As a serious DIYer with engineering knowledge and a bit of HVAC understanding, I find the sleek/modern design in the pictures of this product to be the opposite of reassuring. (Maybe I'm not the target customer.) It's for the same reason that after initially being interested integrated solar generators, in the end I went with a solar system that, while sold as a kit, consisted of independent components. With a solar generator if the electronics go bad the whole thing (including expensive batteries) is potentially a write-off and not easily fixable. I fear the same thing with this.
I'm also looking askance at the picture or rendering (next to "Installation Process") showing the PVC drain pipe going _up_ before it goes horizontally. How does that drain? I realize a graphic designer was probably just trying to make it aesthetic without understanding how it really works, but you yourself do understand as you detail in your post.
I resonate with the idea of your mission and your description of current market deficiencies. I just wish the product were more like the solar kit I bought as separate components or the PC water cooling loop I pieced together from a web store that specializes in that. Maybe that's an unrealistic hope. But I don't have to like the over-integrated alternative.
(I realize heat pumps and air conditioners have a requirement that the components have to be appropriately sized to each other to work as a system. But that could be overcome with software that advises the consumer what parts work together. We currently spend equivalent effort on using software to lock the consumer out instead of helping them make informed choices.)
I'm also looking askance at the picture or rendering (next to "Installation Process") showing the PVC drain pipe going _up_ before it goes horizontally. How does that drain? I realize a graphic designer was probably just trying to make it aesthetic without understanding how it really works, but you yourself do understand as you detail in your post.
I resonate with the idea of your mission and your description of current market deficiencies. I just wish the product were more like the solar kit I bought as separate components or the PC water cooling loop I pieced together from a web store that specializes in that. Maybe that's an unrealistic hope. But I don't have to like the over-integrated alternative.
(I realize heat pumps and air conditioners have a requirement that the components have to be appropriately sized to each other to work as a system. But that could be overcome with software that advises the consumer what parts work together. We currently spend equivalent effort on using software to lock the consumer out instead of helping them make informed choices.)