Everything about a Hybrid On Demand Water Heater
A hybrid water heater, also known as a hybrid on demand water heater is an amalgamation of a heat pump and a solar water heater.
A heat pump and a solar water heater, both have their own benefits and drawbacks. To eliminate the drawbacks, you can install a hybrid hot water heater.
In this blog, we will discuss in detail everything you need to know about a hybrid hot water heater system.
What is a hybrid on demand water heater?
As the name suggests, it can produce hot water on demand. This is not possible in case of a solar water heater.
A solar water heater uses sunlight to heat water. So, if the weather is not sunny, you will not get any hot water. Also, solar water heater has a limited storage capacity.
A heat pump is an efficient option in comparison to traditional water heaters like a geyser, but it still consumes electricity. So, if the electricity goes off, then heat pump will stop working.
In order to solve this problem, you may install a hybrid water heater. A hybrid on demand water heater will give you hot water whenever you require.
How is a hybrid solar water heater important?
There are places or situations where you would require hot water all the time. You would also like to reduce energy consumption. A hybrid water heater is the solution.
Let’s take the example of the hotel industry. If you are the owner of a hotel, you need to make sure that the guests have hot water available as per their requirement. Otherwise, it would not be good for your business. So, what do you do?
A geyser’s upfront cost may be lower, but it consumes a lot of electricity. That will increase your expenses.
A solar water heater will not consume any electricity, so it would be a great option to reduce your expenses. But it can produce only a fixed capacity of hot water in day. Also, it is totally dependent on sunlight.
A heat pump consumes electricity, but in comparison to a geyser, it is energy efficient. But if there is a cutoff, your heat pump will stop working.
Therefore, in an industry like a hotel industry, where you cannot risk the unavailability of hot water, a hybrid on demand water heater is the ideal choice.
Another situation would be in hospitals, where hot water requirement can be any moment. And the hot water should be available all the time.
How does a hybrid water heater work?
The process of a hybrid water heater working is given below:
- The solar water heater initiates the process by utilizing solar energy to heat the water stored in the tank.
- The hot water from the solar water heater is supplied to the heat pump component.
- If the temperature of the water heated by the solar water heater meets the desired level, the heat pump bypasses its heating process and directly sends the water to the bathroom.
- In this scenario, no additional electricity is consumed, as the solar water heater alone provided the required heating.
- However, if the temperature of the water from the solar water heater is lower than the desired level, the heat pump activates its compressor.
- The heat pump compresses the refrigerant, increasing its temperature and pressure.
- The hot, compressed refrigerant passes through a condenser, transferring its heat to the water from the solar water heater.
- This process raises the temperature of the water to the desired level.
- The heat pump then supplies this adequately heated water to the bathroom.
Do you need to install a hybrid system at your home?
To understand if there is a requirement of a hybrid water heater installation at your home, you need to consider the following scenarios:
- Weather Conditions in your location is either extremely cold, or there is lack of enough sunlight.
- If there are frequent power cut offs in your area.
- If the capacity of water required is not known, and hot water requirement can be any time of the day.
1. Weather Conditions
In extremely cold climates, the solar component of the hybrid water heater may not be as effective, as the amount of solar energy available for heating water is limited.
Similarly, in areas with frequent overcast or cloudy conditions, there may not be enough direct sunlight to effectively heat the water in the solar component.
In such situations, the heat pump component would need to work more frequently, increasing energy consumption and potentially negating some of the energy-saving benefits of the hybrid system.
2. Frequent Power Cutoffs
In case of frequent power cut offs, you may not get hot water at all, as your heat pump will not work at all without electricity. You may, in that scenario, buy a hybrid water heater. This will reduce the dependency on a heat pump.
3. Capacity/Time period of water requirement
A hybrid water heater can produce hot water as per the requirements, be it capacity or time. That is why it is also known as a hybrid on demand water heater. If you require continuous flow of hot water at your home, with least electricity consumption, you may go for a hybrid heat pump system.
Apart from the above three points, you also need to keep in mind the high hybrid water heater cost. As you will need to buy two systems, the cost is very high. Also, there will be hybrid water heater maintenance costs as well. So, before you buy a hybrid system, consider these factors as well.
Because of today’s heat pump technology, it can work efficiently in extreme cold weathers as well. Even if there are frequent power cut offs in your area, only 3-4 hours of electricity supply is enough for a heat pump to produce hot water.
So, only buy a hybrid water heater if it is required, otherwise, you may go for a heat pump. A heat pump may use electricity, but it is only 25% of what a geyser consumes.
Conclusion
A hybrid on demand water heater is a great innovation to reduce the drawbacks of a solar water heater and a heat pump. Hotels, hospitals where all time hot water is required, a hybrid system is ideal. It will be cost effective than a traditional geyser.
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