Aquatech Heat Pump Questions & Answers

Hi Alex,

When you are in front of the system, please contact us on 1300 769 904 to help you with your enquiry.

Hi Gary Our heat pumps feature an active defrost function that prevents freezing and ice build-up on the evaporator. During testing for AS5125, which evaluates the energy efficiency and performance of heat pumps, the systems are run through a full heating cycle in a climate-controlled chamber at ambient temperatures between -2°C and 0°C with 90% humidity. Under these conditions, the coefficient of performance (COP) is approximately 2.4, making it 240% more efficient than an electric hot water system performing the same cycle. For comparison, at ambient temperatures of 7°C to 9°C, the efficiency improves to a COP of 3.5, or 350%. This shows a decline in efficiency at sub-zero temperatures, although the systems still perform relatively well.

For owners in climates that frequently experience overnight temperatures below 0°C, we recommend using the built-in timers to limit heating cycles to daytime hours when the ambient temperatures are higher.

Sorry. I’m only a retail customer. Suggest you call them to negotiate.

Hi Fred

The recommended floor space for the DYNAMIC/X8 is 47m2 as your floor area is 45.5m2, it would be considered within this tolerance. So there should be no issues internally installing the system.

Hi David The R290 refrigerant RAPID/X6 and DYNAMIC/X8 have been available on the market since April 2020, covering a period of just over four years. During this time, we have sold just under 10,000 systems and have recorded 64 claims that required system replacement. These claims include two verified water leaks from the storage tank and one case of a compressor causing tripping.

The remaining 61 system failures were due to refrigeration leaks. Approximately 13 occurred upon initial use, indicating a major weld issue during production. Around 70% (35 systems) also occurred in the first year of operation, pointing to issues with supplier parts, such as the evaporator/TX valve or poor welds during manufacturing. Consequently, the likelihood of a refrigerant warranty failure decreases significantly after the first year. For instance, we received only two claims for systems installed in 2020 this year.

These statistics are consistent with industry averages for refrigeration equipment, such as fridges, air conditioners, and heat pumps. These typically experience failure rates between 0.5% and 1% over the first five years of operation.

Most of the negative feedback related to heat pumps stems from inadequate product knowledge, ongoing servicing, and product support rather than from a fundamental issue with product production and reliability.

John L thanks for the details. this level of openness is greatly appreciated. We are looking at the Auatech and another company. In your advertisement on line you report "Twice the industry standard for thickness & coatings, protected by non-sacrificial anodes never changing.". How thick is the steel construction of the Aquatech Rapid 6X tank.

As well can you explain how the noncritical anodes work. I understand the need for sacrificial rods work in other tanks and i am curious how Aquatech have approached the problem of corrosion because of the oxidation and chemicals in the water.

I believe that connection requirement is for rainwater collection tanks, not for hot water storage systems like this.

Hi Jim The building codes vary from state to state, so it is not possible to comment on your specific requirements. If you or your builder would like to contact us on 1300 769 904 or info@aquatechheatpumps.com.au we will be happy to assist in the specification for your new home.

Regards

Aquatech Support Team

Don't know about Melbourne. I'm told Victoria has generous incentives to change over from gas. Heat pumps work well in Brisbane where it doesn't get too cold. Their efficiency drops as the air temp approaches zero. You should talk to other users in Melbourne about their systems and if they work OK during the colder months. Contact Aquatech directly and they will be able to recommend local installers who can answer your questions. external link 

Hi Imogene, Gaschill in Melbourne installed my Auqatech Rapid6 just last Friday and so far even with the extreme cold last night there was sufficient hot water in the morning. However, I did have it running from midnight to ensure it kept the temperature at 60deg. I am still experimenting with the times so maybe it was over the top to have it running from midnight but still allow 3-4 hours if you require hot water at 6am with multiple users.

Hi Imogene, Gaschill in Melbourne installed my Auqatech Rapid6 just last Friday and so far even with the extreme cold last night there was sufficient hot water in the morning. However, I did have it running from midnight to ensure it kept the temperature at 60deg. I am still experimenting with the times so maybe it was over the top to have it running from midnight but still allow 3-4 hours if you require hot water at 6am with multiple users.

Previously I had only 170 lts gas so 210 lts is more than sufficient for my family of four.

In our situation its working fine for 2 people. Maybe look at the x8 version or another larger capacity system.

Hi Lauren Providing a system recommendation solely based on family size can be challenging since hot water usage, such as the duration of showers or baths, can significantly differ among households.

The RAPID/X6 can easily handle three consecutive 7-10 minute showers in one go and still provide hot water for other purposes such as washing up. If you have a family of 5 and your hot water usage is evenly spread out between morning and evening, the 210L storage capacity would be sufficient on a continuous power tariff. However, if you think your usage is higher or if you want to limit heating using the built-in timers, then the 260L DYNAMIC/X8 would be a better choice.

The "6" in the model ID RAPID/X6 indicates the maximum number of people the system can accommodate if necessary. For instance, if you have a household of 3-4 people and you have additional visitors staying over, the system's storage and quick recovery capabilities should provide enough hot water as long as everyone isn't showering simultaneously.

The RAPID/X6 comes with various modes to cater to high usage. While a larger home may find the Standard mode sufficient during summer, they may need to switch to Hybrid mode during winter to increase the tank temperature and accommodate additional capacity.

It is very rare for a RAPID/X6 homeowner to contact us in relation to running out of hot water, so we can assume with some confidence, that the system is capable of meeting the hot water requirements of most homes.

Hi Sue pretty sure it will handle down to -5, but best to jump on the web external link  or call them 1300 769 904. We got the 210L between 4 of us 2 adults 2 kids and haven't run out of hot water yet.

Hi Sue Thanks for your enquiry. The RAPID/X6 is a Class A heat pump, which means it is certified and tested to operate in sub-zero conditions. To provide a more detailed response to your question please complete an enquiry form at the following link external link  This will inform us of your home's specific hot water usage and help us with suggested sizes/setup/savings etc...

Regards

Hot water is required to be heated to 60 deg C to guard against Legionnaires disease. It is mixed with cold water to lower the temperature and prevent scalding.

If you were rather asking about the range of air temps in which it operates effectively, the website says it’s been tested down to 0 celsius see: external link