The firm ISI Technology of South Carolina will soon begin producing a smart water heater, which is designed to cut energy use by 40% over conventional water heaters. They have recently successfully met their funding goal of $125,000 through Kickstarter to begin the production. The Heatworks MODEL 1 compact water heater will measure 12.5 inches by 6.5 inches, meaning that it will fit in most spaces. The water heater will also have Wi-Fi connectivity, so that temperature, power levels and duration can all be monitored and controlled remotely.
According to the description of the heater by ISI Technology it will be 99 % efficient. The heater uses the firm’s patented “direct resistance technology” which takes advantage of the water’s natural resistance to directly heat the water molecules, instead of heating the water with conventional resistance heating elements. The graphite electrodes used in the MODEL 1 heater never get hotter than the surrounding water, which saves energy and allows for exceptional control over the water temperature. The water heater measures water temperature 60 times per second and therefore offers over 500 temperature choices.
The planned Heatworks MODEL 1 is a tankless electric water heater, which is capable of producing instant, endless hot water to a household even at low flow rates. In addition to the energy savings, the heater also provides water savings of about 10%. Since the water heating occurs instantly, the MODEL1 will also eliminate the need to wait around for hot water after each use.
Several units can be installed in a home, depending on its size and hot water needs and each unit can be monitored and controlled individually. So, the water temperature in the kitchen can be set to a higher level than the water temperature in the bathroom. The MODEL 1 heater is also compatible with low-flow faucets and will almost instantly heat the needed water even at flow rates of 0.1 gallons per minute.
The heater can be used to replace the water heater in a home, or hooked up to the existing setup. In other words, the MODEL 1 heater can be placed on the outlet side of your existing gas or electric tank type water heater, which will double the amount of effective hot water the household gets. The MODEL 1 water heater can also be installed anywhere along the hot water piping, even far away from the existing water heater, like, for example in the master bathroom or to heat the water for an outdoor shower. The MODEL 1 one can also easily be used in a solar powered home. Once the production begins, the Heatworks MODEL 1 water heater will retail at $395.
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