Gas Storage to Electric Hot Water
Gas Storage to Electric Hot Water: Is It Worth Switching?
The tank may look similar, but the recovery, electrical load and long-term energy use are very different.
Replacing gas storage with electric storage is often physically simpler than converting from instant gas because the property already has a storage-system position and established hot and cold water services. The main changes are gas isolation, electrical supply, tank sizing and recovery. Before choosing resistance electric, it is also worth comparing heat pump because much of the same storage position and new electrical infrastructure can often support a more energy-efficient pathway.
Is Standard Electric the Best Move?
Your existing tank position makes this conversion easier than many gas-to-electric jobs. The question is which electric technology makes the most sense.
1 Where is the existing gas-storage tank?
2 What electricity setup does the home have?
3 What matters most?
Guide only. Tank size, recovery, gas isolation, electrical capacity, installation position, solar configuration and household demand need to be checked before finalising the conversion.
Can You Replace Gas Storage Hot Water With Electric Storage?
Yes. Gas storage can be replaced with conventional electric storage. Because both technologies use a storage cylinder, the existing tank position and water connections can often provide a useful starting point. The main differences are how the water is reheated, what electrical infrastructure is required and whether the new electric tank needs greater storage capacity to compensate for slower recovery.
Existing Tank Position
The old gas-storage location can often be reused if its size, base, access, plumbing and drainage also suit the new electric tank.
New Electrical Load
Standard electric storage needs a suitable electrical circuit and protection for its resistance-heating element.
Gas Is Disconnected
The hot-water gas connection needs to be safely isolated and appropriately dealt with once the gas appliance is removed.
Sizing Changes
Do not automatically replace a smaller gas-storage tank with an electric tank of the same litre capacity. Gas storage can recover differently and often needs to be sized differently from electric.
Do You Need the Same Tank Size When Changing From Gas to Electric?
Not necessarily. This is one of the most important parts of the conversion. Gas storage and electric storage should not be compared by cylinder litres alone because their recovery characteristics are different.
Smaller Tank Can Have Strong Recovery
Gas storage systems can reheat water rapidly while the household is using it, so a comparatively small storage volume can still support substantial first-hour hot-water delivery.
That is why gas-storage sizing should consider both stored volume and recovery performance.
Stored Capacity Matters More
A conventional electric element generally recovers differently from a gas burner, so the replacement tank may need more stored volume to provide the same practical household result.
Occupancy, showers, baths, peak-use periods and tariff arrangement all matter when selecting the new size.
Why Change From Gas Storage to Standard Electric?
Conventional electric storage is a proven and simple technology. For some households it can be a practical way to move hot water away from gas without introducing a compressor-based system.
Remove Gas From Hot Water
Moving to electric removes natural gas or LPG from the water-heating process and can form part of a wider household electrification plan.
Quiet Operation
Standard electric storage has no gas burner, compressor or outdoor fan and operates very quietly during normal heating.
Lower Appliance Entry Price
Conventional electric tanks can have a lower purchase price than heat pumps, making them attractive when upfront budget is the main constraint.
Gas Storage, Electric & Heat Pump: Current JR Starting Prices
Compare the complete installed pathway rather than only the tank price. These figures are read from JR's current live menu collections when the page loads.
Often the most direct replacement where the existing gas service, location and installation remain suitable.
Current JR advertised starting price. Final cost depends on gas type, capacity, recovery and installation scope.
Simple, quiet and often lower cost upfront, but conventional resistance heating requires considerably more electricity than a heat pump.
Current JR advertised starting price. Final price depends on tank size, electrical work and installation requirements.
Usually more expensive than basic electric storage initially, but substantially lower electricity use where the installation is suitable.
Current JR advertised starting price. Eligible systems may also qualify for JR's applicable upfront STC pathway.
Gas Storage vs Electric Storage Hot Water
| Consideration | Gas Storage | Electric Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Energy source | Natural gas or LPG | Electricity |
| Heating method | Gas burner | Resistance element |
| Recovery | Can provide strong gas-fired recovery | Depends on tank size and element configuration |
| Tank sizing | Recovery can support smaller stored volume | Stored volume can become more important |
| Solar PV use | Cannot directly use PV electricity to run the gas burner | Can be timed or controlled around solar generation |
| Noise | Burner operation | Very quiet |
| Electrical requirement | Varies by gas heater | Dedicated heating load required |
| Common reason to choose | Strong recovery and simple like-for-like gas replacement | Remove gas, simple storage technology and quiet operation |
What Electrical Work Is Needed When Replacing Gas Storage With Electric?
The existing gas heater may have some electrical connection for ignition or controls, but that does not mean the property already has a circuit suitable for a resistance electric storage element.
Heating Circuit
The selected electric tank needs a circuit, cable and protection suitable for its element size and electrical configuration.
Switchboard
Existing switchboard capacity and protection arrangements need to support the additional electric water-heating load.
Tariff & Control
Off-peak supply, timers, solar-control relays and household solar strategy should be considered when deciding how the new electric tank will operate.
If You Choose Electric, Should You Add a Timer or Catch Power?
Often, yes. If conventional electric storage is the preferred technology, controlling when it heats can improve how it fits with rooftop solar, cheaper tariffs or selected electricity periods.
Shift Heating to a Better Time
A timer can restrict the resistance element to selected periods rather than allowing heating at times that do not suit your solar generation or electricity tariff.
Match More Heating to Solar
Suitable solar-control equipment can help coordinate the electric hot-water load with available rooftop solar generation and reduce unnecessary grid imports when sufficient solar is available.
Solar Makes Electric Storage Smarter — But Weather and Power Demand Still Matter
On a bright day, a well-controlled resistance tank can use a large amount of rooftop solar and look very economical. The limitation appears when solar production is low or the home has other large daytime loads.
Strong Solar Day
A timer or suitable solar controller can push hot-water heating into the period when the household is producing the most electricity.
Cloudy or Rainy Day
When solar generation drops below the element's electrical demand, the shortfall needs to come from the grid or another available household energy source.
Solar + Battery
If battery discharge is allowed to support the hot-water circuit, a resistance element can consume stored battery energy relatively quickly because of its higher electrical demand.
A heat pump can also be run during solar hours, but because it normally requires much less electricity to produce the same useful hot-water heating, there is generally less demand for the solar array, battery or grid to cover.
Before Going to Standard Electric, Compare Heat Pump as Well
Gas-storage homes are often particularly suitable candidates for this comparison because the existing system has already established an outdoor storage position and water connections. If that position also has adequate airflow, drainage and access, much of the physical groundwork needed for a heat pump may already exist.
Existing Ground-Level Tank Position
A suitable existing gas-storage location can remove one of the biggest challenges normally associated with finding room for a heat pump.
Both Pathways Need Electricity
Moving away from gas means electrical work needs to be considered either way. The exact requirements differ by appliance, but both technologies depend on electricity.
Heat Pump Needs Less Energy
A heat pump transfers heat from surrounding air into the water instead of creating all of the heat directly with a resistance element.
When Gas Storage to Electric Can Genuinely Be the Right Choice
Heat pump is not the answer for every property. Conventional electric storage can still be the better practical fit in several situations.
Lowest Upfront Cost Is the Priority
A standard electric cylinder can be the lower-cost appliance choice when immediate replacement budget is more important than long-term energy consumption.
The Position Is Noise Sensitive
Electric storage has no compressor or fan and can suit areas beside bedrooms or close to neighbours where heat-pump operating noise is difficult to manage.
Airflow Is Poor
A restricted or enclosed location may be unsuitable for a heat pump but still workable for conventional electric storage.
When Heat Pump Is Usually the Stronger Gas-to-Electric Upgrade
If the goal is to move away from gas and keep the new system for years, heat pump deserves a serious comparison whenever the property provides a suitable installation position.
Family Hot-Water Demand
The more hot water the household uses, the more important the difference in electricity consumption can become over the life of the system.
Rooftop Solar
Heat pump can be scheduled into solar-production periods while requiring much less electrical energy than conventional resistance heating.
Solar + Battery
Lower water-heating electrical demand can help leave more battery capacity available for evening household loads.
Existing Outdoor Position
An existing outdoor gas-storage installation can already provide much of the space and plumbing arrangement needed for the replacement tank.
Long Ownership Period
The upfront purchase difference is paid once; the appliance's electricity consumption continues throughout its working life.
Eligible STC Pathway
Eligible heat pumps can receive renewable-energy incentives that conventional resistance electric storage does not receive.
What Happens to the Gas Connection?
Replacing the gas-storage heater with an electric system removes gas from hot-water production, but it does not automatically remove the gas service from the entire property.
Gas Supply Can Remain
If the home still uses gas for cooking, room heating, fireplaces or another appliance, the broader gas service may remain while the hot-water connection is isolated separately.
Opportunity to Go Fully Electric
If hot water is the property's final gas appliance, changing to electric or heat pump can create an opportunity to consider whether maintaining an active gas service is still necessary.
How a Gas-Storage-to-Electric Conversion Works
Compare Electric & Heat Pump
Decide whether lowest upfront cost, silent operation or lower long-term electricity use carries the most weight.
Size From Household Demand
Do not copy the gas tank litres. Match storage and recovery to the household's actual hot-water use.
Check the Existing Position
Confirm the base, available space, plumbing, drainage and access suit the selected replacement technology.
Disconnect the Gas Heater
The old system is isolated and removed, with its hot-water gas connection appropriately dealt with.
Complete Electrical & Plumbing Work
The required electrical connection, tank, valves, pipework and drainage are installed.
Add Smart Control if Useful
If conventional electric is selected, suitable tariff control, timing or solar-relay options can improve when the element consumes electricity.
Gas Storage to Electric Hot Water FAQs
Can I replace a gas storage hot-water system with electric storage?
Yes. Gas storage can be replaced with conventional electric storage. The existing tank position and water services can often be useful, while the gas connection needs to be dealt with and suitable electrical infrastructure provided for the new element.
Is changing from gas storage to electric a good idea?
It can make sense when the household wants to remove gas, prioritise silent operation or keep the initial appliance cost low. Where lower long-term electricity use matters and the site suits installation, a heat pump should also be compared before choosing resistance electric.
Do I need the same size electric tank as my gas tank?
Not necessarily. Gas storage can have strong burner recovery, so two tanks with similar litre capacities can deliver very different practical hot-water performance. Electric storage should be sized from household demand and recovery rather than simply copying the old gas tank size.
What electric size replaces a 135L gas hot-water system?
There is no universal direct conversion. The correct electric size depends on household occupancy, shower and bath use, peak demand, element configuration, heating tariff and recovery time rather than the old 135L capacity alone.
What electric size replaces a 170L gas-storage system?
A 170L gas cylinder should not automatically be replaced by the nearest-size electric tank. Gas recovery and electric recovery are different, so the new system should be sized around actual household demand.
Does gas storage to electric require new electrical work?
Often. Any existing power used for gas-heater ignition or controls should not be assumed suitable for a resistance hot-water element. The circuit, cable and protection need to suit the selected electric tank.
Can I use solar panels with electric storage?
Yes. Electric storage can be timed or controlled so that more heating takes place during rooftop solar production. The result depends on available solar generation, element demand, other household loads and the control strategy.
Should I put a timer on electric hot water?
A suitable timer can help shift electric hot-water operation into a chosen solar, off-peak or lower-cost period. Enough heating time still needs to be available to meet household hot-water demand.
Can Catch Power be used with electric hot water?
Suitable solar-control products such as Catch Power can form part of a hot-water control setup designed to better align resistance heating with rooftop solar production. Product and electrical compatibility need to be confirmed for the installation.
Does a solar relay make electric storage as efficient as heat pump?
No. Smart control changes when the electric element runs and may reduce the cost of the electricity used, but it does not change the underlying resistance-heating efficiency. Heat pumps reduce electrical demand by transferring heat from surrounding air.
What happens to electric hot water during rainy weather?
When rooftop solar generation is below the heating element's demand, the missing energy needs to come from another available source such as the electricity grid or, depending on the home's configuration, battery storage.
Can electric hot water use a lot of home-battery power?
It can if the battery is configured to supply the hot-water element. A resistance heater can place a relatively large demand on stored battery energy, which is why suitable control strategies can be important in solar-and-battery homes.
Should I choose heat pump instead when leaving gas storage?
If the existing tank location is suitable, lower long-term electricity use is important and the household expects to keep the system for years, heat pump should normally be compared before committing to standard resistance electric storage.
What happens to the gas line?
The gas connection serving the old hot-water appliance needs to be appropriately isolated or altered. The broader property gas service can remain if other gas appliances are still in use.
Moving From Gas Storage to Electric? Compare Both Electric Options
Standard electric storage can be quiet, simple and relatively affordable upfront. If your existing gas-storage position already provides suitable outdoor space, compare a heat pump as well — particularly if rooftop solar, long-term electricity use or years of ownership matter.