Solahart Atmos®
Gas Boosted Solar Hot Water Heater
Solahart Atmos® is an energy efficient Heat Pump Water Heater designed to be installed where a traditional solar hot water system may not be suitable. It is a smart renewable energy solution to replace your electric water heater.
Solahart Atmos® Heat Pump provides reliable hot water for your family and is suitable for residential applications where you require energy-efficient hot water, without the need for roof space for solar collectors. Heat is absorbed from the air by an evaporator and transferred into the water through the heat exchanger. The heated water is circulated back into the storage tank. This process continues while heating is required until the water in the storage tank reaches a temperature of 60°C.
Family size
325
Capacity (L)
5yr
Warranty†
Solahart Atmos Heat Pump Water Heater: Key Attributes
Optimal Performance
(In high solar gain areas)
Most suitable for areas that receive medium to high levels of solar radiation and are not subject to frost conditions.
Frost Resistant
(Safe in frost prone areas)
The freeze protection system will protect the water heater from damage, by preventing ice forming in the waterways of the water heater, in the event of freezing conditions occurring.
Ceramic Lined Tank
(Minimal maintenance, maximum protection)
Corrosion protection of the heat pump tank is obtained by using a high quality vitreous enamel and a sacrificial anode.
Environmental Incentives
(Financial incentive to install solar hot water)
There is an incentive resulting in a financial benefit to households that install solar hot water, under the Renewable Energy Target – a Federal Government legislated scheme. Your Solahart Expert can deduct the value of the financial benefit as an upfront discount off your system.
No roof-mounted solar collectors: Ideal for installations not suitable for traditional solar water heaters.
Energy Efficient: Energy efficient water heating. Solahart Atmos uses less energy than a conventional electric water heater
Electric boosting: Electric booster back-up for hot water in very cold conditions for continuous hot water.
Eligible for STCs: Solahart Atmos qualifies for Small-Scale Technology Certificates (STCs), helping you reduce the up-front cost of your purchase. (1)
Reduced Energy Use: Water heating energy use may be reduced by up to 64% when replacing an electric water heater. (2)
Disclaimers
(1) Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) are a financial benefit to encourage the installation of solar and heat pump water heaters provided under a Federal Government legislated scheme. STCs financial benefit value is subject to change. Your installation may be eligible. Please refer to www.solahart.com.au for further details.
(2) Energy savings of up to 64% shown is based on Australian Government approved TRNSYS simulation modelling of a Solahart Atmos 325HAV heat pump and using a medium load in Zone 3 and apply when replacing an electric water heater. Any savings will vary depending upon your location, type of Solahart system installed, type of water heater being replaced, hot water consumption and fuel tariff. Maximum financial savings off your hot water bill are achievable when replacing an electric water heater on continuous tariff.
(3) Harsh water regions – the Solahart Warranty may not apply to the water heater if it is connected to a water supply with: a Chloride content > 250 mg/L; or a pH < 6; or is scaling with a Saturation Index > +0.4; or is corrosive with a Saturation Index < -1.0.
† Warranty Details: 5/3/2 warranty; 5-year cylinder supply, 3-year labour on the cylinder, 2-year parts including labour: applies to a single family domestic dwelling only. Without limiting these periods, a 5-year whole-of-product warranty applies where a rebate has been received under Solar Victoria’s Solar Homes Program for installations from 1st July 2023. All other applications have a 3/1/1 warranty; 3-year cylinder supply, 1-year cylinder labour, 1-year parts including labour.
How Heat Pump Water Heaters Work
Solahart Atmos Heat Pump Water Heater delivers hot water by efficiently utilising a free and abundant source of energy - the heat that is locked in the air around us. Even on a relatively cold day, the air has some heat which is available to be transferred to a fluid. The secret is to make the fluid even colder than the air. You can see in the diagram at step 1, that liquid refrigerant begins at high pressure before being forced through an expansion valve (2). This sudden release of pressure cools the liquid to allow it to absorb heat from the surrounding air. This valve is designed to carefully regulate how much refrigerant passes through it.
On cold days, less refrigerant passes through; the smaller amount of fluid expands faster into the available space and cools to a lower temperature. On warmer days, more refrigerant is allowed to pass through - it doesn't need to cool down as much because the air has more available heat to transfer. As the cooled refrigerant passes up the coiled tubes, air is blown over the tubes to warm the refrigerant till it becomes a vapour (3). To make the heat pump more efficient, part of the air is actually drawn from around the motor. This helps cool the motor as well as reclaiming potentially wasted heat.
Next, the low pressure vapour needs to be compressed again to return it to its original pressure (4). The temperature has by now reached around 80ºC. From here the refrigerant is pumped to the heat exchanger where it passes down a series of narrow tubes (5). The cold water is pumped up an alternating set of tubes to allow it to absorb the heat. Each time water passes through the heat exchanger it emerges around 10-15ºC hotter. When all the water in the attached storage tank reaches its pre-set temperature, the heat pump switches itself off.
Electric Boosting
Ice may begin to form on the evaporator reducing the heat pump efficiency, when the ambient air temperature falls below 7°C and the heat pump has been operating for an extended period. At ambient air temperatures below 3°C to 5°C, the water heater deactivates the heat pump operation and switches to the booster heating unit. During this period the evaporator will defrost if necessary.
At ambient air temperatures above 45°C to 55°C, the water heater deactivates the heat pump operation and switches to the booster heating unit. The water inside the tank will be heated to a temperature of 70°C by the electric booster heating unit if heating is required. The temperature setting of the thermostat controlling the booster heating unit is not adjustable and is set at 70°C.
Freeze Protection
The water heater has a freeze protection system. The freeze protection system will protect the water heater from damage, by preventing ice forming in the waterways of the water heater, in the event of freezing conditions occurring.
If the ambient air temperature falls below 1°C and the heat pump is not operating, the system will operate the circulator periodically. During this freeze protection cycle, the circulator will operate for thirty (30) seconds and then rest for fifteen (15) minutes, before the cycle is recommenced. Water is circulated from the storage tank through the heat pump circuit, to prevent freezing in the connecting pipe work and heat pump module. The green LED will flash a series of four (4) flashes whilst the circulator is operating.
