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Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners

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Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners

#471

Post by cmui »

csense wrote: post #320

My main experience with heat pumps is a heat pump installed in the northern US in the mid 1990's. As a user, the main problem is it's fine in spring and fall, but: - (1) In winter (when the temperature is below freezing) it can't keep up, and needs to switch the gas furnace on - (2) It often needs to be manually switched at the thermostat, you should be able to interface an outside thermometer and say "below X degree…

Thanks for sharing your perspective! Cold weather and general performance has come a long ways thanks to variable speed equipment and vapor injection. Re climate change messaging, I think you're right. The product page doesn't have any climate change messaging on it, and I'm interested in making a product that homeowners find compelling outside of its climate motivations.

Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners

#472

Post by cmui »

samstave wrote: post #329

Can you have a system, such as a "Solyndra-type-rod"(s) which placed down a deep well and a solar pump to flow water intor a unit that sits within the ground-well water level and use that as a coolant supply and the solar to provide a small amount of elec to a downward pump to push water through the closed system, and then have a solar powered UV light strip to kill bacteria on the upward flow... then pipe that to a…

That feature ships Winter 2034.

Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners

#473

Post by tguvot »

amluto wrote: post #344
Beached wrote: post #326

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would like a standard air filter to be used. a lot of individuals don't require HEPA, but I do. I would like to be able to source my own filters from anywhere, and put them in. just like my current furnace. let people pick their level of air filtration they are comfortable with

How standard? The hardware store products are fundamentally pretty poor because they’re at most 2” deep. But Aprilaire, Lennox and some others have nice 4” filters at reasonable prices.

4" is standard. plenty on amazon and other places. hardware stores don't usually carry it because people probably don't understand that 4" is better from one side, and from the other not all filter boxes/supplies can accommodate > 1"

Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners

#474

Post by veb »

adventured wrote: post #391
dmarlow wrote: post #306

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same thought as well. I recently self installed an 18k BTU unit. The lines came pre-charged, but I wanted it to be run exactly to length. For someone to come and do just that part (cut, flare and vacuum/charge the lines) cost me just $150. I got the unit (a pioneer) for under $900. The rest of the world has heat pumps figured out, no need for a tesla-ish version charging a premium. Cost will be the biggest factor for…

> The rest of the world has heat pumps figured out A single digit percentage of homes globally are using heat pumps, most of the world does not have it figured out. That's specifically why Electric Air exists, they're chasing what is going to be a gigantic market (if it were already such a figured out market they couldn't get funding without a revolutionary 10x approach, YC would have little interest).

I'd say in New Zealand we definitely have them figured out. Every rental needs a heat-pump if there's no fireplace. Landlords will prefer the heat-pumps primarily because it's less maintenance. Apparently 25% of all households in NZ have one: https://www.genesisenergy.co.nz/tips-and-tricks/articles/use...) you may also be interested in: https://figure.nz/chart/HkvN4YjwyylwL2A4

Ours are exactly the same sort of units that I saw in Singapore - they're A/C systems, but can do cold or hot. I remember when I saw the 'heat-pumps' in Singapore, I was like "Wow, why does everyone have a heat-pump" and everyone looked at me and went "What's a heat-pump?" as they always called them A/C units - doubt they ever got above 16 degrees or something.

Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners

#475

Post by cmui »

robomartin wrote: post #354

A lot to unpack here. First, I tend to react badly to the usual SCV "We are going to disrupt " when there's nothing wrong with . The current policy-driven push for heat pump systems is, at best, nonsensical. Why? Just speaking of the US (and guessing it might be the same in other regions) the power grid and power generation capacity are already stressed to the point where, in places like CA, power outages and having…

Thanks for your perspective!

Regarding the overall energy story, do you think decarbonizing the economy should be a national priority, and if so, what is the proper approach to take?

Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners

#476

Post by scwoodal »

WaitWaitWha wrote: post #244

Please consider on-boarding to Home Assistant. Avoid proprietary protocols to communicate between sub-systems as much as possible. The system should be self contained from the start and must be able to function without a local network & internet. Do not require internet connectivity, a hub, or some intermediary solution if a third party system (such as Home Assistant) wants to communicate to the system. My biggest fe…

> Fan motor on compressor broken, company insist everything needs changed.

Ugh, this happened to me recently.

“It’s an old system and the replacement parts can’t be found. Have to replace the whole thing. $12k”

After they leave I found a replacement on Amazon and replaced it myself 2 days later in under an hour.

Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners

#478

Post by cmui »

throwawayacc5 wrote: post #124

Why would I go with you versus a Mitsubishi heat pump system that has years worth of supply chain, installers, trained techs, etc. behind them? Is there a term for releasing products that are decades old in Asia/Europe in the US as new, cool, hip, etc.? Maybe "technology arbitrage"?

Nothing wrong with heat pumps being hip and cool!

Electric Air gives you (1) easy purchase, financing install (2) built in air quality sensors and controls (3) a thermostat that's actually good, and fully utilizes the efficiency of your inverter heat pump and uses demand response, weather, and TOU rate plans to lower your bills.

Re: Launch HN: Electric Air (YC W23) – Heat pump sold directly to homeowners

#480

Post by will_walker »

I'm currently sitting on a home with a basement open with no heater, and trying to find a contractor to install an all-electric heat pump. I'd love to be your customer but I worked in hardware and just don't see you hitting delivery times, and I can't wait that long.

For those of us who can't wait, If you were to buy a ducted heat pump today, which brand would you go with? Who is the best of the worst?

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