Re:Coffeematic PC – A coffee maker computer that pumps hot c...
by mikepurvis on Saturday August 02, 2025 @08:43AM
(#44767147)
I think it boils down to a) effectively storing heat for later use is extremely difficult to do well, and b) moving heat around properly means 400psi compressor tubes everywhere, and those are a lot more fragile and annoying to work with than regular plumbing, and you need a special gas licence to charge them up afterward.
In contrast to the RV proposal, maybe a better option could be something like a boutique hotel, where you’ve got 100+ showers happening every morning, so having a giant cistern of hot water that you dump all the waste heat from AC, fridges, and freezers into makes a ton of sense.
Re:Coffeematic PC – A coffee maker computer that pumps hot c...
by MrFots on Saturday August 02, 2025 @11:59AM
(#44768675)
"I think it boils down to..."
Nailed it.
Re:Coffeematic PC – A coffee maker computer that pumps hot c...
by Groxx on Saturday August 02, 2025 @10:11AM
(#44767792)
There are heat-pump water heaters, if that fills in a conceptual gap. The main complaint I've seen with them has just been that they're slow, but that's more of a product-design (at a price point) issue than anything fundamental afaict.
I wonder. Infrastructure investments tend to have absurd payoffs. For example, my solar energy equipment has been generating profit for years.
In my country 5 kW electric showers are common every day items and they add up to a huge chunk of household energy consumption. Switching to a proper water heater has been on my mind for years... If I can use my home server as a heating element, so much the better. Maybe even install a Monero miner on it to get a solar powered cryptocurrency mining water heater. Wow.