Grandad's photos

We have bought a hot-water-heat-pump system from Econergy http://www.econergy.co.nz/heat-pump-products.htm A sparky and a plumber hooked it up yesterday in a few hours.

We chose this as it was the best of the ones tested by Consumer http://www.consumer.org.nz/reports/heat-pump-water-heaters as well as being NZ-made.

These things heat hot water at about one-third of the price of a normal element inside the cylinder. The box outside dumps cold air in order to make the hot water. Should save us at least $50 a month off our bill, so good payback on just under $5000 installed incl GST. You can also buy these units integral with a hot water cylinder.

I am going to switch from Contact Energy to Powershop, as they don't have fixed charges, you just pay for the power. That will give us a better bill reduction.

If we move, we can take this with us as it is mounted outside and plumbed into the existing cylinder. Flip a switch to go back to the immersion element.

Update 14 April, it has been installed for 2 weeks now and our power consumption has gone from 24 units per day to 14 units per day, saving about $2.50 a day or $75 a month from the power bill.

Great day in Auckland today. Train ride, picnic lunch, parade and a pint!