clean.
Ty for the INFO they should of let us know before purchasing. I would of still bought it but I would of took some precautions towards filtering it and placement on install.
Like you said these companies know customers are not going to do the maintenance they're pretty much in the business of just producing products if it fails replace it simple as that that's what these companies expect to happen I'm sure you noticed there's not much trade people in the business that much especially in the repair side of things.
Wash that "filter/rock stop" out with water and let dry out. The rotary compressor is the same as a 5200 btu window unit. The heat exchanger is called the evaporator, the condenser is the tube wrap around the vessel.
How often do people do maintenance on their main heat pump in their kitchen???
The refrigerator!!!!
The refrigerator has the same coils that rarely get cleaned and no filter to clean the air....
All high efficiency appliances need some tender loving care.
You have the worst dust with the wood heat and the ash dust...
I have an aosmith hybrid heat pump and it ended up with compressor error so all aosmith does is replace the whole thing. Luckily, i received it from my energy provider and they installed it for me. So are you making a video on showing how to clean the compressor?
Thanks for finally saying the truth. This is the same concept as the tankless water heaters that builders are now putting in houses and selling to people who are clueless about this. Sometimes it’s best to not reinvent the wheel.
I bought the same water heater on 3/18/2020 and installed it myself. I've had no problems with mine at all. Clean that filter and drain 5 gallons of water off bottom of tank twice a year and have had no issues at all knock on wood to thi point 1/23/24. I also, have an electric meter on the heater and I've averaged a total of 786.5 KWH per year x whatever your electric supllier charges per KWH. Where I live in Maine that cost me roughly $190.00 per year to heat all my hot water needs. When I used to heat it with the firnance that useses #2 heating oil, it cost me $80-90.00 a month to heat my water for a yearly total of $960-1080.00. So for the last 4 years in March my total savings is roughly $3,180.00. Oh, and I run it on the energy saving mode heat pump with top element. I paid $1100.00 for it at Home Depot and got a rebate from Sate of Maine for $750.00, so all said it's saved me a bunch of cash.
I don't even own one yet and the first thing that I thought was that the filter you get seems to be not very good. So I thought, just place a hepa house filter on the top of it. I also use Hepa filters on the back of box fans to suck the wildland smoke out of the air.
It depends on various factors. There are places where it's a no brainer over electric and potentially gas. For example in my situation, I live in Florida and one of the two water heaters is inside the living area of the house. I've replaced it with a heat pump water heater, so not only does it help save money from heating water, it also helps cool down the room, which is needed 8 months out of the year. Also I have yet to clean the filters since installing 2 yrs ago (checked regularly and it looks like the state I installed it). This is probably because my air is pretty clean given the HVAC filter which I do replace regularly.
I gonna install one tomorrow..all I need is it work for 5 to 7 years…don’t care after that
Yes. Great advice. But as with all HVAC systems they have to be cleaned. A call to a Blue Box cleaner does both in a few minutes.
I installed my water heater this past weekend in my garage. I plan to also get the inlet air duct adapter and make a intake air filter box so I can have all the air pass through actual filters like HVAC filters. They should be easier to maintain, and do a better job than the built in dinky little screen
I sure love my gas water heater that I’ve had for 14 years and have spent maybe $40 on maintenance
My hot water heater ran for 30 years until the burner went out.
You could've purchased 15 heat pump water heater in that time. Or saved about $15k in the 30 years of usage.
I would suggest that people who don't notice the spike in electric bill from their water heater operating on only the heating elements just didn't need a hybrid water heater in the first place.
Let me add that an alarm of some sort should have come over the app that there is a problem that needs addressed
i switched from gas to one of these and saved an average of 90 a month on a 700sq ft home.i ran prefilters and expansion tank going into the waterheater and my water has remained mid hard/soft. if i had ran a duct from my attic to the heatpump intake itd improve it even more. after rebates when purchased it has paid for itself in less than 2 years.
my only complaint it the matching components such as the a/c for econet are pricy.
For anyone interested in these hybrid models, be aware that Rheem put of a notice that these essentially don't work if you have a water recirculator pump. I installed one of these in 2017, had a water recirculator, but no indication that it wasn't compatible, and I've had to run it only in the high demand mode, but their service bulletin indicates it will not work effectively even in this mode. My unit runs about 300 to 800 kwh per month, for 50 gal, 4 person. I have suffered from multiple issues with the relays integrated into the circuit board getting stuck and tripping the overheat switch. Mine also leaks at both the pressure relief valve, and at the lower drain valve. It was also a huge pain running copper to the middle of the unit for got water and the bottom of the unit for cold water, very non standard. Customer service was very friendly, but unfortunately have no idea how the unit works.
You must have a really dusty basement. After 3 months I have hardley any dust on mine and it is running a lot.
If I had a house I would remodel it for my electrical and mechanical room differently so I can vent out air all the time so I have fresh air in that room and do the filters change regularly it would be nice if there was a system that could automatically dump the water out for me say every 8 months instead of once a year and I'll just change out the filter and have one of those elements in there then you were talking about that can automatically clean itself then I would call maintenance-free.
2nd hpwh from Rheem, they replace the first one after two years. This hpwh has been throwing error codes 005 for the last six months at its 2year anniversary and I now have to pull the thing apart and put three thermistors into it. This water heater sits in the basement of a 184-year-old house and the filter was a little dirty, but not as bad as my upstairs heat pumps get. My opinion of Rheem heat pump water heaters is that they are fine 2 year water heaters. Oh forgot to mention mine runs about 60 to 70 dB, so I’m gonna try putting the three thermostats in, but my next step is to get a Bradford white hpwh. The service technician that I called said that he services Rheems all the time, error codes is what they do.
This is saying you need to clean your house
This is definitely fixable in theory! Attach some ductwork to the intake.
If you have a lot of space, connect the ductwork to a giant filter grille, like at least 20x30. Use one of the excellent filtrete filters that have tiny pressure drop even at MERV 13.
If you have less space, you could probably get away with the ductwork by adding a current triggered relay on the integrated fan, a small inline booster fan, and an inline filter box somewhere.
If you do it yourself, it could be a few hundred bucks. They ***absolutely*** should just have better filters on the units than those rock catchers. I've always hated them, especially in window ACs.
If someone wanted to be clever, what you'd do is measure the diameter of the water heater, imagine it is a trunk line, and get one of the nice takeoffs that perfectly fit a round trunk line, so you could duct up the intake.
Excellent
Got a 50yr old gas tank water heater, never flushed, never changed the anode.....I will replace it soon....I think.
Damn that's a lot of dust compared to mine. After one year of use so far, I've checked my screen numerous time, but rarely do I see any dust on it. Mine is kept in my garage that's converted into a living space.
The only problem I've had was the one sensor kept causing an error code, but it still worked. I contacted Rheem and they sent all 3 new sensors from a different manufacturer and a tech to change them out for nothing. No more issues with sensor/s.
I will change out the anode next spring/summer. But for my home with my heating coils in on my oil furnace I had a company come to clean out my coils after 15 years of use and he was shocked that I had absolutely no buildup of calcium deposits, so I have to assume my water is not going to damage my anode rod on the water heater either. Getting back 750 dollar rebate for purchasing the heater from the government I've way ahead of the game already. Not to mention I do all my own installations on Hvac mini splits and this inverter water heater.
Cleaning these and also both my mini splits are just a matter of using either a garden hose for the mini splits on the coils or an air compressor on the indoor water heater which I've already check and personally have absolutely no problem with dust accumulations. Again my heater is located in a living space that's not a dust host.
I only paid 500 for my 50 gallon rheem hybrid water heater.. 800 out of the store with local tax credit and another 300 later for fed tax rebate. I was paying 50 a month using propane to heat my water before. That means it paid itself off in a year, and now its just saving me money. I did have the evaporator (Et) thermister fail twice in the last 2 years.. BUT I was able to replace them myself after rheem sent me replacements for free. Where I keep the water heater is clean so I don't have the dust issue clogging up the radiator. You could buy a small furnace filter and set it on top of the intake that would fix that issue. There is an alarm that reminds you to clean filter. So if you have the app it will message you this.
Blaming the product for poor installation and sizing practice is interesting
Plus they don’t mention that in colder climates it is pulling heat from your home and if you have an all electric hvac that could be problematic and costly. You’re basically using your home heating to heat the water.
Matt Risinger refers to "a couple of studies" about the colder temps from these being several degrees but I'm reading it's up near 10 degrees and this would be installed in my daughters big walk in closet in the basement that she needs heated to 67 so it's going to pull that heated air and make me electric bill higher. Think I'm going with another rinnai tankless and pray it doesn't leak for 15 yrs.
Self Installed mine 1-7-2019 (Now 8-12-2023) in garage next to side door that is open all day cleaned the filter once not even dirty the only problem I have is it thinks the condensation line is clogged a few times and it is clear but this doesn't stop it from functioning. Rheem Prestige Professional from plumbing wholesaler I am a pool contractor and my supplier sells home plumbing supplies also my unit looks a bit different but similar I run on heat pump mode only we smoke in garage so the nicotine protects it LOL.
My heat pump clothes dryer has a flap you can open up to get easy access to the heat pump fins. I'm surprised they don't have something like that on any heat pump device. My Heat pump mini split you can get easy access to the fins on the outdoor unit and indoor unit. All Heat pumps will eventually need the fins cleaned for a long and efficient life.
I have never in my life heard of a hot water heater!
Do you think if I install this water heater near my dryer that I will have the same issues with dust?
How about a video on how to clean the heat exchanger
FUD. The devices are smart... they can alert you of everything. And you definitely don't want set-and-forget. You want to take advantage of the benefits, including time of use benefits.
They're not unreliable. It is a heat pump... we've been using them since the beginning of refrigeration... that is what our refrigerators are... that is what our air conditioners are.
The FUD I have heard always comes from plumbers because they think they need to get their EPA 608 certification to be able to service them. It isn't required unless you need to work on the refrigerant loop if it leaks.
If you want someone to perform maintenance... you could just have your HVAC person do the maintenance if they come out. Just clean the coil... like your would the AC. All of the concerns that you have are unjustified. The drain? You have a condensation drain for the AC, too... You will also know if the heat pump isn't working if you go around it... it works by taking heat from the surrounding space, so it will be rather noticeably cooler around it.
Thank you I stick with what I have now
I wonder if you have a hybrid water heater, if the heat pump fails, whether or not the water heater reverts to working just like a conventional electric water heater, or whether it stops working altogether.
You don't drain a water heater for maintenance you flush it huge difference
This is no different than your standard FVIR gas water heater. The combustion air opening on your gas water heater also has a pre-filter. Lack of cleaning will cause the internal tank temperature to increase and trigger the high-limit ECO (Energy Cut-Off switch.) Also, do not stack filters on your water heater, as this will also increase the internal tank temperature due to the lack of airflow, thus tripping the tank's ECO or TPR (temperature pressure relief valve). TPR valves pop off at a predetermined pressure/temperature, thus reducing the tank temperature/pressure and preventing an explosion.
My outdoor on demand gas water heater runs, without maintenance, for over a decade… no filter changes, no problems
Yeah I got one too. Modulating burner, digital temp changeable on the fly. I do have to run vinegar thru every few months due to high calcium, otherwise its great. Had a cheap cheap battery powered gas. Lasted about 7 years. No complaints, I got my money and had hot water when power out due to two D batteries that went 3 or 4 years.
@@mountaindan1840 - I have to check how to descale with vinegar…
Thank you , I stick with what I know!
I agree with the comments - these aren't maintenance free devices (well, if you replace the anode rod, and flush occasionally - no HWH is). I saw enough videos like this to already have an HVAC filter on top of the inlet. I'm hoping that helps. Rheem sells adapters to allow ducting the in and our email. A nice bracket to hold an HVAC filter (vs our jury-rigged ones) would be nice.
I disagree with, "If you need it serviced, it will cost more than a conventional HWH". Will it cost something, yes. But after the payback time, if this is saving $350 a year, and you have one $500 service call every three years, you are still saving money overall.
While the parts warranty is 10 years, I think the labor is a measly one. So, "The compressor died after 2 years? We'll send you a new one" isn't great if I need to pay for the de-install and reinstall.
For the anode replacement, I would have preferred an access panel on the top to get to it, vs having to remove the entire top shell (and from your photo, also disconnect the electricity. I'm sure I'll push that replacement off longer than I'd like.
But based on the kWh ratings of my old HWH, and now the Rheem hybrid, at my c/kHr rate, it projects to over $600/yr savings. If that comes true, then even some potential service calls, still has the savings well into the black. So I'm generally optimistic that changing our my still working 10yr old heater was a good investment.
Nice theory, but my AO Smith failed at one year and one week so they refused to cover labor and now my replacement unit has failed at six months. First was Freon leak and second is just compressor failure, also no labor coverage on replacement units. Paying more than half of the cost of the water heater in service labor every 6-12 months is a joke.
@@JohnCBarsoom I'm sorry you had that issue - twice! Definitely unfortunate. But I'd also say very abnormal. Nothing is going to stay on the market if that is the average lifetime and experiences of owners.
@@jwhite4 Could be I'm just unlucky, but I have yet to find any reviews from a person who's had one of these for five years without failure.
In my situation, there is an ice formation on coil radiator. Coverng up to quarter or more, depending on humidity in my garage. I live in humid South East conditions. That is major problem, by design. No defrosting abilities by design.
It’s a water heater. It is not a hot water heater. If the water is hot there is no need to heat it.
All brands of tank and tankless water heaters recommend both maintenance and flushing.
Most people don’t read the manufacturer’s instructions. You have to clean the air filter just like you do on a forced air furnace or air conditioner. Set a reminder on your calendar to clean or replace your furnace and heat pump filter and floor the heater once a year.
I have had one Rheem Tank Heater and three Rheem gas tankless heaters in the various house I have owned I always maintain my heaters. Yes you will have to also periodically clean the condenser. There’s no free lunch no matter what brand of heater. There’s always maintenance.
I've never had a water heater last 10 years. Have had a Bradford White which lasted 9 years, and an American water heater for 7 years just prior. Both of these were gas water heaters that were drained 2 times a year. Not sure where I can buy a water heater that can last the average you mentioned about 15-20 years.
Do you change the anode rod? Get a corro protec electric one
Honestly, have not changed the anode rod. I do run a softwater system and my water heater guy said that actually helps reduce the mineral content going into the tank. Not sure if he meant that would help lessen the wear and tear on the anode. I looked into the corro rod and am considering getting one. Thanks!
My house in San Ramon, CA was built in 1992 and came with AMA brand 75 gallon gas water heater. It failed just this month after 32 years of trouble free service , including last 14 years during my ownership. I never flushed the tank nor did any other kind of maintenance. Its a testament of quality American manufacturing in those days.
I believe everything you’re saying, but logically speaking if this was such a problem how come we don’t hear about it on outdoor heat pumps?
Outdoor heatpumps suck air through the evaporate coil, but also on shutdown reverse and blow air backwards out of the evaporator coil. Regardless, you should be cleaning your coils already on any outdoor unit. Honestly dunno why this guy doesn't just pop the top off and clean the coil off himself.
New homes almost all have them here, but some models have some massive reliability issues. There was a power surge recently that wiped out an entire block of heat pump water heaters. Guess what they were replaced with? Standard electric water heaters. 🤦Sometimes efficiency loses to simplicity.
My Dad being a refrigerator repairman, I built one of these back in the 70’s from a watercooled heat exchanger and window unit. It worked. In the 80’s I remember a headline “get ready to replace 20 million water heaters” today, my brand new S$&@?!/refrigerator had to have the entire ice maker and computer board replaced. My brand new G* Range is defective. G* tells me the service company is not taking new clients, so tough luck. Sorry. I wouldn’t put a bet on anything lasting 30 years, but anyone who would pay what these things cost and think a compressor, fan, and controls would not give trouble and would pay for itself, or that you can open it up without disturbing the warranty and fix it, to me just reinforces what P. T. Barnum said. No offense meant, every single thing you say is accurate. Use your head folks.
Keep in mind too, if you put this thing in a space you heat at all, the energy equation is not in your favor since the heat is extracted from the room, which is replaced by whatever heat source used. Summer may balance out some, if you cool the space. Still as Sean explains, it is not as simple as the advertising would suggest.
That’s a great story and I believe things are way too over engineered and computerized compared to what they were in the 70s and 80s
Agreed. I wont consider buying a new truck today. Overpriced, overly complex.
I can get an 87 c3500 pickup for 10 grand and spend another 20 grand fixing it all up and have a nice truck to give out years of service. Sure I won't have the fancy heated and cooled seats, auto park assist, self driving, 25 inch backup camera but I know if anything does go wrong I will be able to fix it.
@@GenetrySolar I agree….with reservations. My Prius is a fine dependable low maintenance vehicle. (150k miles) my Lincoln Navigator, Chevy Cruze… colossal POS. Some of the safety tech… radar cruze, blind spot warning, cameras….remote start/ keyless entry.. I consider to be valuable improvements. And all of it depends on technology. The problem is when the accountant and CEO’s don’t vett the design and manufacture instead turning out crap betting the odds it will last thru the 30 day warranty. Then overprice it. You are a good example….. you have worried with every screw, nut, bolt, connection, wire, every component of your inverter. With no compromise. Thats why it will be a fine product despite the technology. And if there IS a problem, I doubt you will send your customer to voicemail hell to talk to someone with only passing knowledge of the language, and a call center computer to puke up responses to key words. Technology and sophistication are not the problem. WE are the problem in not demanding better quality and forcing better warranties. The very idea telling me tough luck on an essentially new manufacturers defect stove.
Water heaters are not designed to last more than 10 to 15 years at most.
What are your thoughts on the two-piece units,where the boiler and the air con compressor are separate units.
Eg, the tank is indoors and the compressors aircon like unit is outdoors.
Hope that makes sense
The split system is OK for very warm climates.
No issue with mine in 5 and a half years costs 10-15 a month as opposed to gas which was 50-60 a month.
i added a contactor to my existing wh and use google home and simple 15$ wifi plugin and schedule on/off works great. Much simpler too. If my wifi adapter failsl simply plug 120 contactor in to power and its a reg wh. Still dialing in, but way simpler. I'm getting older and don't want maint. thanks i was considering but 2k vs 500. Looks like ROI for me not there. If you young couple maybe. Tax credit pretty dang good though.
I agree with much of what you say, and thank you for the review/information, particularly the part about a better filter; but those better filters, they cost money too.
One point -and i'm sure you based you longevity expectations on something- even a. conventional water heater -with not a single moving part- lasting "decades" ? seriously? I've worked in maintenance and lived in a home for 57 years,. I have seldom heard of a conventional water heater lasting much over ten years, usually less: often much less. In my own home I've yesterday replaced mine at 11 years - a personal best and i flush annually.. this is the 4th i've installed and my mother did at least three before me and probably more : the home is 58 years old.. I do see you have water filters and softeners, but that too is a huge and going expense.
your basement is seriously dusty. i've never seen anything like it. i presume you live in the southwest. your dust seems particulate in nature: our's here is more fibers. nothing like that in the north east. so i guess another difference.
as far as savings... I don't know anyone that has an 80 gallon heater anymore -That's 1970's-80's size. Even in a large home, that is a HUGE water heater. i guess i can see it if have 4 teenagers or some huge draw(?)... but wouldn't one half or thee quarters size, on a timer, or app scheduler save a ton of money too? Mine sure did. with the recovery rates on today's water heaters, a house of three with water entering at 43 degrees in the winter, three of us can shower and prep without running out. can't be wasteful about it, but it works great.
Again, thank you for doing this and just wanted to add something someone might find useful. My next door neighbor has one of those -a Rheem too- and i'm pretty sure it already burned. up its bearings. a top heavy dangerous thing until filled.. i'll ask him what he's found/experienced.
That's because you haven't read my comments.
***you are missing the down tube for your PRV.***
Great warning/learning video. Still, it makes me wonder about environment the heater is in that your filter collects that much crap in just one month! Are you folks breathing it as well?
They need to integrate a air filter like a car has.
Great video!
Tops
❤
at the end of your video and all i can say is man you need to clean your garage or basement........
You mentioned the energy saver mode basically uses the heating elements and heat pump at the same time. That is false. Energy saver mode defaults to heat pump mode, and only adds the heating element when there is a risk of cold water. 99% of the time, it uses the heat pump and extremely rarely uses the heating element to catch up.
High demand mode will use both heating elements and heat pump at the same time.
I feel your pain and I know where you're coming from.
If you're heating your house with wood, you're probably cutting wood maybe within inside your house.??
The buildup on that filter looked like fine wood dust...
I would suggest if you do have a basement woodworking shop that creates a lot of fine air particle, wood dust, just lay a furnace filter on top of the intake and see what you get after a month.
if you have that much dust in one month you have other issues, mine is 5 years old and filter is cleaner Than your 1 month and never cleaned it once. and you talk too much, on and on
Can I use my Rheem heat pump hot water heater on Electric mode to heat the water? Anything I see says to use electric mode only if you are doing some maintenance. The heat pump seems to not be working, I have no hot water, and I am nervous about leaving it on electric mode.
My car has a heat pump working in both directions for A/C and Heat. Hopefully the technology that Tesla used to keep its systems clean can be transferred to this application
They have a hepa filter on the interior AC blower. Can be replaced. No filter on the radiator outside, but those see rainwater regularly enough to not get super clogged up.
well rounded info, Thank you
bro , if your filter is that dirty then that means you're environment is dirty. Maybe you do a ton of work in you're garage? I mean you can tell by all the dust on your other equipment. So you cant really fault the hybrid water heater
Your time is valuable stop wasting it you can never get it back.
Thanks for the video but just a request and tip for future ones, please do not move the camera so much, Not sure if you have watched this yourself but you constantly are moving in and back which causes dizziness. I had to stop watching and just listen. Lol! Maybe get a tripod and leave it rather than hold the phone.
had mine 3 years, and other than cleaning the filter which takes maybe 3 minutes a couple of times a year, no maintenance and it has worked great, saving me about 75% of the electric costs, plus giving me free AC, I suppose putting it in a dirty, dusty space might cause some issue, but just put a pre filter on it. You are projecting what makers think. Stop doing that. They want to make money not irritate customers. And it does indeed puts out alarms, visible on the front panel.
Trouble with alarms is we never heard it. It’s on our basement. Just stopped getting hot water and found several code with compressor shutting down as I’ve several times after various others.
They all are water heaters that heat cold water, therefore they are now hot water heaters.
I’ll just stick with a traditional water heater.. thanks for the video
The design life of a water heater is no where near 30 years. 12 years more likely. 99% of Americans have some heat pump; window AC, central AC and "heat pumps" Maintenance is a must for our mechanical world, even our bodies. Preventative maintenance is a rarity, ie. car brakes, filters, oil, house filter, lube garage door, fridge filter, lint filter...on & on. I'd say dont bust on these water heaters, they do a good job with fast pay back. Understand what you have and take care of it.
Excellent video!!!
Keep outside better so it's full of wood dust ? Others won't have this problem
Why doesn't the unit at least beep when there is a problem or at least have a blinking light on it.
Heat Pump Water heaters are only as smart as the consumers. Anything you wouldnt do with a fridge you shouldnt do with this. "Also, are you blowing your filter out into your basement?" Definitely should like into rim joist and sill plate air tightness improvements in your basement. Regarding standard maintenance on the heat exchanger that's why we get annual maintenance professionally recommended by manufacturer. So we also have an evap coil in our fridge and HVAC system indoors in the indoor coil. So yes many consumers won't recognize that a heat pump water heater removes moisture and is boiling off sending out condensate. This is like saying hey I stuck a fridge I'm my garage around loads or dirt and air leakage. And now my fridge evap coil is gummed up and dirty.
If you add another filter you’ll restrict airflow and if you replace the anodrod on it the warranty gets void but idc you. Need whateverto replace it
The only people who seem to be complaining about heat pump water heaters are those who actually have hybrid systems!
The hybrid system is essentially a regular resistive element electric hot water heater with a piddly little heat pump attached to it!
Yeah it's saving money but nowhere near as much as a proper split system type hot water heater! You also need a much larger storage tank than you would with the other types as it does work slower but the trade-off is much lower power consumption!
We don't have a basement where I'm from and thus the boiler is mounted outside! My AC unit has never been cleaned from the outside, the inside unit where there's household dust needs to get it's dust filter cleaned periodically and as for the heat pump boiler being outside, it too stays clean and needs no maintenance either!
I thought that it was only the American market that was using these hybrid models but I have seen these stupid things popping up down here in Australia also, I think that because people call them heat pumps instead of hybrids, a lot of people don't realise that there's a huge difference between the two and possibly purchase a hybrid because they are cheaper and then wonder why they are using so much more energy!
The manufacturers don't seem to want to educate the public either, it's just a basic electric hot water heater with a cheap little heat pump attached to it and then sell it for way above the cost of what it actually costs to make but cheaper than the proper thing!
There's a really old video that was filmed on a VHS camera here on RUclips of possibly the first person to make a heat pump water heater and shows that it works well even though it's snowing outside, although the the heat exchangers outside are quite large, this means that the companies who build these things today are not designing them for the conditions that they are going to be installed in!
I personally would not be surprised that even though there's a brand on the side of it that you recognise, it's probably a generic model made in china that works well in one specific area in the world and zero f..ks given to research and development for everyone else!
Sue, they might have been thinking about redundancy when they developed it, but their knowledge in HVAC systems is definitely lacking...
With a tiny condenser, it's going to freeze up in colder temperatures but a larger condenser can spead out the temperature over a larger surface area and not freeze up even during snowy conditions!
Which is why a large storage tank and a larger condenser is what you should be looking for when considering a proper heat pump water heater!
The hybrid with its little condenser needs a fan with much higher airflow possibly raising dust and eventually clogging up it's air filter... A larger fan doesn't need to spin as fast and it will operate quieter!
Don't buy a hybrid! It's cheaper than the generic electric unit but it's still too expensive to run than the proper heat pump model!
As with all modern equipment these days it needs attentions from time to time. If you're not able to do the work then you'll pay someone to do it. I heat my house with heat pumps so when I got the HW heater it was no big deal. Your video was interesting but you repeated yourself 3-4 times on 4-5 different topics. this entire video could have been 3-4 minutes and covered the same info.
You should have run intake to the exterior of the home to pull fresh air.
I tried to replace my anode rod but couldn't get the damn thin to unscrew.
If someone can’t figure out that “how come the compressor is never running” that’s on them. I bet they buy high octane gas too when it’s not necessary.
That's kinda the point in the video. No one tells the customers about this issue and the issue isn't obvious. Many people couod care less about a hot water heater app. So unless they look at the hot water heater and see the alarm they would have no idea there is a problem.
@@GenetrySolar I would hope a plumbing company would go over some things with their customers. Also no one is saying the tank will last 25 years. The reason your filter is getting full is because you have a fireplace/wood burning stove. But yes if the intake air is bad you shouldn’t have one and it’s good you’re pointing this out.
It’s a feature that the Heat Pump Water Heater becomes very quiet after 3 months… 😂
Were you born knowing that or did someone teach you how these things work? Crazy seeing someone here mocking people who are trying to learn.
I imagine you had a bunch of things you didn’t know at some point, eh?
From my heater the fan coil is getting frozen, have anyone had that problem?
Wow, great video, thank you
This makes sense. And now I know what everyone can do with all of their leftover N95 masks sitting around. MacGyver a HPWH filter for the air intake! LOL
Considering what I paid for the unit and the installation and the unlimited problems. ... Im going to loose a boatload of money... In sure it will be toast once its 10-15 years old too.
Actually from the money you saved in electricity you could still buy a new one easily especially if it lasted 15 years
Nice to find some reality in a video...