The solar hot water heating systems uses solar panels (such as evacuated tubes or flat plate collectors) which are also known as collectors usually installed on top of your house roof. It will collect heat from the sun and use it to warm the house water stored in a hot water cylinder. Below is some of the information for you to know more and understand about the requirements of Solar Hot Water.
What you need to take into consideration:
- Position of the Solar Collector
- Panel Mounting
- Storage Tank
- Pumps and Controls
- Expected operating temperature range
Method:
- Position the solar collector on the roof that captures the most sunlight, or any other location that receives ample sunlight, whether it is during the summer or winter.
- Ensure that your panel mounting hardware and brackets are secured properly and also can withstand high winds and strong storms. Check any leaking of the roof and properly seal them to keep water from leaking in or air from leaking out.
- Requires a network of pipes for running the cold water main into the solar collector and then channeled through an S-shaped pipe or a series of parallel pipes before being sent to the hot water tank for storage. The pipes need to be insulated so that it will not lose any heat and for outdoor pipes also need to be insulated along with drain valves in order to allow water escaping plus to avoid freezing. Besides that, you need to install a bypass valve for allowing the cold water to run directly to the backup water heater if the solar system fails.
- To insulate the storage tank to enable it to hold the heat generated from the sun\’s energy, plus it is recommended to have a second water heater tank for emergency if the system fails.
- For active solar hot water system, the water movement from the solar collector is controlled by an electric powered pump which is run automatically and its setup is done during the initial installation of the system.
- Determine the specific technologies being used for its collectors and the whole system because different water heating needs in various environment are not the same and need certain types of collectors and systems to work properly, plus also vary depending on your expected operating temperature range.
Additional Reading:
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/solar-hot-water-installation-requirements
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Solar-water-heating
http://www.wbdg.org/resources/swheating.php
Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/18474854@N00/2871763142/
