Re: who amongst us have gone solar
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Anyone here running an electric hot water system off solar electricity?
My understanding is that in Melbourne at least, the rules prevent you from having a conventional electric hot water system if natural gas is available; but you can get an exemption - how, I don't know.
I am not attracted by the dedicated thermal solar hot water systems, on account of cost and stories of problems. I am unsure whether the heat pump solutions are any good, or, as I fear, a technology in progress, e.g. I have seen reports of problems with noise.
However, I am worried about the likely price hikes down the road, as China's appetite for our gas increases. It is easy to predict that the Federal Treasury and Productivity Commission will say everyone will be better off by forcing consumers to pay the world price for gas.
At present we have a natural gas hot water system (only 136 litres, but we get by). How much power, in general terms, would a conventional electric system of that size be likely to use?
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