| ITEM |
QUESTION |
ANSWER |
1 |
Will the system
work during bad weather? |
Quantum
has been designed to work all year round without boosting. Rain
wind and sun are major elements in making the unit run effectively. |
2 |
How much money will I save? (also see questions 31 & 32) |
Quantum
saves up to
75% of the electrical energy used, when compared with an
insertion element water heater. In other words the running cost
of a Quantum can be about a quarter that of an insertion element
water heater. |
3 |
Do the panels have to go on a north-facing roof? |
Our
Compact
Heat Pump model does not use panels at all. |
4 |
Do Quantum Heaters require a booster? |
No!
Quantum has the ability to deliver 600 to 1,300 litres of hot
water per day without boosting. With the evaporation temperature
of the refrigerant being well below 0°C
it will vaporize in all weather conditions. By compressing that
vapour Quantum will generate heat equivalent to a 3.6 kW booster
during its heating cycle. |
5 |
What is the tank made of? |
The
tank is a mild steel glass-lined tank similar to most hot water
tanks on the market. |
6 |
How long does the tank last? |
Quantum's
tank is protected with a sacrificial anode, which should be
changed every five years. Quantum eliminates the electrolytic
action between a copper element and a mild steel tank by the
removal of the booster. With a Quantum, the method of heating
the water also does away with any hot spots associated with
boosted units. The life of the tank should be approximately
12 to 15 years. |
7 |
What
is the warranty on the Quantum unit? |
There is a 5-tear warranty on the
water storage tank. 2 years on Refrigeration and electrical
circuits.. |
8 |
Will
I run out of hot water? |
Quantum
has the ability to deliver voluminous amounts of hot water.
However it must be remembered that it is a storage system, and,
if drained of hot water in a short period, it will need approximately
3 to 4 hours to recover. |
9 |
Does
my roof need strengthening for the panels? |
No!! With our Compact
Heat Pump model no panels are even used. |
10 |
Does
the refrigerant need topping up occasionally? |
No!!
Quantum is a sealed unit like a refrigerator and has silver
soldered copper joints. This differs from, for instance, a car
air-conditioning system with its hose connections and vibrations. |
11 |
Does
it freeze in winter? |
No!! Quantum has completely eliminated the problem
of freezing that has plagued conventional solar systems as no
water filled panels are involved - in fact no panels at all! |
12 |
Does
it over heat in summer? |
No!!
Quantum is thermostatically controlled to 60°C
and
cannot overheat. |
13 |
How
long does it take to heat from cold to hot? |
At
an ambient temperature of 20°C
Quantum will run 3 - 4 hours to raise the water to
60°C.
From this it can be seen that the Quantum unit will use 3 –
4 kWh of energy for 270 litres of hot water. |
14 |
How
does this compare with electric water heaters? |
Off-peak
water heaters will use 3.6 kWh x 4 hours for 270 litres,
which works out to 14.4 kWh of energy for same amount of water. |
15 |
Are
Quantum models affected by hail? |
No the Compact
Heat Pump model, having no panels, is not effected at all. |
16 |
What is the payback period
for a Quantum? |
It
depends on what the comparison is being made with, i.e. the
type of heater,
type of tariff, and the amount of hot water used. An average
payback period for Quantum is about 3 – 5 years. |
17 |
Can
the hot water tank go outside? |
Yes! The unit has been designed to operate outside.
The outer casing of the tank is zincalume based and ColorBond
coated. |
18 |
How
far can the Evaporator be away from the tank on the Split Air
model? |
We like the evaporator unit to be no more than
9 meters from the tank. A refrigeration pipe work run of up
to 9 meters will allow the most efficient operation of the system
as well as permitting the proper return of lubrication oil back
to the compressor. |
19 |
How
long will the unit last? |
Quantum has been manufactured with great care
and expertise. In fact Quantum has been made as the old refrigerators
were made. The secret of good refrigeration practice is cleanliness
and
all precautions have been made to ensure that during manufacture
and installation of a Quantum, good refrigeration practises
are upheld – this is of vital importance. Normal life
expectancy would be about 12 to 15 years. |
20 |
What
sizes of tank are there? |
There are two sizes;
|
21 |
I
live near the water, what effect does salt spray have?. |
As with anything made from metal severe salt atmospheres
can be detrimental. The evaporator has been specially treated
to assist in this however careful positioning of the unit to
avoid salt laden air as much as possible would be advisable. |
22 |
What effect does the unit have on the environment? |
Quantum, by it’s wise use of electricity, assists greatly in combating
the “greenhouse effect”, by using as little as one
quarter of the energy required to heat water when compared
to insertion element electric water heaters. |
23 |
Are
panels attached to the roof? |
No
our Compact
Heat Pump does not have any panels to be attached. |
24 |
Can
Quantum be used for other than domestic water hot water? |
Quantum
has been adapted to many applications other than just domestic
hot water supply. Other applications to date have been slab
heating, pool heating, spa heating and glasshouse heating. |
25 |
We
use most of our hot water in the evening; will the unit recover
by the morning? |
Yes! Even on the coldest winter night
Quantum will recover for early morning use. |
26 |
Can
a Quantum be installed by anyone? |
Our Compact
Heat Pump models are simple to install, requiring no more
expertise than for a normal electric water heater. |
27 |
I
have a flat roof. Can a Quantum be installed without framework? |
Yes! as the Quantum Compact
Heat Pump has no panels, the type of roof does not matter. |
28 |
Where
is the unit made? |
Quantum is an Australian invention,
and has been further developed in Australia for over 20 years.
Quantum manufacturing takes place in Newcastle Australia. |
29 |
Are
replacement parts readily available? |
Yes!
All parts are available in Australia. |
30 |
What
if the tank goes, does it mean the whole unit needs to be replaced? |
The compressor unit
is built on a special chassis and fixed to the top of the unit.
This can be detached from the existing tank and connected to
a replacement tank if required. |
| 31
|
Why is a Heat
Pump more efficient than electric or gas water heating? |
Normal
heating methods use energy such as electricity or gas to directly
heat the water. This can never be greater than 100% (but more
likely 60% - 75%) efficient.
A heat pump only uses electrical energy to run the compressor,
not to heat the water. The heat energy actually comes from the
atmosphere . |
| 32
|
How does taking
its heat energy from the atmosphere make it more efficient? |
By using only
a small amount of electrical energy to run the heat pump
it can transfer 3 times this value, in heat energy from the
atmosphere, into the water, giving an efficiency
rating above 300% e.g. 1kW of electrical energy into the heat
pump can transfer 3.6kW of heat energy into the water. |
| 33
|
Can the Compact
model be installed inside? |
The Compact
Heat Pump is an air sourced heat pump and requires an airflow
of 280 litres per second during its heating cycle. This model
is normally installed externally to provide adequate airflow.
It may be possible to install in a large area such as a double
garage. If other means, such as ducting, is used to expel the
cold air being produced to another area then it could be installed
internally in a smaller room. |
| 34 |
What power supply does
the Quantum require? |
The Quantum requires an individual 15 amp circuit breaker
and power supply. |
| 35 |
Can a Quantum be operated
on Off Peak power? |
Quantum is a heat pump system and obtains its energy from
the atmosphere. To operate at peak performance some day time
running is best. Full Off Peak connection (where the heater
can only run at night) is therefore not recommended. Quantum
does work on tariffs
such as Off Peak 2 (extended hours) provided at least 18 hours
of power is available per day. |
| 36
|
What are the
dimensions of the Quantum units? |
Both units are 650mm. in diameter.
The 270 litre unit is 1925mm. tall, the 340 litre model 2230mm. |
| 37 |
What is the Warranty on
Quantum? |
The Quantum water heater has a life expectancy similar to
your refrigerator. The main components of the tank and evaporator
are warranted for 7 years. Refrigeration compressor, pipe work
and electrical components have a 2 year warranty period from
the time of installation. |
