Electric Boiler With Integrated Water Heater
We are considering the Combomax Ultra 12, which is designed to supply all the hot water required for hydronic space heating and domestic hot water (see http://www.thermo2000.com/content/en-us/s2_produits/combomax-ultra.aspx#). I haven’t been able to find any reviews on-line and would be very interested in views of pros and/or home owners who have experience with this product or even a similar combo product. Thanks for any information or advice you might be able to share with me!
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Distribution seems really limited... a couple of places on the east coast. Lacking any other info, I'd rather buy something name-brand that's widely sold and well accepted. Sounds like you are installing a heating system, so what does your installer want to use?
Barbara,
If you want an all-electric house, heat-pump solutions (an air-to-air heat pump for space heating, and a heat-pump water heater for domestic hot water) will use only 30% to 40% as much energy as an electric-resistance boiler like the one you linked to. So your electricity needs to be really, really cheap to consider the approach you suggest (the electric-resistance approach).
Thanks very much, David and Martin! My partner is building a new, small slab-on-grade house, and will be heating primarily with wood and passive solar, but putting in a radiant floor as back-up (primary from the building code standpoint). He also needs domestic hot water (DHW) and doesn't have much space for utilities. He doesn't want propane and the fixed costs that come with it. That's why he started looking for combined DHW and boiler systems and found the Combomax. He lives in a small town, and his installer initially recommended a mini-star boiler and a separate DHW tank. The Ontario, Canada technical rep for Thermo2000 (in Toronto) is being quite supportive. While heat pumps are much more efficient, he's concerned about higher up-front costs, noise issues with the fan in such a tiny house, and the need for ducts to each room. Electricity isn't too expensive were he is. Many thanks again! (I love this site!)
Few years late but one I installed in 2015 (similar to your friend's slab home) and find it a Hydro Hog not to mention that it was probably dripping water from the inside over the years due to loose gaskets not properly tightened at manufacturers that caused a contained electrical fire that blew 125 amp breaker dedicated to the boiler. Would never go there again and opt for propane instead since natural gas is not an option for me. It worked well till it didn't and find 5 years for the over prices unit not a reflection of a good product.