Paradigm shift needed in how we view solar panel cost vs performance?

[J.P.M.]

Have you considered small and/or instant water heaters at the sinks and dump the 2nd water heater and recirc pump? The ambient water temp in AZ should be high enough that instant water heaters should be adequate.

A small spot heater of, say,1500 W with a small, say 3-7 gal. reservoir will usually solve the need for hot water on demand without wasting water for a lot less $$ and hassle on what amounts to 2X the piping for hot water plus a pump, not to mention the very large cost of the standby losses of a recirc. system.

How water recirc. systems on a stand alone single family home are an ignorant waste of energy and resources. There are better, more sensible and more cost effective ways to accomplish the goals of not wasting water and not wasting energy.

[Bzzy56]

Have you considered small and/or instant water heaters at the sinks and dump the 2nd water heater and recirc pump? The ambient water temp in AZ should be high enough that instant water heaters should be adequate.

I am going to place mini point of use 120v plug-in tanks under the Kitchen sink and out in my shop. The two HW tanks are mandatory otherwise the 2 person jacuzzi tub won't completely fill on one tank only. My attic is insulated at the rafters, not ceiling so ambient water temp coming out of the well or residing in the attic doesn't do anything to create hot water.

I also bit the bullet and dropped another $3K+ on two Rheem 80 gallon heat pump WH's to replace the all-electric ones I have since their spec shows that they can be operated in "heat pump" only mode to heat water and only use as much electricity as a small refer....I guess we'll see shortly!

[azdave]

The ambient water temp in AZ should be high enough that instant water heaters should be adequate.

All you need in Phoenix is piping on an outside wall and you get enough hot water for a quick wash of the hands.

From now through about September I don't even turn on the hot water when I shower. The cold water is almost too hot sometimes because the big steel above-ground storage tank just down the street sits there baking in the sun all day.

[DrLumen]

I am going to place mini point of use 120v plug-in tanks under the Kitchen sink and out in my shop. The two HW tanks are mandatory otherwise the 2 person jacuzzi tub won't completely fill on one tank only. My attic is insulated at the rafters, not ceiling so ambient water temp coming out of the well or residing in the attic doesn't do anything to create hot water.

I also bit the bullet and dropped another $3K+ on two Rheem 80 gallon heat pump WH's to replace the all-electric ones I have since their spec shows that they can be operated in "heat pump" only mode to heat water and only use as much electricity as a small refer....I guess we'll see shortly!

Ahh. Yes, in my experience well water is usually cool if not cold. That might be an issue for the smallish instant water heaters if you want really hot water. I assumed a municipal water source.

Good luck with the heat pumps. I was researching them recently but found more than a few bad reviews about breakdowns, warranties not honored, unable to be serviced, etc... They seem to be a great concept and I hope they will get more mainstream and less perceived issues.

[Bzzy56]

That might be an issue for the smallish instant water heaters if you want really hot water.

Won't be a problem at all, I'm going to feed them from the hot water line!