A Brief Introduction To The Solar Water Heater

18 December 2019 by

Solar water heaters compete with equally effective water heaters powered by conventional power sources that are gas and electric. While heating your home’s water by a solar hot water panel, the temperature can reach around 140° F.

Solar water heaters come in two variations, passive and active. They collect the radiant heat from the sun into a solar hot water panel serving most of the household’s needs, at the same time, cut down considerably on energy costs.

The solar water pump acts as an active system that circulates water, (or some heat transferring fluids) and a passive system circulating the liquids through the use of natural convection.

Factors that influence the amount of hot water provided by the solar water heater are

  • Type and size of the solar water heater

  • The climate at the site of installation

  • Quality of site regarding solar access

No matter what the type of the heater is used, both of them use similar components that are notably a storage tank and a collector. Flat plate solar hot water panel is the most common type of collector, which comes with a weatherproof, insulated box of aluminum or other metals holding an absorber plate beneath one or more transparent covers.

As the sunlight streams into the box, it is soaked up by the dark plate, while the heat passes through the transparent cover collecting the heat through fluids that are heat transferring, that flow through it or past it.

An effective alternative is a concentrating collector that is more powerful than a flat plate solar water heater panel. They come with the potential to produce higher temperatures more than flat plate panel solar water heater although on cloudy days they can be less effective than their economical counterparts.

Storage tanks are not a necessity, but without them, only the available solar water in that given moment can be utilized. If on the other hand, a storage tank is fitted, the heater preheats the water while maintaining the temperature, until the hot water is used. A single day's supply will be stored in a typical storage tank.

Storage tanks come in two varieties mainly 1- and 2- tanks. The 1-tank helps housing with its own backup electric heating element to reheat cooled water on cloudy days and in the nighttime, the second feeds into conventional electric or gas water heater.

A free energy audit will tell you the potential cost savings you can reap when you are installing a solar water heater. The following factors are necessary to look into if you are getting a heater done by yourself or if you are getting it done with external help:

  • Routing the ducts or pipes from the ground floor or basement to the roof can be easy or difficult.

  • Determining the sections o the wall that needs to be opened up

  • Fitting a storage tank in the room on your ground floor or the basement and have it loaded and set in place considering the width of stairwells and doorways.

  • To set up the panel, either the roof has to be accessible, or else find an appropriate site on the ground.

  • Fastening the collector’s supports to the roofing material should be good and sturdy.

  • Once in place, the aesthetics you feel good about should determine if they approve.

Consider these focal points while deciding on a solar water heater.

  • The solar hot water panel has to be directed true south as opposed to the compass south.

  • Install it tilted upward at a right angle to the sun

  • Overlook the shady times between 9 am and 3 pm, the time sun rays are the hottest.

  • Keep a backup system in place when the use is excessive and for off-peak solar accessibility hours.

A properly installed solar hot water panel performs well for 15 to 20 years and it requires far less maintenance than its conventional counterparts. It helps save a lot of bucks while adding to the look of the roof.

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