You might've noticed in my previous thread about "Worst" Dishwasher loads that I mentioned we have a new solar water heater. I've said this before here, but to give scope and some light onto what (exactly) I am saying, here is my view: They can heat the water really good (up to 150ºF+) in the sunny parts of the winter. We've yet to "test" it in cloudy weather. This means, you can have a lovely hot shower then, thankfully, the water is tempered to 122ºF. In the Summer, however, when one might want to swim in a frozen lake, you are left with a heater heating water - a HOT water heater! It can get as hot as 203ºF in there during Summer - wasting water through the T&P Value as it dumps, exerting high pressure on the solar collectors (Unless the intrepid homeowner fits a "Hartstat," and optional piece of equipment that turns off the heating loop at the right temperature. This is huge expense over the already exorbitant prices they charge for these systems).
As John (Combo52) has repeatedly stated here on this website over and over, the hotter the water, the shorter the lifespan of the components are where that hot water passes. This is the PERFECT example of such a case (and people wonder why their water heaters go "POP!" every Summer!). According to some reviews, the T&P valves can only last a few dumps, because of the very hot water, and require replacement afterwards. Some have returned to their homes after holidays to a backyard flooded with HOT water.
In the instructions for a "Solahart 302J" (That means 300 Liter {79 US Gallon}, 2 Collector/Panel, J = "Closed Loop Heating" - it uses heating fluid/non-toxic Anti-Freeze) it states:
Note: Australian Standard AS 3498 requires that a water heater provides the means to inhibit the growth of Legionella bacteria in potable water
• With in-tank boosting, this water can satisfy AS 3498 requirement provided the booster is either permanently switched on or switched on by a timer control for sufficient period each day, and the electric booster thermostat setting is 60ºC (140ºF) or higher.
• Two other means of boosting that heat the water even hotter
What, so you expect the user to WASTE electricity, using the electric booster 24/7 to "inhibit the growth of Legionella?" Think on! They even mention that the thermostat for it can only be adjusted by a "Trained Installer Technician."Of course, that is only there to "inhibit" the growth, so you don't "have to" (But Solahart recommend leaving the Booster on 24/7! WHAT A JOKE!). With the tempered water, it is HOT enough to make you pink, create steam. Why you would need to heat the water that hot for just one day its cloudy is beyond me, considering they want to prevent scalding in showers. It also adds wear/tear to the boosting element, tank, pipes and thermostatic water valve.
Based on this standard, and the research we did, we know that Electric/Gas water heaters in this country cannot be set lower than 140ºF/60ºC - the thermostats cannot go any lower. If this is the case here, how on earth does it pass in the even more law-suit happy U.S.? Why it is so hard to implement a twice-weekly, weekly, monthly timer to boost the water to 140ºF for a couple of hours each shot is completely beyond me. This would save energy, and keep that "horrible" Legionella at bay and mean people could keep their water heaters set quite cool, to save up to/over 10% on their energy bills
The Heat-Pump systems I've experienced on holidays can only be set to a maximum of 130ºF (55ºC), presumably to prevent over-pressure/damage to the Heat-Pump system, and to maximise savings.
Whilst I'm glad where are able to have nice, hot showers again, I am baffled by this ridiculous standard, which doesn't seem to be mirrored elsewhere in the world - such as the U.S. where people are still advised to keep their heaters at 120ºF - which is still hot enough to scald you, given the right chance. In a country where they advocate "Cold-Water Washing" so heavily (even though we heat our water for free in huge amounts), not using your A/C in the afternoon, living green and being Left, tree-hugging "Greens Party" voters, this is a very wasteful standard to set, when some of our heaters don't meet it and some exceed it in their daily operation (Solar water heaters, during Hot summer months!)
As John (Combo52) has repeatedly stated here on this website over and over, the hotter the water, the shorter the lifespan of the components are where that hot water passes. This is the PERFECT example of such a case (and people wonder why their water heaters go "POP!" every Summer!). According to some reviews, the T&P valves can only last a few dumps, because of the very hot water, and require replacement afterwards. Some have returned to their homes after holidays to a backyard flooded with HOT water.
In the instructions for a "Solahart 302J" (That means 300 Liter {79 US Gallon}, 2 Collector/Panel, J = "Closed Loop Heating" - it uses heating fluid/non-toxic Anti-Freeze) it states:
Note: Australian Standard AS 3498 requires that a water heater provides the means to inhibit the growth of Legionella bacteria in potable water
• With in-tank boosting, this water can satisfy AS 3498 requirement provided the booster is either permanently switched on or switched on by a timer control for sufficient period each day, and the electric booster thermostat setting is 60ºC (140ºF) or higher.
• Two other means of boosting that heat the water even hotter
What, so you expect the user to WASTE electricity, using the electric booster 24/7 to "inhibit the growth of Legionella?" Think on! They even mention that the thermostat for it can only be adjusted by a "Trained Installer Technician."Of course, that is only there to "inhibit" the growth, so you don't "have to" (But Solahart recommend leaving the Booster on 24/7! WHAT A JOKE!). With the tempered water, it is HOT enough to make you pink, create steam. Why you would need to heat the water that hot for just one day its cloudy is beyond me, considering they want to prevent scalding in showers. It also adds wear/tear to the boosting element, tank, pipes and thermostatic water valve.
Based on this standard, and the research we did, we know that Electric/Gas water heaters in this country cannot be set lower than 140ºF/60ºC - the thermostats cannot go any lower. If this is the case here, how on earth does it pass in the even more law-suit happy U.S.? Why it is so hard to implement a twice-weekly, weekly, monthly timer to boost the water to 140ºF for a couple of hours each shot is completely beyond me. This would save energy, and keep that "horrible" Legionella at bay and mean people could keep their water heaters set quite cool, to save up to/over 10% on their energy bills
The Heat-Pump systems I've experienced on holidays can only be set to a maximum of 130ºF (55ºC), presumably to prevent over-pressure/damage to the Heat-Pump system, and to maximise savings.
Whilst I'm glad where are able to have nice, hot showers again, I am baffled by this ridiculous standard, which doesn't seem to be mirrored elsewhere in the world - such as the U.S. where people are still advised to keep their heaters at 120ºF - which is still hot enough to scald you, given the right chance. In a country where they advocate "Cold-Water Washing" so heavily (even though we heat our water for free in huge amounts), not using your A/C in the afternoon, living green and being Left, tree-hugging "Greens Party" voters, this is a very wasteful standard to set, when some of our heaters don't meet it and some exceed it in their daily operation (Solar water heaters, during Hot summer months!)
