[Startingover]

I've never heard of this before.

Next to the 16 yr old condenser there's a metal box, 12" x 14" and about 3 or 4" deep. Its on the house.

I just learned its a 'hot water heater'. Personally I don't grasp why an AC would heat my hot water when I have a hot watertank.

Don't know if it's been working or not. It's not compatible with my new unit. He said a new water heater (for the AC) would be another $900 which I can't afford.

I've been around a lot of contractors and am surprised I never heard of this before. Are these hot water heaters very unusual or popular?

 

[Poparoach]

hi any chance u can shoot us some pics to help us out

 

[Startingover]

sure.........hang on.

 

[Poparoach]

ok ,,,

 

[Startingover]

sure.........hang on.

 

[Poparoach]

pics a bit blurry ,,, can the cover be removed for a pick inside ? and any water lines comming to or from the box ?

 

[Startingover]

Thanks.

I'm afraid to open things like this.

Just wondered how common it was for AC units to provide hot water.

 

[Poparoach]

not very at all .. just loosen the screws and move cover if its loose you shud be good to go ,, be intresting to see inside

 

[rydan]

View attachment 65986 sure.........hang on.

This is your Heat Recovery Unit..
I'm a HVAC Install mechanic, we don't usually come across these, but when were installing a new system, we always soldier the water lines and discontinue these.

 

[Poparoach]

hey rydan are these still mfg ? as the hrv units in canada are complety diff and where is the air handler for the hrv ?

 

[Startingover]

my air handler is in the garage (on the other side of wall in the photo). It's on a shelf about 3' feet high.
​

 

[Startingover]

The original owners were from N.Y and did a quality job with everything in the house.

I wondered if this was more common up north.

I better call the new AC guy and verify that he will remove this thing.

 

[Missouri Bound]

The last time I saw one of those it was being used to add heat to a swimming pool.

 

[jagans]

Heating a swimming pool with electric?????? Are they nuts?????

 

[beenthere]

Its a desuperheater. As known as a heat recovery unit. They can save you a lot on your hot water bill in the summer. They are not a popular as they once were.

They are actually cheaper to use to heat or keep a swimming pool warm the natural gas is. Since all the heat is waste heat that you are paying to get rid of anyway.

 

[rydan]

Its a desuperheater. As known as a heat recovery unit. They can save you a lot on your hot water bill in the summer. They are not a popular as they once were.

They are actually cheaper to use to heat or keep a swimming pool warm the natural gas is. Since all the heat is waste heat that you are paying to get rid of anyway.

Yes sir, you are correct.. More or less.. pulls the heat off the condenser side of your split system

 

[Startingover]

so, are you guys saying that my city water runs thru this "recovery system". (or maybe it did. I don't think this thing works)

 

[Poparoach]

We use condensing units here to heat outdoor swimming pools in summer here ,, they are water cooled condensers instead of air cooled .Works very well ..... gotta run a/c in summer anyways why not put the energy to good use .. A mfg in montreal mfgs a unit that "dehumidfes/heats the pool water /removes humidity and even reheats the air "on indoor pools and they are very cost effective and work very well

 

[beenthere]

so, are you guys saying that my city water runs thru this "recovery system". (or maybe it did. I don't think this thing works)

They usually had water lines ran from the water heater to it, and it has/had a circ in it that would run when the A/C ran. If the hot gas temp was above 120° the circ would run to heat the water in the water heater, provided the water heaters water temp was not above set temp.

 

[beenthere]

We use condensing units here to heat outdoor swimming pools in summer here ,, they are water cooled condensers instead of air cooled .Works very well ..... gotta run a/c in summer anyways why not put the energy to good use .. A mfg in montreal mfgs a unit that "dehumidfes/heats the pool water /removes humidity and even reheats the air "on indoor pools and they are very cost effective and work very well

Dectron is who I see around here.