David Dignam
Bullaburra NSW
The type of system we purchased is the Quantum Energy System 315 litre Pacific model. This is a solar boosted heat pump system. The tank volume is 340 litres but it is rated as a 315-litre delivery in accordance with the Australian Standards sizing recommendations. It was installed on 22 June 1994.We paid approximately $3,000 to have the unit supplied and installed. We know we have more than recovered our costs in reduced energy costs in that we estimate to date that we have saved around $300 per annum. Based on that rate, the system paid for itself compared to an equivalent dual element "Big Blue" type unit in the time that we have owned it and it has an anticipated, extremely long life tank.
Until last year, we had a family of five children and two adults living in the home and it reduced our electric energy bills for hot water by 60% to 75%. We never ran out of hot water. The unit does not have a booster element and does not require one. It was the ideal choice for the area we live in, (the Blue Mountains), as it delivers hot water on days that traditional flat plate solar collectors require an electric booster.
Its only initial problem was that the compressor was noisier than we had anticipated, particularly as the unit had been installed on a tiled compressed fibro laundry floor and this seemed to amplify the noise. The Installation Company supplied and installed a soundproofing kit at no extra charge, and this removed the problem to a large extent. If it had been installed externally, it would not have been a problem.
We would recommend it to others and two of our friends have since purchased the identical system on our recommendation. They are more than happy. It gives the cheapest hot water, and short of an electrical failure, which would cause the compressor not to function, it would never run out of hot water. A more powerful compressor is available on the later model than the one we bought.
Environmentally, it is much friendlier than gas or standard electrical heating of hot water. While it is more marginal as an investment against traditional solar in the northern areas, it outperforms traditional solar in areas where the solar performance is poorer or there is cloud cover. It has the ability to work twenty-four hours - day and night - in any weather. It produced hot water even with snow lying on the evaporator plates when we have had snowfalls on our home.
Yours faithfully