Posts tagged "hot water heaters"

Solar Hot Water Heater

Energy from the sun is known as solar radiation hitting the earth. By harnessing this source of energy with a solar hot water heater enables you to generate energy in the form of electricity and hot water.

Evacuated tubes use a glass tube with a vacuum within it and copper pipes running through the center. The copper pipes are all linked to a common manifold which is then connected to a slow flow circulation pump. Its job is to pump water to a storage tank below, thus heating the hot water during the day. The hot water can be used at night or even the next day due to the insulation of the tank.

The evacuation tube systems are superior as they can extract the heat out of the air on a humid day and don't require direct sunlight. Due to the vacuum inside the glass tube, the total efficiency in all areas is higher and there's better performance when the sun is not at an optimum angle.

Water tank and thermal mixing - As the heat increases, the hot water delivered to the tank from the solar collector is drawn from the top for home use. As the temperature of the water exceeds 60 degrees Celsius/140 degrees Fahrenheit (a standard requirement to kill bacteria), in order to ensure a safe temperature at the taps, a tempering valve will reduce the temperature to around 45 degrees Celsius/113 degrees Fahrenheit.

Electricity and gas boosters - While the sun can provide sufficient energy to provide you with plenty of hot water for most of the year, there may be extended periods of cloudy, cold days where your system may need a helping hand. This is provided along with an electricity booster or gas booster system.

Boosting with a tankless gas water heater is the most efficient boosting method as boosting only occurs when hot water is used. With an electric system, the tank is heated as soon as the internal temperature drops.

With solar hot water heaters, you will reduce these emissions and also save over 70% of your water heating costs. DIY solar water heater are very economical when used to replace expensive heating methods such as oil, electricity and gas.