@timixretroplays@digipres.club
Post #1870418
2026-05-02 04:09 UTC
Replies (12)
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@troberts@theblower.au 2026-05-02 04:18
@timixretroplays@digipres.club We did get an instant one about a decade or so ago and it does indeed work. I don't know if there a better current options.
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@timixretroplays@digipres.club 2026-05-02 04:24
Reading that heat pump HWS can struggle in cold ambient temp and have slower recovery than electric or gas, which sounds like a nightmare for -7C Canberra mornings. I'm not bothered by paying for the tech but it's sounding worse than the alternatives so maybe that's not the way.
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@huwr@aus.social 2026-05-02 04:31
@timixretroplays@digipres.club we got a heat pump one and it’s good. It runs during the middle of the day when the power is cheap / free and stays hot all day.
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@Triskerslake@theblower.au 2026-05-02 04:39
@timixretroplays@digipres.club Yes, heat pump. I got a Rheem Ambiheat HDc270 Heat Pump and it's excellent. Just make sure you get one with an internet connection that enables you to change the settings remotely. On the expensive side to install but cheap to run. Either that, or pretty much any of the modern instant hot water heaters are good, though they cost more to run, and the way gas prices are going, it's likely to become more costly, not less.
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@david@theblower.au 2026-05-02 05:23
@timixretroplays@digipres.club We replaced our large tank gas one > 5 years ago with an Instant Gas one. Works great, never run out of hot water (providing you don't run out of gas). However, these days, I'd be looking at instant electric, since gas is on the nose these days.
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@cheryanne@aus.social 2026-05-02 07:37
@timixretroplays@digipres.club we have an electric heat pump hws. It works well. It has a boost feature when/if needed. Husband and I usually perform our ablutions during the afternoon and early evening. Son and grandson do theirs whenever. We're in Canberra too.
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@simoncropp@hachyderm.io 2026-05-02 09:27
@timixretroplays@digipres.club we have sanden. very happy with it. also in canberra.
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@djb@social.shirow.net 2026-05-02 10:25
@timixretroplays@digipres.club we’re local. This is ours. Uses way less power than I expected. It’s in the basement, so doesn’t have to face outdoor winter temps
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@BrettRD@mastodon.au 2026-05-02 12:47
@timixretroplays@digipres.club Canberra local, we have a heat pump storage unit on the south side of the building facing a retaining wall (optimally bad position). It's never seemed to struggle with the cold. We had ours installed through the AGL rebate programme and the installers were way more professional than other local plumbers I've called. Our unit has modbus terminals instead of network (my preference)
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@anne_twain@theblower.au 2026-05-02 13:21
@timixretroplays@digipres.club I've been looking into this. Instantaneous electric requires 3 phase power. You can get it for single phase but the flow rate is slow. The units themselves are pretty expensive too. I ruled these out. Heat pump is expensive to install but cheap to run. I haven't heard anyone beside you say it can't cope with Canberra winters. I suspect that's a settings and timer issue. Gas instantaneous is probably the chapest still, but it's a big carbon emitter. Look at facebook group My Efficient Electric Home. Plenty of user experience on there.
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@haakon@aus.social 2026-05-03 04:41
@timixretroplays@digipres.club go for an up sized tank, heat pump unit if you have the space for it.
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@Farbs@mastodon.social 2026-05-03 13:26
@timixretroplays@digipres.club We have a heat pump (in Canberra) and haven't had any issues - 3 people, two of whom shower first thing in the morning. What I like most about it is that I was able to set it up to run in the middle of the day when energy is cheap (or often in our case entirely free). If you do decide to stop using gas the fuckers at ACTEW will try to bill you a huge amount to dig up the pipes. But if you argue long enough they agree to just cap it which is much cheaper.