thinking of installing a solar water heater

19 Posts

Mar 5, 2009 07:39 pm

my plumber will install a Sungrabber system with 80 gallon storage tank for about 6200.00; Az Pub. Svc. rebate will be about 1950 bucks, fed tax credit will be about 1650 and Az tax credit will be 1000.

this uses a 10 gal closed loop water medium, with a 10 gal. drain down tank and exchanges the heat in a radiator type of exchanger.

storage water is constantly run thru the exchanger until set temp is satisfied or roof loop shuts down due to cool temps, eg cloudy day or nightfall.

The pumps only use 2.2 amps, 120v, 270 watts, so will not pull that much from my off grid solar set up; does not run at night so batts not affected.

This is a new project for me and would appreciate any input you may have.

Tom M

462 Posts

Mar 6, 2009 02:22 pm

Re: thinking of installing a solar water heater

William, it looks like the panels they install are plastic and unglazed. They may be okay for AZ. Unless you have lots of freezing temperatures. Also drainback systems can be a little less efficient than using a tank with an internal heat exchanger which would only require one pump and the heat transfer area will be larger and immersed in the tank water itself.
Check out some other types of SHW panels that may heat water a little hotter and faster. There are copper and copper with aluminum panels which may have a higher conductivity for better heat gain and transfer.
Also check out other types of hot water systems that may be a better solution. You may even find some information at this site......

Fred Flintstone

19 Posts

Apr 26, 2009 10:50 am

Re: thinking of installing a solar water heater

Find an old 50 gal electric water heater ('tall' variety) and recondition it by stripping off the jacket and insulation, sanding/wire brushing off rust, replacing the anode and fittings, rinsing out the insides, paint with black paint, and build a ICS or batch heater out of it. There are tons of plans available for free on the internet.

There are no rebates that I am aware of on these 'poor boy' passive solar systems, but the cost is only several hundred dollars total, and you recycle/reuse what is usually a perfectly good tank. (Most old water heaters are replaced not because the tank is bad, but because the anode is gone or the heating elements have failed.)

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thinking of installing a solar water heater

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