Posts Tagged ‘solar water heater’

The main difference in solar hot water heating systems is where the tank is located.

On-roof Solar Hot Water Heating Systems

With on-roof or roof mounted systems, the tank is directly above the collector panels.

Hot water is lighter than cold water, so it naturally flows up into the tank (or rather gets pushed up by the colder water sinking down).

Water flow happens through the mains pressure. As hot water is taken out (from the top), new cold water flows in and gets heated up in the panels.

Using these natural physical laws makes it reliable and cheap to run.

The disadvantages: You might not like the look of the tank on the roof.

There are also some situations were the hot water would need to travel too long before reaching your shower. In such cases, a lot of water is  wasted and we recommend the split systems.

Split Solar Hot Water Heating Systems

A split system only has the collector panels on the roof. The tank is located where your current tank is.

A small electrical pump is necessary to pump the hot water down from the panels into the tank. However, the energy for the pump is offset in reduced heat losses, as the tank is more protected.

If the ideal location of the collector panels is far away from the location of the old hot water tank, a split system will result in better water usage. The reason is that the hot water is stored closer to where it is used. That means you do not have to wait for the hot water to reach your shower.

An added advantage is the in-built frost support. If the temperature falls below 0 degrees the pump automatically starts circulating the water. That brings warmer water back up to the panels so that the chances of it freezing are reduced.

The disadvantages, slightly more expensive to buy and install.

How to Decide?

When you go through the quoting process for your solar hot water heating systems, you get a choice between the two kinds of systems (where your situation makes that possible). To make the right decision, consider:

• The distance of the collector panels to the old tank (the further away, the more it makes sense to get a split system, e.g. two-story house)
• Your aesthetic preferences
• Your finances (how quickly you want to be paid through your investment)
• Future value of house. Whoever purchases the house might prefer a split system.

Some of the answers you give might rule out an on-roof system anyway, then you just need to decide on tank size.

Find Out Whether You Can Benefit From Solar Hot Water.

You can get an instant quote right now. There are 23 simple questions that lets our online calculator work out the best solution for your situation. That way you know exactly whether you can benefit from solar hot water.

Start with 1. Find System.