Hybrid electric water heater - anyone install one?

awguy said:
Bought a Rheem 50 gal one from Home Depot in Dec2018. I only received a $300 Federal tax credit. I save roughly $30 a month on my electric bill, up to $48/month in the summer. It's in the two car garage and will not cool it down although when going into the house during the summer it blows cool air whilst unlocking the house door. Actually it doesn't come on much during the summer it's so efficient. It's set at 120F. It's already paid for itself. I installed it using copper pipe and watching on-line videos. Don't like the plasticness of PEX tubing. It has touchscreen controls and a wireless app and remote water leak detection on the app.
Click to expand...
Raise the water temp...
 
I have a Rheem 65 gallon hybrid water heater. I went large because my home has an apartment in the walkout basement. I've spoken a little about it in the past. It has a filter which needs cleaned occasionally. I had a home built in 2022 which is all electric despite having having natural gas available to me. I have geothermal HVAC and an induction cooktop in my kitchen and an induction range in the apartment.

I went all electric because it gives me the best possibility to get off the grid if I want to. Will it save me money when and if I do? I doubt it.
There are 4 people in my house and there has been 6 a few times. I've never ran out of hot water.
 
We are going on 1.5 years with ours from Menards. It’s just a rebadged Rheem. They’ve definitely come a long way compared to my parents ~2010 GE model.

The tax credit was a scam on ours IIRC. It needed to be professionally installed with a receipt to get the $300 back. I just installed it myself.
 
You want a magnesium anode.
SHOZ said:
With a water softener my propane water heaters last well over 20 years. In hard well water. I drain a bit every year but nothing comes out. And the first thing I do with a new one is take the anode rod out. It gives me some sulfide smell with them in.

I was just looking at a hybrid. But really don't want a electric heater. And it's in my garage which at times needs the waste heat. Though it's triple wrapped in insulation and uses very little gas to maintain. Still an old time one with pilot.
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So my Home Depot Rheem hybrid water heater is a 2nd generation--very reliable and a factory 10 year warranty. It also has a sacrificial anode and flush capability. It can work as a regular water heater if need be (automatically) but that would be a waste of its capability. Read the hundreds and hundreds of reviews on the Home Depot website.
 
My 40 gallon class Rheem hybrid heater keeps up with my wife and I. We can do back to back 20 minute showers and still have hot water left. I DIYed mine so total was about $900 including the unit, materials, and tools to install it.
 
Replaced a 26 year old Rheem oil fired tank last year with a Bradford White Aero-therm hybrid. Never replaced the anode rod. The only reason I can guess on it's longevity is using a water softener.
 
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awguy said:
Bought a Rheem 50 gal one from Home Depot in Dec2018. I only received a $300 Federal tax credit. I save roughly $30 a month on my electric bill, up to $48/month in the summer. It's in the two car garage and will not cool it down although when going into the house during the summer it blows cool air whilst unlocking the house door. Actually it doesn't come on much during the summer it's so efficient. It's set at 120F. It's already paid for itself. I installed it using copper pipe and watching on-line videos. Don't like the plasticness of PEX tubing. It has touchscreen controls and a wireless app and remote water leak detection on the app.
Click to expand...
Ours is the Rheem from Home Depot. No complaints. Because winter water comes in so cold, it is currently set at high demand. This summer I will try the energy saver setting. The incoming water is pretty warm, so it does not work very hard in the summer.
 
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Frankrank said:
Replaced a 26 year old Rheem oil fired tank last year with a Bradford White Aero-therm hybrid. Never replaced the anode rod. The only reason I can guess on it's longevity is using a water softener.
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YUP..
 
I've had three water heaters in the last 44 years. When I moved in there was no water softer and I installed one (on my third one now, finally figured them out) though it's efficiency over the years have waxed and waned. The original propane water heater to the house of unknown age, and AO Smith. It lasted for a few years then started gurgling.

Then got a State and it lasted about 20 years. After a year or so I took the anode rod out due to sulfur smell in the hot water.

Replaced that one just because I was also getting new furnace and AC. I took the anode out of it before installing. It's still sailing along just fine. It's another State.

The anode rods are in very tight and good luck removing one with the tank vertical.

The first thing you should do is get rid of the cheap plastic drain valve as they are only about a 1/4" opening.

Edit: My brother replaced their water heated a few years ago. it was only 5 years old and they were on city water. Being the pack rat I was I hauled it home and was going to clean it up to see if it was worth saving.

It had to have over a foot of sediment inside. Even with the drain valve all the way off it was still plugged up.
 
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They have 120V models to replace a gas water heater. I think they have a small coil. But seems more expensive and the efficiency rating is a little less.

I currently have a 50 gal gas water heater that is over 10 years old. It's in unheated attached garage that is currently 50F.

We have the temp set way up so wife can get a decent bath in Jacuzzi. Otherwise run out of hot water filling the Jacuzzi. This is an important part of the equation

So looking at a hybrid.

So considering a 120 V one. 80 gal. But the circuit breaker box is not that far away. Could get 220 V to it. But 120 V would be easier.

80 propane ones serm to be commercial and very expensive.

I suppose a gas tankless is an option.

What I am afraid of is my garage being too cold in the winter and the system going on electric coil all winter.

In southern DE.
 
My electric coop use to sell what they called stone lined electric water heaters. never looked into them but they say you won't run out of hot water usually. Here's a modern one.

www.afsupply.com

Burnham AL50SL Alliance SL, 50 Gallon, Residential/Commercial Hydrastone Lined Indirect Water Heater, 10 Year Warranty

.blanco-layout .values{text-align: center;color: #575757;}.outer_box {width: 100px;text-align: center;margin-bottom: 18px;margin-right: 10px;display: inline-block;position: relative;color: #008000;font-weight: 900;}.blanco-layout .inner_box {margin: 0px !important;display: block;}.inner_box...
www.afsupply.com www.afsupply.com
 
SHOZ said:
My electric coop use to sell what they called stone lined electric water heaters. never looked into them but they say you won't run out of hot water usually. Here's a modern one.

www.afsupply.com

Burnham AL50SL Alliance SL, 50 Gallon, Residential/Commercial Hydrastone Lined Indirect Water Heater, 10 Year Warranty

.blanco-layout .values{text-align: center;color: #575757;}.outer_box {width: 100px;text-align: center;margin-bottom: 18px;margin-right: 10px;display: inline-block;position: relative;color: #008000;font-weight: 900;}.blanco-layout .inner_box {margin: 0px !important;display: block;}.inner_box...
www.afsupply.com www.afsupply.com
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That one is a tank with a copper coil going through the middle of the tank and acts as a zone off a whole house boiler. They are great and the way to go assuming you have an oil or gas boiler.
 
Donald said:
That one is a tank with a copper coil going through the middle of the tank and acts as a zone off a whole house boiler. They are great and the way to go assuming you have an oil or gas boiler.
Click to expand...
Sorry I'm sure you can find their electric models if you are interested. I considered on once but the electric rate has always been high with the coop. Would have to go all electric too to get the best rate. I'd rather go all propane.
 
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