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Customer reviews for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
The Rheem EcoSense 50 Gallon Hybrid is Rheem's most advanced energy efficient Electric water heater. EcoSense hybrid water heaters work much like a refrigerator in reverse. Utilizing heat pump technology, it uses the warm ambient air temperature to do most of the work. Easy to use LED touch pad helps you control the water temperature and offers 3 efficiency settings. Installs as easily as a standard electric water heater. Ideal for new construction and drop-in replacement in basements, garages, and attics.
Overall rating:
(33 reviews) 33
Rating breakdown 33 reviews
5 stars
13
4 stars
7
3 stars
1
2 stars
3
1 star
9
19 out of 32(59%)reviewers recommend this product.
Customer reviews for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Review 1 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
No doubt this will save money
,PostedDecember 27, 2012
Granules
Age:55 to 64
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Professional
Length of ownership:1 month
Ease of installation
4
/
5
Quality
4
/
5
Value
4
/
5
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I recommend you get an installation bid before buying, Local codes may require an earthquake strap, a bollard to stop a car hitting it and 2 condensate pipes run to the outside. These can add quite a bit.
Nice to have the optional settings foor heat pump only or electric assist plus various temperature sttings
Nice to have the optional settings foor heat pump only or electric assist plus various temperature sttings
Pros: Easy to Install, Good Instructions, No Leaks
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 2 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
Just isn't performing.
,PostedApril 30, 2012
MarkNC
Ease of installation
3
/
5
Quality
2
/
5
Value
2
/
5
Interesting how the reviews went from positive to negative around the end of 2010. This is when we purchased our model for a new-construction home. From day one, we didn't have what I would call enough hot water (two people in our home.) I couldn't finish a shower without the water going cold and I do not linger in showers. It soon degraded to not heating the water at all.
We had the control board replaced as offerered but that wasn't the solution to the problem. I like the concept of the product, but I'd rather have hot water. I have to wonder if something happened in the manufacturing process in the latter part of 2010. If this site will let me, I will amend my review if a service call eliminates the problems we are having.
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+36points
37out of 38found this review helpful.
Review 3 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
it will break, and when it does Rheem won't help!
,PostedMay 29, 2012
Rheemed
Age:35 to 44
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Other
Length of ownership:1 year or longer
Ease of installation
3
/
5
Quality
1
/
5
Value
1
/
5
Perfect at first & then within 4 months of installation less & less hot water every day. Every call to Rheem ends with them "inadvertently" hanging up on myself &/or the contractor. There isn't any published troubleshooting data (at the level that would be required to determine & fix root cause). Perhaps small claims court will get someones attention?
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+22points
23out of 24found this review helpful.
Review 4 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
do not purchase this water heater if you live in a cool climate
,PostedFebruary 3, 2012
dwingshater
Ease of installation
1
/
5
Quality
2
/
5
Value
2
/
5
I live in NC and placed this unit in my attic. During the summer there was no issue and we actually saw an instant drop in our electric bill.
The unit is supposed to pull heat from the air to heat the water, and if the air temperature is not warm enough it heats the water like a traditional water heater.
The issue is that the unit does not switch over to electric heat fast enough and we run out of hot water all of the time. I called Rheem and the technician told me that I need to switch the unit to electric only mode. The problem with this is that after 2 weeks the unit will reset to the heat exchanger setting. This means that every 2 weeks I will have to get up in my attic and reset the unit.
Not happy about this at all!!
The unit is supposed to pull heat from the air to heat the water, and if the air temperature is not warm enough it heats the water like a traditional water heater.
The issue is that the unit does not switch over to electric heat fast enough and we run out of hot water all of the time. I called Rheem and the technician told me that I need to switch the unit to electric only mode. The problem with this is that after 2 weeks the unit will reset to the heat exchanger setting. This means that every 2 weeks I will have to get up in my attic and reset the unit.
Not happy about this at all!!
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+22points
23out of 24found this review helpful.
Review 5 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
impressive energy feature, very poor performance in delivering hot water
,PostedJanuary 24, 2012
practical
Age:55 to 64
Gender:Female
Home improvement profile:Other
Length of ownership:1 year or longer
Ease of installation
3
/
5
Quality
1
/
5
Value
1
/
5
When it comes down to it you really want a hot water heater to be able to provide enough hot water when needed especially for your showers. Any energy saving is a secondary. The new replacement computer board doesn't help it to maintain the temperature of the water or speed up the recovery time. Rheem does not recommend the unit for cold climates. They recommend setting it on electric only for our cold climate zone...not much of a savings there. For those who wonder why they run out of hot water before their showers are done that's because the unit is programed to kick on only after a 35* variant on the temperature setting is reached and the heating element doesn't have the power to heat up the water for a quick recovery like a conventional water heater. The unit is very loud when it comes on. Rheem needs to re-think the energy saving programing and design of the unit and think of it's primary function. Think everyone would agree the foremost purpose of a water heater is to provide enough hot water when needed and a quick recovery time so the next person won't have to wait an hour before he can take a shower or finish doing the dishes.
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+26points
27out of 28found this review helpful.
Review 6 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
rheem water hater
,PostedFebruary 21, 2011
i have to agree with one of the other reviews. I can't take 2 showers in a row because the water does not heat up fast enough. I have done the same steps as for finding out why...draw test, temps, whatever was asked it was done. Rheem said it works fine. This is supposed to work the same as a regular water heater just more efficient. Well it doesn't. Saves money yes. Frustration yes. Which is more important, hot water or saving some money. I need hot water. Less headaches. I will try to return it.
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+21points
21out of 21found this review helpful.
Review 7 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
Great for some, Bad for others
,PostedApril 15, 2011
I just finished building my 4 bedroom 2.5 bath house in Dec. 2010. We got this water heater recommended by a plumber. However after using it for about 4 months now we have found that it can not keep up with our demand. We have 2 small children and when we fill the bath we use all the hot water and it does not recover very fast. However we also live in upstate NY and have a well that has 50 degree water going into the heater. I do believe that if you have a smaller house with not as many people using the hot water this heater is for you. For me it was a waste of money.
PS. It does not cost much to operate though.
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+18points
20out of 22found this review helpful.
Review 8 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
Not worth the money...
,PostedMay 7, 2011
mgm612
I agree with the many reviews that this unit is not worth the money and the savings aren't worth the sacrifice of hot water. I've had the unit installed for 7 months and have never been happy with it. Forget about taking two normal showers back to back, it cannot recover fast enough. I would highly recommend reading the other reviews carefully. I haven't realized any savings, and I'm stuck with waiting for the unit time and time again. If the unit could perform better I would have a better review. At this point, I'm disappointed and out a lot of money.
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+33points
38out of 43found this review helpful.
Review 9 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
Owned unit for 3 years
,PostedSeptember 2, 2012
LongTImeUser
Age:45 to 54
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Length of ownership:1 year or longer
Ease of installation
4
/
5
Quality
4
/
5
Value
4
/
5
I installed this unit in 2009 and share many of the experiences of other owners. I have realized the savings stated and have a few suggestions for those wishing to purchase.
Keep the water setting at maximum to get the most run time.
Minimize water flow when showering.
Install the unit in a location 50 degrees and higher.
The unit is noisy in the winter, so beware.
Consider installing a small circulating pump to evenly heat the entire tank. Install a check valve. You achieve longer run time with warm/hot water.
You'll need 30-60 minutes between showers.
The unit weighs 360 lbs on the pallet. It is glass lined, so be careful.
Savings in the summer are phenomenal. It will dehumidify the basement.
Once you understand the + -, the unit is ok. My family will not go back to the inefficient resistance heat.
I've installed 2 units and both families are happy overall. It's not perfect, but the unit pays for itself.
If you want 30 minute showers of very hot water, look elsewhere. You are probably not looking for efficiency.
Keep the water setting at maximum to get the most run time.
Minimize water flow when showering.
Install the unit in a location 50 degrees and higher.
The unit is noisy in the winter, so beware.
Consider installing a small circulating pump to evenly heat the entire tank. Install a check valve. You achieve longer run time with warm/hot water.
You'll need 30-60 minutes between showers.
The unit weighs 360 lbs on the pallet. It is glass lined, so be careful.
Savings in the summer are phenomenal. It will dehumidify the basement.
Once you understand the + -, the unit is ok. My family will not go back to the inefficient resistance heat.
I've installed 2 units and both families are happy overall. It's not perfect, but the unit pays for itself.
If you want 30 minute showers of very hot water, look elsewhere. You are probably not looking for efficiency.
Pros: Reliable, Good Instructions, saves money
Cons: very heavy, poor placement of fittings
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+6points
7out of 8found this review helpful.
Review 10 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
Engery Efficient but don't expect hot water
,PostedFebruary 1, 2011
After installling this unit, waiting overnight for the tank to reach full temperature, I took a 10 minute shower. Before the end of the shower the water was getting luke warm. I investigated the operation of the unit and did not find anything wrong. I contact Rheem Technical support and successfully performed the electrical tests they requested.. They requested that I perform a draw down test of 30 gallons. I found that the water temperature dropped 18 degrees from the beginning to end of drawing the 30 gallons. Rheem told me that this was within their 20 degree limit and there was not a problem with the unit. I asked them if this would be acceptable to them and I was told that this is an efficiency unit and is not expected to recover as fast as other hot water tanks. They also stated that it would work better in the summer when the water entering the tank would be warmer.
This unit operates the same as a standard electric tank that has one defective heating element..
I was so disappointed with this lack of support (or realization that their product was under engineered) that I returned it to Home Depot and installed a standard 50 gallon gas tank that is rated to cost me only $30 more per year than the hybrid unit. Well worth the hot water I now have!
Home Depot was excellent to work with on this return. I did have to pay about $225 return fee because this was a special order item.
My advice to everyone is to stay away from this unit!
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+37points
38out of 39found this review helpful.
Review 11 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
larger families read
,PostedJanuary 7, 2011
averagedad2010
Bought this in oct. gave a few months on bill didnt save us any money actually cost more bc it recharges itself so many times. only have hot water for under 10 mins. not for a family possibly for single or elderly couple or vacation home. our family of 5 (3 kids under 6) never has hot water only lukewarm. called rheem suggested upgrading circuit board and recharging has 2 be done by hvac tech. They couldnt find one in our area for weeks that would contract with them. We returned it for regular old fashioned hot water heater after I called rheem several times again and someone finally admitted this is how the heater works. its not for speed or length of hot water only efficiency so if you need or use a lot of hot water for dishes, laundry, baths etc. its not going to benefit. maybe they will figure it out in time. Home Depot was very helpful and understanding so I am very pleased with their customer service.
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+19points
20out of 21found this review helpful.
Review 12 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
Definitely NOT worth the price
,PostedDecember 29, 2010
I have had nothing but problems with this water heater. There are times when I only get lukewarm water, no matter how long I run the water. At other times the water is hot. I was not expecting a water heater to be so noisy. My unit is in the garage and when it is running it can be heard in a nearby bedroom. There was a "complimentary upgrade" (a fancy name for recall??) on this unit to replace the control unit, but I didn't notice any improvement. It was difficult finding someone in my area (Orlando, FL) to service this unit. The plumber that installed it said he has never installed this type of unit before and the HVAC person that serviced it said it was a first for him too. My advice would be to wait a few years until the kinks have been worked out and repair technicians can become more experienced, before shelling out $1500 for a water heater.
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+13points
14out of 15found this review helpful.
Review 13 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
Unable to find service technican
,PostedOctober 24, 2011
Great when it was working (only 30 days), Rheem does not have a support network for service so they told me “To find a technician myself” and they would reimburse the expense. Nobody will touch the water heater because they have to be certified to work on it. Run away if you ever think of getting on, you can’t get it serviced.
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+16points
20out of 24found this review helpful.
Review 14 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
no savings, noisy, poor hot water volume
,PostedMarch 11, 2012
ludowpb
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Length of ownership:3 months
Ease of installation
1
/
5
Quality
1
/
5
Value
1
/
5
we installed this unit back in november and I have not seen a dime of savings on our electric bill. the unit is very noisy when running and although 50 gallons, doesn't even cope with a kiddo's bath and a shower... plus it is VERY large, which would be okay if all the rest was working as specified.
looking to return it and get electric tankless... the only thing that works well is the AC unit on top of it....
looking to return it and get electric tankless... the only thing that works well is the AC unit on top of it....
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+9points
14out of 19found this review helpful.
Review 15 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
Big Big Big!!!! Box
,PostedMarch 29, 2010
Anonymous
from Vevay, Indiana
Don't try to pick it up without a pickup truck. Box was around at least 7 foot tall and one side was wider than my doorway. Had to take it out of the box to get through. Hook-up was as easy as any water heater with the following exceptions: Cold water intake is near the bottom and did not come with a nipple. Hot outlet is also on the side but at the top. Then it has a 1/2" threaded condensate line and a smaller nipple for a second condensate drain tube.
Box wasn't too heavy and I was able to unload it by myself, but really should have used two people. Uses standard 10/2 cable all electric water heaters require, so nothing special there. It's not as big around as my old 60 gallon (only 21" at narrow side) and a bit deeper from the blue covers.
So far it seems as good as my old heater since we haven't noticed a decrease in hot water. However, as long as it uses less energy, it should be a win win.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+7points
7out of 7found this review helpful.
Review 16 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
Time consuming, but worth it...
,PostedJune 15, 2010
I would also recommend taking a friend to help carry this. Really, it's the crate on the bottom of the box, where the W/H is bolted onto, that adds the most weight to the box.
I've never taken so long to install a water heater before. NOT because it's any different, but the existing pipes/placement most of us currently have in our current laundry rooms, will need some retrofitting.
Usually you have the pipes coming out of the top of the W/H, but this Rheem W/H has them on the front left side of the unit, and the cold intake located at the bottom. So the majority of my frustration was taking all my pipes out, and bringing them out to the left front of the unit. OR, you can connect 3-5 3/4th x 18in braided supply lines end to end, which I would rather avoid having so many possible points for leaks to occur. Same with the electrical which I had to run a new line, again...to the front of the unit.
Yes, the unit looks beautiful once installed, except having those pipes on the side to connect with. The illustrated picture in the instruction manual shows as if all the connections are on ONE side of the W/H, which they are not, the out flow condensation pipe is on the rear right, with a 2nd 1/2 pipe to drain.
And yes, there's no 3/4th nipple to the cold water intake. They supplied one of the hot water, but NOT for the cold water. Again, another trip to Home Depot (5 in total).
Other than that, I placed it in energy saving mode and within 15 minutes we had hot water. The heat pump runs about once an hour, and it "cools" which ever room you place it in. My laundry room is now cooler than it used to be so take that into consideration.
It might be a bit more than your standard $500 W/H, but if you do the math, it'll pay itself in 3-4 years.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+6points
6out of 6found this review helpful.
Review 17 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
Prepare Yourself
,PostedNovember 29, 2010
The unit is extremely heavy, about 360 lbs in the box. You will need hand truck and 2 very strong people. Do not drag, it is glass lined. The fittings are awkwardly placed, just left of the control panel and not out the back or side. I don't know why.
The water temp. must reach 80° with resistance heat prior to switching to heat pump. Unit runs great, and is barely noticeable. It is worth the investment. 10 yr warranty is a plus.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+6points
8out of 10found this review helpful.
Review 18 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
Energy efficiency with some minor drawbacks
,PostedJanuary 15, 2011
We recently bought this model in late 2010. Although we believe it will save energy, we haven't seen a big difference yet. One of the pros of this model is that it's very easy to program. Some of the drawbacks are that it needs to be drained with hoses because of the condensation. It also needs a decent size space to work in and it can be noisy when in operation. Overall, it's worked rather well and provides sufficient hot water. The wait time for hot water, however, is incomparable to our last electric hot water heater.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+4points
5out of 6found this review helpful.
Review 19 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
Loud-Don't use inside
,PostedDecember 26, 2010
I really want to love this product because it seems to be very well made and I like the concept. Unfortunately, it is a little bit too loud to recommend it if you have my similar situation.
Here in California we need to strap the water heater to the wall to make it safe in the event of an earthquake.. I have this product in my garage on a wall that is on the opposite side of one of my bedrooms. Since it is strapped to the wall(a 2 x 4 is in between the water heater and the wall to allow for proper ventalation) the sound resonates through the studs of the house. You can only hear it in that particular bedroom but it is loud enough to wake you up at night.
Here in California we need to strap the water heater to the wall to make it safe in the event of an earthquake.. I have this product in my garage on a wall that is on the opposite side of one of my bedrooms. Since it is strapped to the wall(a 2 x 4 is in between the water heater and the wall to allow for proper ventalation) the sound resonates through the studs of the house. You can only hear it in that particular bedroom but it is loud enough to wake you up at night.
I have started a process of going into my garage and pushing the "electric heat only" button to make sure it doesn't go on at night. If there were a programmable timer then this would help, but there isn't.
If you are planning on using this in an inside closet then I would definitely say no.
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+5points
6out of 7found this review helpful.
Review 20 for 50 Gal. 12 Year Hybrid Electric Water Heater with Heat Pump Technology
Overall rating
Efficient
,PostedOctober 14, 2010
I wasn't sure about getting this water heater since I am in MN, and it takes heat from the air. It does cool the area around the water heater a little, but nothing significant. I have it in a roomy basement area.
With the first month, my electric usage was the lowest for the year, at least 150kWh less than average, and that's in normal/high demand mode with the temperature setting on high.
I am able to use up all the hot water taking a long (15 min) shower with a 2.2GPM shower head, reducing it to warm water, but it recovers in about 45 minutes with the temperature setting all the way up.
Heat pump makes a buzzing noise, which is annoying, but you get used to it and it doesn't run for very long.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+2points
3out of 4found this review helpful.