http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/ Engadget Comments for Haier's heat-exchanging Power Pad promises to make long, hot showers a little more efficient http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
@TimStevens - I see... put the words in the title together differently to see it as a 'heating pad', even after reading the article.

@d0mth0ma5 - if you read what I wrote I said water + what appears to be cables and metal leads, not water + pipes. Nice attempt at being a smart ass though (missed out on the 'smart' but achieved the 'ass' part).]]>Aug 2nd 2010 10:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
Why so serious?]]>Aug 2nd 2010 4:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
If there is one, please let it be a female editor :)]]>Aug 3rd 2010 3:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
My thought exactly! I can see it now.. " yeah i fell through my shower door and cut my anus... but it sure beats those high electric bills."]]>Aug 2nd 2010 10:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
If you manage to cut your anus that's a remarkable feat in itself. Worst mental picture ever.]]>Aug 2nd 2010 10:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 11:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
Plus if the heat exchanger is far enough away from the water heater, a lot of the energy dumped on the water will be lost along the pipes on the way to the water heater tank.]]>Aug 2nd 2010 12:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 1:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 3rd 2010 3:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
There isnt a pump, you turn on your shower and the water goes through this device first, then up the wall and out your showerhead, as the water coming out starts getting hot and falling down onto this exchanger it heats up the water flowing through it so you dont have to use as much water from your hot water heater. You get the same temperature from using slightly colder water coming through the exchanger.]]>Aug 2nd 2010 10:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
wow, i have to give you some credit for coming up with total bullshit but somehow managing to sound like you know what you're talking about, which you obviously don't. water from the shower never enters this device. it flows over the pipes (or fins, most likely), which contain clean cold water, and the heat from the shower water heats up the cold water. the cold water (which is now warm), is then deposited back into the hot water tank. as far as the shower itself is concerned, it's just getting hot water from the tank as per usual, except that the hot water heater can now produce the same amount of hot water using less energy. and yes, there most definitely is a pump.]]>Aug 2nd 2010 12:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 12:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 1:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 1:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/better efficiency
isn't directly exposed to so much dirt
you don't have to stand on it
doesn't need as much aditional pipework
invisible]]>Aug 2nd 2010 10:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
40/30 - 1 = .33]]>Aug 2nd 2010 10:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
one is 40% - the other is 30% - they weren't doing the percentage improvement, just the difference - eg - one room is 40c the other room is 30c - the cooler room is 10c cooler than the hotter room... they don't have to report it all in percentages of improvement...]]>Aug 2nd 2010 10:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 11:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
]]>Aug 2nd 2010 10:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
The average 40 gallon natural gas 40k BTU/HR water heater for residential use has a sell price of about $350. And will provide 40 gallons of hot water with a 40 gallon (approx) per hour recovery rate. It has an energy factor of 0.65

A small tankless water heater (in fact the smallest) has a sell price of approximately $1000 and will provide approximately 4.1 GPM of hot water (at a 70° F rise). It has a modulating btu rate of from 19K BTU/Hr all the way up to 190K BTU/Hr (which is what it needs to produce that 4.1GPM rate). It has an energy factor of .82

(These figures are directly from the AO Smith specification sheets)

considering a tank water heater should be running at at least 130°F if not 140°F to combat Legionnaires Disease possibilities, and that most water in the US has an input temperature of approximately 60°F, that tankless water heater is only going to "save" you money after a very long time and then only if your household is one of the ones that uses little water at one time and has long periods of inactivity of hot water use.

if you want to "save" money on heating water, you don't do it with a "tankless" whole house water heater, you do it either with several Point of Use water heaters, or by using the waste heat from a highly efficient (96% plus) boiler system which also is used for home heating when necessary.

As to this product, anyone whose ever dealt with heat exchangers will know it is a nightmare waiting to happen.
Even a small layer of deposits on the outside of the heat exchanger tubes will cause significant decreases in the thermal transfer efficiency of the exchanger. which is why boilers, and large condensers (like the ones i worked on in a naval nuclear power plant), require hourly chemical monitoring to prevent the slightest buildup of scaling.

Now turn from scaling to a nice thick (comparatively) thick gooey coating of shampoo residue, soap scum, hard water deposits, and some human skin/hair detritus, and the ability of this device to do anything remotely like it claims after about a week of installation time without serious cleaning and maintenance I would severely doubt.
]]>Aug 2nd 2010 11:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
Good info, thanks.
]]>Aug 2nd 2010 11:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
I don't know if what you said is right but it sure sounds good. +++ for trying to educate those of us not familiar with different water heating technologies.]]>Aug 2nd 2010 11:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
Gray water recycling can't be put back into the water heater as other sources use it that require a clean source. But there are solutions out there (toilets can run on gray water) that are implemented. What you actually want to do here is capture the waste HEAT via a heat exchanger. Kinda like a heatsink between 2 sources of water. Solar water heaters don't heat the actual water you consume, but rather exchange the heat in a heat exchanger. The water in the panels most likely has coolant additives to prevent algae growth and freezing much like the water circuit in your car.]]>Aug 2nd 2010 10:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/do you drink out of the glasses you run through your dishwasher?
Do you eat off the plates you rinse in the kitchen sink?

It all comes from the same hot water source.......

as was stated, grey water recycling can be used for NON-POTABLE places like toilets, however, it still has to be treated to remove microbes and bacteria if it is going to be used in a situation where potential contact with humans or animals is possible.

Just because you dont eat out of your toilet, doesn't mean you want water that has potentially been used to clean something covered in bacteria to be stored in its tank or bowl.

]]>Aug 2nd 2010 11:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 2:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
This thing is kinda dumb. You're better off putting a heat exchanger in the house drain that warms up the water prior to going into the hot water heater. The hot water heater will apply heat as needed to maintain temperature.

This thing will make temperature management a pain in the ass since there is no automated temperature control after it.]]>Aug 2nd 2010 10:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 10:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
Why free energy, of course :-D

With a system like this you could really go green and just have your family ALWAYS urinate in the shower. Saves water from flushing the toilets and provides extra heat you can use to heat your hot water.]]>Aug 2nd 2010 2:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/> that thing gets clogged with hair and various bathing products?

Silly Engadget. Everyone knows Asians don't have body hair.]]>Aug 2nd 2010 10:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 12:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Yeah. I'm not sure what washing man out of my hair means, but I'm pretty sure I've never had to do it.]]>Aug 2nd 2010 2:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/
It is a reference to an old song, but probably remembered mostly by anyone over age 40 from a shampoo commercial sometime in the 70s/80s era.]]>Aug 5th 2010 12:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/haiers-heat-exchanging-power-pad-promises-to-make-long-hot-sho/Aug 2nd 2010 12:36PM