Choosing water heating methods (solar, desup, etc), and combining them
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Q1: Are the two methods combined likely to handle a the hot water needs of a 5-person family? Or would you still have a regular water heater to pick up the slack?
Of the three systems, which pair would you choose? Or would you deploy all three? Here are the three:
1. Solar water heater
2. Desuperheater
3. Tankless natural gas or electric water heater
Region: Tucson, AZ and Las Vegas, NV (very similar, nearly equivalent climates)
Thanks for your help.
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Replies
4. Heat pump water heater + PV (with or without desuperheater or drainwater heat recovery)
https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/solar-thermal-is-dead
https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/solar-thermal-is-not-dead
https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/solar-thermal-is-really-really-dead
Thanks Dana. I'm thoroughly confused by the use of the term "heat pump" at this point. Is it the same as a hybrid water heater? Is it the kind that requires a ton of air space around it?
Are there tankless heat pump water heaters, or do they always have tanks?