Yes there is actually. Finished it, mostly anyway, and tried it out. Unfortunately defrost didn't happen. On my Hot Tub Heat Pump I could turn it off and the heat from the hottub water and in the compressor (I assume) would migrate to the evap and melt the frost. This one did not do that. Once it frosted up, it was game over until I brought it back inside.
Examining our electric bill today I did a little math and I would need to achieve a COP of 3, conservatively, to just break even with the cost of nat gas here. If I ignore the tax and basic hook-up charge on each, which is about the same amount, it works out to $.132 /kwh electric, and only $.018 / kwh equivalent for gas, because hook up fee and tax costs more than double what the gas for that month costed.
The fact that I need a COP of 3 to break even here, makes heat pumps much less appealing in this area, especially in the winter.
Adam
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