There's a new heat pump water heater option for homes that have often been left out of the clean energy upgrade conversation.
A. O. Smith's Voltex X is designed for apartments, mobile homes, and other tight spaces as well as to keep working through deep cold.
Here's what to know
According to CleanTechnica, A. O. Smith brought the heat pump water heater to market with Panasonic.
The Voltex X uses a split layout, with the compressor outside and the storage tank indoors rather than combined in one appliance.
Because many households lack the room for an all-in-one model and the surrounding air space it needs, small residences have often been hard to electrify. The company is using the split format to target those kinds of buildings.
CleanTechnica said A. O. Smith is using carbon dioxide refrigerant, a choice shared by only one other U.S. residential heat pump water heater model.
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Using CO2 is intended to deliver three benefits at once: operation down to minus-25 degrees Fahrenheit, faster water heating, and no need for electric resistance backup.
More background
A. O. Smith's move into split systems could widen access through standard distributor channels since CleanTechnica described the company as one of the industry's "big three."
That could bring what has largely been a niche technology into the mainstream.
Buyers have five tank sizes to choose from, among them a lowboy model that stands 36 inches tall and is just 26 inches wide.
That tank is 7 inches smaller than the next-smallest option in the category, CleanTechnica reported, which could make installations possible in spaces where they previously were impractical.
CleanTechnica also noted that the system includes a mixing valve so water can be stored at a high temperature and then tempered with cold water for use.
In practical terms, that can stretch available hot water for showers, laundry, and dishes without requiring a larger tank.
There are some tradeoffs, though. Installers told the outlet to expect equipment pricing in the $4,000 to $4,500 range, which sits above that of many unitary heat pump water heaters.
Because the tank and outdoor unit each need power, installation can also be more complicated.
What's being done?
Rather than require refrigerant lines between the components, A. O. Smith chose a hydronic design.
That simplifies some installation work, though freeze protection is especially important in cold climates.
The Voltex X addresses that with active and passive freeze-protection measures, including pushing warm water through the lines and using a drip valve to keep water moving during outages.
The Advanced Water Heating Initiative said it plans to test the appliance's performance in field studies.
CleanTechnica said a commercial 6-kilowatt version is also planned, with units that can be combined into multifamily systems.
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