We have solar hot water with a big tank on the roof - it gets boosted for a short while by electricity each day but rarely do we need to boost it manually. In fact the booster was turned off altogether for a few months (silly DIY DH) accidentally and we didnt even notice - and that during the winter as well. We had one system on the roof when we bought the house over 20 years ago and it eventually died so we replaced it and have been very happy with it. Our biggest issue was having to remove it to replace the roof last week but even that wasnt a big deal, just a few hundred dollars.

We're looking to build a house next year and they put in a Rheem heat pump water tank. The builder has said that it is very economical etc.

My OH has researched this and has found mixed reviews, mainly ones that say the fan is noisy. He'd really like to get a solar hot water system.

Not sure what to do.

The Heat Pump fans can sound the same as the outdoor part of an air conditioner.

Not good if right outside the bedroom, in which case it would be classed as noisy, but if situated correctly, the noise is not a problem.

1. Solar hot water needs sun, or a booster.
2. Heat Pump needs air; hot or cold, either will work.

Incorrect, not in QLD or WA if you have a decent tank as per my previous post

Do you know if those rebates are still available ABC?
thx

How about the last 4-5 days ? Not seen much sunshine, just rain, and more rain !!

The Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme

From 20 Feb 2010 the rebates are:

$1,000 for installing a solar hot water system or
$600 for installing a heat pump hot water system. (That has come down since I got mine)

Plus the RECS value for either.

http://www.climatechange.gov.au/gove...delines.aspx#4

http://www.orer.gov.au/swh/

Steve I'm going through with a new hot water system at the moment. I looked at all the options and the best for my circumstances was a replacement for my old electric boosted solar with an new electric boosted solar. After rebates it's costing me $3700 if I'd gone over to the gas boosted it would have been $5500. I figured it would have taken a lot of years to recoop the difference.

I didn't look into the heat pump much but the gas only was the cheapest option but also the most espensive to run. I intend to stay in this house for at least the next 5 years (owner builder) and settled for a straight replacement.

Keel

As I said, get a decent tank, like a mid-element tank hooked up to the roof with evacuated tubes and you don't need a pump, even on days like these

I'd not seen those evacuated tubes before, and so, for the benefit of others like me...



I am still sceptical, but then, I was about the heat pump too

The evacuated tube set ups get much higher RECs than the solar panel set up as they are much more efficient. The mid-element tanks are really clever too as it will only draw upon the mains to boost if it falls below the guage, which if you set a timer to boost over night then you have yourself a very efficient (and quiet system). The ORER have changed they criteria over the last year for how they assign RECs to solar hot water systems. This means that if you look for your system now in their database it will likely get less RECs than it did when you purchased it. Similarly, the evacuated tube systems get much higher RECs.

thankyou ABC

Anybody gone for the system where you outlay (think about $7000 plus you get Govt rebates) for generating your own electricity and the electric companies pay you?
I have a Rheem electric water heater- going well- never run out of hot water yet. So as its not broke. I dont feel the need to replace.
My last electric bill was only $265.. but I use a wood-burning stove for total heating- a little primitive. Negatives- got to collect wood (i get mine free) cut it up, stack, prepare fire, dust, etc. But everyone I know who uses reverse cycle air conditioning has had huge bills and they are going to go up further.
I rang up one Company called himself a consultant!! He got the ***** when I wasnt going to sign up on the spot! He said he was going to email me details, naturally heard nothing!
So has any one gone in this direction and does it pay? and who did they use because I think there are alot of shonky companies out there. Abit like the batts fiasco.

Depending on how large a system you put in (and the next NSW election ) it definitely pays.
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum....cfm?t=1539019

http://www.solarchoice.com.au/

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum/138?g=223&p=1

one of the shonkys
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1517473&p=7

we have installed a 1.5kWh and it has reduced our power usage from 20kWh
a day to this month 5.5kWh a day.

dependent on your usage (ie: how much and when you use it), generally speaking anything less than a 2kW system will not make you any money. NSW is currently reviewing its Gross Feed-in Tariff, which is EXTREMELY generous compared to other states as it pays you for a minimum of 6 years on everything you produce, regardless of whether you use all of that power, it's essentially a double-dip system, which has been noted by NSW politicians (on both sides of the fence). If you can afford to, going with a system right now will guarantee you a gross feed in tariff of $0.60 per kWh until the end of 2016. If I were living in NSW I would jump on this and buy a decent size system (4-5kW) the most of it. But, at the end of the day it all comes down to personal situations, finances, roof space etc...

There are certainly some companies that should be stayed well clear of. PM if you want to know more about those companies