Post #2893851

2026-05-02 04:24 UTC

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.

Replies (3)

@timixretroplays@digipres.club 2026-05-03 10:09

Further research on heat-pump HWSes - I have some anecdata from other Canberrans now saying they are fine in this climate. The unit I've researched most also includes a traditional 2.4kw electric heater which it switches to if the temp drops below a certain temp (-7C, about as cold as it gets here), so it doesn't just stop working entirely if it's cold. (A basic electric one says 3.6kw so I'd need a new circuit run to replace my dumb gas unit either way).

Open ##2893852
@flaki@flaki.social 2026-05-02 04:43

@timixretroplays@digipres.club yeah ground source heat pump (with pipes, as opposed to an air-source one with an fan box) is always a better option if you have any significant cold ambient temperatures (but it's pricier and you need *some* extra room on your plot)

Open ##2893854
@simoncropp@hachyderm.io 2026-05-02 10:11

@timixretroplays@digipres.club most good external water heater systems have hot water recirculation. so if it gets too cold, it will circulate hot water throught the system to stop it freezing. ours is rated to -10 the only time we lost hot water was when the pipes froze in the street. so no mains water.

Open ##2893855