An Introduction to the Solar Water Heater

p>The solar water heater of today is as equallywithout them one can only utilize the solar power
effective as water heaters powered by moreavailable in that given moment. With a storage
conventional power sources, namely: gas andtank, on the other hand, the solar water heater
electric. A solar hot water panel can heat yourpreheats the water and the tank maintains its
home's water to temperatures of up as much astemperature until the hot water is needed. A
140° F.typical storage tank will hold enough heated water
There are two kinds of solar water heater -to provide for a single day's supply.
passive and active. Both collect radiant heat fromThere are both 1- and 2-tank solar water heater
the sun into a solar hot water panel, and both canstorage tanks, the first housing its own backup
serve much of any household's hot water needs,electric heating element to reheat cooled water
while at the same time, both can cut backon cloudy days and during the nighttime, the
considerably on energy costs.second feeding into a conventional electric or gas
An active system circulates water (or otherwater heater.
heat-transferring fluids) through a solar waterIf you're considering installing a solar water heater
pump, while a passive system circulates theof your own, you may be able to get a free
liquid(s) through use of a process called naturalenergy audit to determine the potential cost
convection.savings you could reap. Whether you conduct one
Many factors influence how much hot water ayourself or have it done for you, the energy audit
solar water heater can provide, most particularly:omust take certain factors into consideration,
the type and size of solar water heater usedoincluding:o the ease or difficulty you'll have routing
the climate at the site in questiono and the qualityducts or pipes from the ground floor or basement
of the site as regards solar accessto the roof;o whether sections of the wall will
Whichever type of solar water heater systemneed to be opened up;o if there's room on your
one uses, both utilize certain similar components,ground floor or in your basement for a storage
most notably: a collector and a storage tank.tank and how you'll be able to load it in (ie the
The most common type of collector is a "flatwidth of stairwells and doorways) and set it in
plate" solar hot water panel - a weatherproof,place;o if your roof is accessible enough to install a
insulated box made of aluminum or other metalspanel on it and, if not, whether you have an
that holds, beneath one or more transparentappropriate site on the ground to put it;o how well
covers, an absorber plate.and how sturdily you can fasten your collector's
When sunlight streams into the box, its heatsupports to your roofing materials (for example,
passes through the transparent cover or coversclay tile and slate can be more difficult to work
and is soaked up by the dark plate which thenwith);o how well you'll like the aesthetics of the
transfers that collected heat through thesystem once it's in place.
heat-transferring fluids that flow through or pastFor best results with your solar water heater:o
it.aim the solar hot water panel "true south" (as
A more expensive but often more powerfulopposed to compass south);o tilt it upward at a
alternative to the flat plate solar hot water panelright angle to the sun;o avoid shade (particularly
is a concentrating collector. These have thebetween 9 am and 3 pm when the sun's rays are
potential to produce much higher temperaturesusually hottest);o have a backup system in place
than flat plate panel solar water heater systems,for periods of excessive use and for off-peak
although on cloudier days they can actually be lesssolar accessibility hours.
effective than their more economicalA solar hot water panel installed properly should
counterparts.perform well for 15 to 20 years. And a solar
Though storage tanks are not a requiredwater heater requires far less maintenance than
component of solar water heater systems,its more conventional counterparts.